The Villanova Wildcats started slow but caught fire late in the first half and rode that momentum to a convincing 79-62 win over the Michigan Wolverines to win the national championship.
It is the third title in Villanova history and their second in the last three years, making them just the fourth program to win multiple titles in a three-year span since UCLA's dynasty under John Wooden.
Their latest dominant performance showed why the Wildcats were arguably the best team in the country all season long as they limited Michigan to just 13.0 percent shooting from three-point range (3/23) and outrebounded the Wolverines 38-27. They also managed to grab 12 offensive rebounds.
However, Michigan was able to build a seven-point lead early in this game thanks to nine quick points from Moe Wagner and a cold-shooting start from Villanova. Then Donte DiVincenzo took over and changed the game, scoring 18 points in the final 13 minutes of the opening frame as the Wildcats took a 37-28 lead into the break.
DiVincenzo's stellar play continued in the second half, but the rest of Villanova's joined him. Their lead ballooned to 18 points in the first five minutes of the half and they never looked back.
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DiVincenzo, the Big East Sixth Man of the Year, finished with a career-high 31 points and five rebounds - and one incredible block.
Projected NBA Draft lottery pick Mikal Bridges finished with 19 points while Big East Player of the Year Jalen Brunson had nine points for the Wildcats. They also improve to 21-0 this season when holding opponents below 70 points.
Senior Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman led the Wolverines with 23 points while Wagner finished with 16 points and seven rebounds.
With Michigan's defeat, the Big Ten still has not won a national championship since 2000. It also dropped to Wolverines to 1-4 all-time in national championship games (excluding vacated title-game losses in 1992 and 1993).
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