Men’s Basketball: North Carolina beats Gonzaga for sixth national title

“At the end, when you’re watching your kids jump around and the excitement, the thrill they have”, Williams explained, “there’s no better feeling in the world as a coach”.

Berry scored a game-high 22 points, including four 3-pointers, to help the Tar Heels rally in the final 2 minutes to beat Gonzaga 71-65 in Monday’s title game.

But UNC pulled ahead and kept their lead to win the national championship, and after the game, several Tar Heels players gave glory to God.

Josh Perkins was averaging 5.2 points and shooting 34.8 percent from the floor in the first five games of the NCAA tournament, but his play buoyed Gonzaga in the first half, scoring 13 points – more than he’s scored in any game since February 23rd, a total he eclipsed just twice since Christmas – and helping Gonzaga jump out to an early nine-point lead, but the Zags, overall, did not play all that well in the first 20 minutes.

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Dropping in a jumper as he hung through the air with just 26 seconds left, Hicks put North Carolina up 68-65 and Gonzaga never found the bottom of the net again during the Tar Heels’ 8-0 run to close out the title.

After a sporting year that began with Kris Jenkins’ buzzer shot to carry Villanova past North Carolina in the 2016 NCAA Championship, followed by an National Basketball Association title won with Kyrie Irving’s heroic 3-pointer, then a World Series that required extra innings and produced an historic Chicago Cubs victory, a College Football Playoff decided in the final minute and a Super Bowl that needed overtime, we probably were due for a clunker.

Turns out, maybe the junior point guard was just saving it all for one big moment: the chance to give North Carolina the national championship that had slipped so painfully away a year earlier. That should have made it Gonzaga ball, down 1 with plenty of time left.

But replays showed the officials missed a crucial call down the stretch, too.

When college basketball teams reach a stage as grand as the Final Four, every emotion is amplified: Every basket more celebrated, every missed free throw more painful and every foul call more scrutinized.

“I know the type of player he is”, Meeks said. I mean, these are two heavyweight teams going at it, inside, playing really, really physical basketball.

If you don’t remember, Day – a former BYU women’s basketball star – has terminal cancer but through the generosity of many was able to experience a bucket-list item by going to both rivalry games between North Carolina and Duke.

“I had no issue whatsoever”. I thought they did a fabulous job.

The second half they shoot 27 percent, and we shoot 35 for the game.

After escaping the cusp of defeat three times this tournament, North Carolina (33-7) stared down a seven-point hole late in the first half. He still finished with nine points and seven rebounds. Jackson had 16 points but went 0 for 9 from 3-point range.

Williams said his team didn’t visit the White House in 2005 because the players had already dispersed to National Basketball Association training camps and professional teams in Europe.

“So I think it was the magnitude of the game had a lot to do with it and the defenses on both ends, on both teams, I think had something to do with it. I think it was important to everybody”. Williams-Goss finished with 15 points, but connected on just five of 17 from the field.

Few described that conversation shortly after he described the 10 minutes he had spent trying to console Williams-Goss. Karnowski was 1 of 8 from the field for nine points. Guard Justin Perkins scored 13 – all in the first half.

This was a championship game only North Carolina fans could love. This was the only time all season that Gonzaga shot worse than 39 percent.

OR forwards Chris Boucher and Jordan Bell watch the big screen for a replay as they celebrate a 3-pointer in the first half of Saturday’s national semifinal game against North Carolina.

“Talking to [Syracuse coach Jim] Boeheim earlier in the week, he told me it will crush you if you don’t win it”, Few said.