In what has been described as one of the greatest finishes in the history of sports, Kris Jenkins’s sensational on-the-buzzer three-pointer sealed a 77-74 win for Villanova in its NCAA Championship game against the North Carolina Tar Heels.
Just seconds before Jenkins’s winning shot, North Carolina’s Marcus Paige had sunk a double-clutch three to tie the game – with the Tar Heels’ bench exploding out of their seats, surely in expectation that the game would be sent into overtime.
But Villanova wasn’t done, and after taking a timeout, Ryan Arcidacono took the ball upcourt, before passing to Jenkins – who sealed the win with a clean shot from just outside the three-point line.
That sparked wild scenes as the Villanova players and coaching staff piled onto the court in celebration.
With NBA legend Michael Jordan among the fans at the NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas, on Monday the game provided a fitting championship showcase for college basketball.
The Wildcats, seeded second, had let a six-point lead slip with 1:52 on the clock, and saw it eroded when Paige’s remarkable three-pointer tied the game.
That was before Jenkins’s heroics, and his shot for three gave Villanova its first title since 1985.
Although Jordan was supporting his alma mater North Carolina, the shot earned his respect.
Indeed, the NCAA's official March Madness account posted a tweet that claimed the scarcely-believable end to the game was "one of the greatest finishes in the history of sports."
It seems certain we'll be seeing Jenkins, Paige, and many of their teammates gracing the NBA in future.
Meanwhile, you can watch the amazing final few minutes of the game unfold here: