National Championship: North Carolina avenges last year's loss with title victory over Gonzaga

In the 2017 National Championship, the North Carolina Tar Heels avenged their loss against Villanova by defeating Gonzaga by six points in Phoenix.

In a National Championship battle between a blue blood ACC program and a team that continues to rise into one of the most consistent schools in the nation, it was the blue blood that came out on top.

The North Carolina Tar Heels avenged their 2016 title game loss to the Villanova Wildcats by defeating the Gonzaga Bulldogs, 71-65, in the 2017 National Championship game in Phoenix, Arizona on Monday evening. The Tar Heels completed a 33-7 season that featured an ACC regular season title crown while the Bulldogs were handed their second loss of the 2016-17 campaign.

While neither team played their best basketball and fouls dominated the conversation in the second half, it was the Tar Heels that used their big game experience to their advantage in the end. Isaiah Hicks converted a tough, contested right-handed layup to put the Tar Heels up three with 27 seconds left before their defense took over from there. Kennedy Meeks swatted Nigel Williams-Goss, and Joel Berry II picked up the loose ball and threw a long outlet pass to Justin Jackson, who slammed home a dunk to put UNC up five.

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Meeks capped off the game with another big play (a steal) on the ensuing possession and UNC was ready to celebrate in the confetti.

Despite playing on two bum ankles, Berry was the star of the show on Monday evening. He didn’t have his A-game going (7-of-19 shooting overall and 4-of-13 from three) but he scored 22 points and dished out six assists. UNC’s leading scorer, Jackson, struggled himself (0-of-9 from three), however, he added 16 points and continued to move without the basketball. Finally, Hicks made up for his poor Final Four outing against Oregon to score 13 points and grab nine rebounds while Meeks (10 rebounds) and Theo Pinson (six points and nine rebounds) did the little things to uplift Roy Williams and Co.

In spite of what was a clinic of a first half from Gonzaga (they kept UNC off the offensive glass and kept them out of transition for the most part), the Bulldogs only led by one at the break. It looked like we were headed for another classic National Title thriller but fouls and stoppages of play started to decrease the pace and flow of the game. Both teams were in the bonus at the 14-minute mark, Zach Collins picked up two cheap fouls and ultimately fouled out with five minutes and there was a bogus flagrant call when Przemek Karnowski and Berry went for a 50-50 ball.

With Meeks in foul trouble of his own, North Carolina didn’t benefit from the refs. They also shot themselves in the foot, somehow still winning a game in which they shot 15 percent from three, were out-rebounded by three and missed 11 free throws.

In the end, though, it was about the Tar Heels’ championship mettle. They only turned the ball over four times against one of the best defenses in the country and battled adversity from the opening tip to the final buzzer.

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In the end, it all paid off: the Tar Heels are champions once again. For the third time in Williams’ career, North Carolina is bringing the trophy back to Chapel Hill.

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National Championship: North Carolina avenges last year’s loss with title victory over Gonzaga

By Carmine Carcieri | Apr 4, 2017

In the 2017 National Championship, the North Carolina Tar Heels avenged their loss against Villanova by defeating Gonzaga by six points in Phoenix.