Villanova Wildcats’ forward Kris Jenkins hit a three-pointer with one second on the clock to make Villanova the 2016 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) men’s national champions.
The Wildcats defeated the North Carolina Tar Heels 77 to 74 April 2, their second championship in program history and the first time a team won the NCAA championship game on a buzzer-beater since 1983, according to CNN.
The Villanova Wildcats earned their position in the championship game after defeating the Oklahoma Sooners 98 to 41, making Villanova the first team to win by more than 40 points in a final four NCAA March Madness game.
The opposing team, the North Carolina Tar Heels, beat the tenth seed Syracuse Orange 83 to 66 to secure a spot in the championship game. Going into this game, North Carolina head coach Mr. Roy Williams was asked to comment about the NCAA allegations that North Carolina football and basketball players received impermissible benefits over several years on Entertainment and Sports Programming Network’s (ESPN) radio show “Mike and Mike” Friday, April 1.
“I feel for North Carolina. We have no allegations against men’s basketball. But these are four groups of outstanding young men who have played their tails off the entire year and this is part of their dream. Let’s try to focus on that. Let these young men enjoy that instead of going on about some side street issues,” Mr. Williams said, according to ESPN.
Villanova and North Carolina players, coaches, alumni, and spectators gathered at the NRG Stadium, in Houston, Texas for the national championship game, with the tip off at 9:19 p.m. eastern time (ET).
– Kristen Davis, Sports & Health Editor