On Dec. 7, Oklahoma trounced Villanova in front of about 4,000 people at the annual Pearl Harbor Invitational.

The Wildcats were humiliated. They couldn't make a three-pointer - finishing 4-of-32 from beyond the arch - and their post-up game was non-existent, as was any semblance of an offense. Ryan Arcidiacono, Josh Hart, and Phil Booth scored 10 points apiece, but at a rate of 32 percent from the field.

Oklahoma went into the early-season matchup an underdog, albeit with a No. 7 national ranking. They sank 14 three-pointers, including one by Isaiah Cousins that capped a 10-2 run in the second half. Ryan Spangler added a double-double and Buddy Hield, the standout senior who captivated the NCAA Tournament thus far, notched 18 points and four assists.

If both teams arrived in Hawaii with Final Four aspirations, only one played like it.

Villanova's Learning Curve

"Villanova is an experienced team, too, but our coaches got us real prepared for this game," Hield told ESPN. "We watched a lot of film and we studied them real well and they had different schemes, but we came out and executed. We came out with a great team win."

The Wildcats shook off the demoralizing loss. Losing to Seton Hall in the Big East championship could have been their death nail for many Final Four hopeful. Instead, it motivated them; it made Villanova somewhat of an outsider when cubicle dwellers filled out office brackets.

Redeeming themselves means getting past Hield and his 29.3 points per game during the tournament. But it may not be too much to ask from a team that dismantled Iowa, Miami, and top-ranked Kansas.

"We saw how bad we looked [against Oklahoma] and it's just night and day watching that game and then watching the Kansas game we had," Hart told NJ.com, referring to last weekend's South Region final. "It's totally different. Obviously we learned from that game."

A Championship-Caliber Rematch

Four months separated from the Sooners' 78-55 victory, the rematch is on a much bigger stage, Houston's NRG Stadium; a massive venue capable of fitting 18 times the Pearl Harbor audience and four different fan bases.

Personnel hasn't changed much since last December. The Wildcats still depends on all five starters to stay competitive. Oklahoma rides Hield's Steph Curry-like shooting from three-point land to put games away. What has changed, however, is Villanova's mentality.

How to Watch

Villanova-Oklahoma tips off at 6:09 p.m. Eastern, followed by Syracuse-North Carolina. TBS will televise both games, but fans can live stream the Final Four through the NCAA March Madness Live website and app.

Samsung Gear VR headset owners can watch the game in virtual reality by downloading the app through the Oculus store.