Staff Writer
With people throughout the world watching, Louisville outlasted Michigan, 82-76, in an absolute classic that
will instantly go down as one of the best national championship games in a long time.
In what was the perfect way to end an unpredictable, thrilling season, this game had it all. It had under-the-radar bench players catching fire in the first half. It had the superstar point guards stepping up down the stretch. It had thundering alley-oop dunks. It had back-and-forth, scintillating action, and everyone but Rick Pitino's squad was disappointed to see it come to a finish.
But in the end, senior point guard Peyton Siva, who finished with 18 points, six rebounds, five assists and four steals, controlled a nail-biting second half as the Cardinals held on for the win.
In perhaps the final collegiate game of his career, Wooden Award winner Trey Burke poured in 24 points in a spectacular, albeit losing, effort.
The opening 17 minutes were the Spike Albrecht show.
With Burke out for most of the half with foul trouble, the 5'11" freshman—who entered the game averaging 1.8 points per game—lit the nets on fire, hitting six of his seven shots and all four of his three-point attempts en route to 17 points.
But with three minutes remaining and the Wolverines up 12, Luke Hancock hit a three-pointer. Then he hit another one. Then he hit another one. Then he hit another one.
When the teams broke for the locker room, Albrecht had 17, Hancock had 16, both teams combined to shoot 57.9 percent from long range, Michigan led by one, at 38-37, and we had witnessed the greatest, most entertaining half of basketball all year.
The second half was full of new stars, but the same enthralling action.
Siva and Burke showcased why they are two of the best floor generals in the country, making plays all over the court and trading jaw-dropping blows at the rim.
Louisville was able to get more from help from its role players, however, as Chane Behanan (15 points, 13 rebounds) and Gorgui Dieng (eight points, eight rebounds, six assists) controlled the offensive glass to keep the Cardinals ahead by a small margin for most of the second half.
In the waning moments, the Cardinals knocked down their final free throws, Burke's late-game magic finally ran out and Kevin Ware and his teammates were able to cut down the nets as champions.
In a season that was defined by unpredictability and thrilling, down-to-the wire theatrics, one couldn't think of a more fitting, perfect national championship.
If this was a sign of things to come for college basketball, the often-criticized sport is in a very good place.
