All Villanova had to do to win its first title since 1985 was beat two No. 1 seeds (one of which had won their previous six tourney matchups against the Wildcats -- and, uh, tied the game with a long 3 with four seconds left in regulation) and one of the country's strongest No. 2 seeds. Oh, and hit a game-winning 3 at the buzzer of the national title game, yet another big shot from a team that averaged 64.9 percent shooting in its two games in Houston.
The Wildcats also did it with punishing defense -- through their first five games, they forced turnovers on 22 percent of opponents' possessions in the tournament, third-best in the field, and they were the first team in the tourney to outscore UNC in the paint -- and some serious star power that shone brightest in April.