Virginia traveled ‘hills and valleys’ to national title

In a dramatic one-year turnaround, Virginia survived the ups and downs of a rigorous college basketball season to end up the last team standing in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament Monday night in Minneapolis. After becoming the first No. 1 seed to lose to a 16 seed in the first round of the tournament last year, the Cavaliers battled their way through this year’s bracket and defeated a tough Texas Tech team in the title game 85-77 in overtime to claim the school’s first national championship.

Prior to Monday’s game, Virginia coach Tony Bennett encouraged his team by reminding them of how they had overcome adversity. “I played a song for them today called ‘Hills and Valleys’ by Tauren Wells, and it just means that you’re never alone in the hills or the valleys, and we faced those from last year to this year,” he said in a postgame interview. “But the credit goes to these young men and I can’t wait to celebrate with my wife and my kids and my parents. And I do want to thank the Lord and my Savior.”

De’Andre Hunter led the way for the Cavaliers (35-3) with a career-high 27 points against the Red Raiders (31-7), with teammate Kyle Guy winning the Final Four’s Most Outstanding Player award.