Breaking down the key factors in Villanova's buzzer-beating 77-74 national championship victory against North Carolina in Houston on Monday night:
Kris Jenkins at the buzzer
In perhaps the most thrilling finish for a championship game in NCAA tournament history, Jenkins hit a buzzer-beating three-pointer to give the Wildcats their first national title since 1985. Villanova had squandered a six-point lead with 1:52 left. Following an off-balanced three from determined North Carolina senior Marcus Paige with 4.7 seconds left to knot the game at 74, Nova point guard Ryan Arcidiacono drove the length of the court and served as a decoy to create space for Jenkins' heroics.
Pandemonium ensued. Yet coach Jay Wright was just chillin.
"Kris told him he was going to be open, Arch made the perfect pass," Wright said afterward. "Kris lives for that moment."
Phil Booth the hero off the bench
Booth scored a career-high 20 points, more than he had in his four previous games combined. He was ultimate X-Factor, with most of his buckets serving as major momentum changers.
Villanova trailed by only five at halftime thanks to a buzzer-beating jumper from Booth — a big difference-maker for confidence heading into the break. Then in the second half, he drained several clutch shots — one a step back three-pointer at the 12:43 mark and another big jumper with 3:02 remaining.
Arcidiacono comes to life late
The Wildcats' senior floor general scored early in the first half but then was quiet offensively until late in the second. He had a pair of jumpers late to help shift the momentum in Villanova's favor and build a cushion it ultimately needed to hang on. His pump-fake-and-reverse-pivot jump shot with 9:50 left and pull-up three-pointer with 8:59 remaining were huge in helping the Wildcats take over the game's tempo.
Frustrating North Carolina's bigs
It was the Tar Heels' outside shooting — Joel Berry II in the first half and Marcus Paige late in the second half — that kept them in the game; UNC shot 65% from beyond the arc. Their dominant frontcourt was not so dominant and All-American Brice Johnson was seen several times scoffing on the bench in frustration, either from not getting his touches or seeing the 'Heels lose the momentum as Villanova pulled ahead.
HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
