Smith and the defending champion Cardinals (27-5) harassed Villanova into 25 turnovers and advanced to play familiar nemesis Notre Dame in the late game Friday night at Madison Square Garden.
Gallinari, the Nuggets' leading scorer, wasn't needed as the Nuggets won their ninth straight game at home, snapped the Lakers' three-game winning streak and took the season series from their long-time nemesis 3-1.
The stellar freshman scored a career-high 29 points to go with four blocks and was seemingly everywhere in leading the Huskies back to the national championship game with an 83-65 win over the Fighting Irish their nemesis of late on Sunday night.