One year ago, Virginia Cavaliers fans sat in tears in the opening round of the tourney when they became the first ever Number 1 seed in NCAA history to lose to a 16 seed.
One year later those same fans were in tears after the Cavs won their first ever NCAA title last night.
The fans just had to wait an extra six games—and extra five minutes as well—as this nail biter went into overtime.
Led by De'Andre Hunter, the Cavaliers turned themselves into national champions last night, holding off tenacious, ferocious Texas Tech for an 85-77 overtime win.
But it sure wasn’t easy as the Cavaliers watched a 10-point lead turn into a 3-point deficit before Hunter came to the rescue. The sophomore made the game-tying 3 with 12.1 seconds left in regulation, then made another with just over two minutes left in the extra period to give the Cavs the lead for good.
After going scoreless for the first 18 1/2 minutes, Hunter finished with a career-high 27 points, and if he leaves as a lottery pick, well, what a way to go out.
Hunter's key 3 gave Virginia a 75-73 lead, and after the teams traded possessions, Tech guard Davide Moretti scrambled after a loose ball heading onto Virginia's end of the court. It appeared it would be Texas Tech ball, but a replay showed Moretti's pinkie finger had barely scraped the ball. Virginia got possession and worked the ball into Ty Jerome, who got fouled and made two free throws.
While Texas Tech fans all over the country were giving the refs a different finger—UVA pulled away—going a perfect 12 for 12 from the line in overtime to ice the game.
And put that legendary choke from last season into a deep freeze.
Source:ESPN