Villanova's buzzer-beater downs North Carolina in NCAA title game

Villanova’s Kris Jenkins hit a 3-point shot at the buzzer Monday night to lift the Wildcats over North Carolina 77-74 in the NCAA men’s basketball championship game in Houston.

Jenkins’ shot came after North Carolina’s Marcus Paige hit an acrobatic 3-pointer to tie the game with just 4.7 seconds left.

After a time out, Jenkins inbounded the ball to point guard Ryan Arcidiacono, who quickly dribbled downcourt to the top of key, flipping the ball back to a trailing Jenkins who took a step and launched the game-winning shot.

“I think every shot’s going in,” Jenkins said, “and this one was no different.”

Villanova coach Jay Wright hardly flinched as the buzzer sounded. “Bang,” he said calmly before heading to midcourt to shake North Carolina coach Roy Williams’ hand.

The Tar Heels trailed by 10 points with 5:30 left in the game but were able to close the gap thanks to the inspired play of Paige down the stretch, finally drawing even with the senior guard’s spectacular shot.

Paige took a pass from Joel Berry II, almost lost the ball, dribbled twice, went airborne, and hit a double-clutch shot with Arcidiacono running at him. Paige then told his teammates that all they needed to do was play 4.7 seconds of defense and they would win in overtime. But that never happened.

“It was helpless,” said North Carolina coach Roy Williams, whose team finished the season 33-7. “It was not a good feeling.”

The championship was the second for Villanova (35-5), with the first coming in 1985, when the Wildcats, coached by Rollie Massimino, defeated a powerful Georgetown team. But the 2016 win may become more memorable thanks to Jenkins’ final shot.

“The last play, we were just calm in the huddle, honestly,” said Arcidiacono, selected as the tournament’s most outstanding player. “We knew what we were going to do and we just executed.”

Back on the Villanova campus in Philadelphia, students celebrated the victory into the night and the university canceled classes today.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.