by HOUSTON, TEXAS, Sporting Alert – Kris Jenkins’ buzzer-beating 3-pointer lifts Villanova to a thrilling 77-74 victory over North Carolina in the NCAA DI College Basketball National Championships here in Houston on Monday night.
Watch the Buzzer beating shot
With the game tied at 74-74 after Tar Heels guard Marcus Paige had knocked down an acrobatic 3-pointer of his own with 4.7 seconds remaining, Jenkins took a handoff from Ryan Arcidiacono and then rose high to connect from long-range as time expired.
“Kris told him he was going to be open, Arch made the perfect pass,” Villanova coach Jay Wright said.
“Kris lives for that moment.”
“Every kid dreams about that shot,” said Arcidiacono. “I wanted that shot, but I just had confidence in my teammates, and Kris was able to knock down that shot.”
Monday night’s victory saw the Wildcats lifting their second national championship and the first since 1985, as Jenkins finished the game with 14 points.
2016 NCAA Men's Basketball National Champions! #LetsMarchNova pic.twitter.com/p8XsMKRoEe
— Villanova MBB (@NovaMBB) April 5, 2016
Phil Booth led the way for Villanova with 20 points on 6 of 7 shooting off the bench, while Arcidiacono scored 16 and Josh Hart added 12 points and eight rebounds for the Wildcats, who shot 58.3-percent from the floor overall and 57.1-percent from 3-point range.
Paige the led the way for North Carolina with a game-high 21 points to go with six assists and five rebounds and Joel Berry II ended with 20 points in the defeat.
“I’m not very good because I can’t take away the hurt,” Tar Heels coach Roy Williams said.
“I told them I loved them. I told them I wish I could have helped them more.”
Among the superstars in attendance at the NRG Stadium on Monday night was NBA legend Michael Jordan, who knows a thing or two about hitting buzzer-beating shot to win a national championship as well, was wearing his light blue and enjoying the battle up until the final shot.
