Texas Tech Falls To Virginia In Overtime Of National Championship Game
MINNEAPOLIS (CBSDFW.COM/AP) - The amazing ride has ended for the Texas Tech Red Raiders.
Virginia won the first men's basketball championship in school history, getting a career-high 27 points from De'Andre Hunter and clutch play from Kyle Guy to beat Texas Tech 85-77 in overtime.
The first No. 1 seed out a year ago is the last one standing this year.
Hunter drained a 3-pointer with 12.9 seconds left to force the first overtime since 2008, when Mario Chalmers' miracle helped Kansas top Memphis in San Antonio. The big forward continued to make plays in the extra session, including another 3 during an 11-0 run that put the game away.
Guy finished with 24 points and Ty Jerome had 16 for the Cavaliers, who like the Red Raiders were appearing in the title game for the first time. Braxton Key added six points and 10 boards.
Brandone Francis had 17 points to lead five players in double-figures scoring for Texas Tech. Jarrett Culver and Davide Moretti scored 15 apiece and Kyler Edwards had 12.
The teams matched a championship game record with 21 combined 3-pointers.
As Virginia's players were busy cutting the nets down following their first national title win over Texas Tech, congratulations were pouring in across social media.
One of them came from the UMBC basketball team, which tweeted: "What an incredible season for UVA. That was truly a turnaround for the ages. Congratulations, champs!"
What an incredible season for UVA. That was truly a turnaround for the ages! Congratulations, champs! ????
— UMBC Men's Basketball (@UMBC_MBB) April 9, 2019
It was UMBC that beat Virginia in the first round of last year's tournament, the first time a No. 16 had ever defeated a No. 1 seed. And it was that historic upset that fueled the Cavaliers all season and right into the Final Four, where they dispatched the Red Raiders in overtime.
(© Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)