Virginia’s redemption tour is complete, wins its first NCAA men’s basketball national title

History was guaranteed at the NCAA men’s basketball championship on Monday, with the Virginia Cavaliers and Texas Tech Red Raiders making their debuts in the national final.

And when it was over, redemption for Virginia was complete.

A year after becoming the first No. 1 seed in men’s college basketball history to lose to a No. 16 seed in the NCAA tournament, the Cavaliers are national champions, defeating No. 3 seed Texas Tech 85-77 in overtime at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.

“We were destined to win,” Virginia redshirt sophomore De’Andre Hunter, who led all scorers with 27 points, said to Westwood One. “We had to.”

It almost felt like it was a script for a movie. Winning a title was a fitting ending considering how 2018 ended for Virginia (35-3).

After being shocked by No. 16 seed University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) in the NCAA tournament last season – the Cavaliers lost that one by 20 points – Virginia was the lone No. 1 seed to reach the Final Four this year.

“When they come into my office, I got a poster of Rocky on the steps,” Virginia head coach Tony Bennett said to CBS. “And I told them, I just want a chance at a title fight one day.”

For Cavaliers junior Kyle Guy, who was named most outstanding player and had 24 points, he believed “this is how this it was supposed to end,” he told Westwood One.

“That’s a dark place that I think a lot of us were in,” Guy said of losing to UMBC last year. “There was humiliation, embarrassment for ourselves and our families and the program. To be able to redeem all that, and give this program something that’s never happened before is all that I could ever want.”

Bennett, whose father Dick Bennett led Wisconsin to a Final Four in 2000, joined exclusive company when reaching the Final Four, making him part of the second father-son pair to reach the Final Four as head coaches. The other duo is John Thompson Jr. (Georgetown in 1982, 1984, 1985) and John Thompson III (Georgetown, 2007).

“I think every father would love to see his son do a heck of a lot better than he did,” Dick Bennett said to Westwood One.

This was the third Final Four appearance for the Cavaliers and first since 1984.

Kyle Guy, foreground, and the Virginia Cavaliers celebrate after winning the NCAA tournament final on Monday, April 8.

Virginia head coach Tony Bennett rests his head on point guard Ty Jerome during the trophy presentation.

Texas Tech point guard Davide Moretti, left, is consoled by a teammate after the game.

Virginia players celebrate after the final buzzer.

Virginia's Braxton Key blocks the shot of Jarrett Culver on the last play of regulation.

Virginia's De'Andre Hunter hits a game-tying 3-pointer late in the second half. Hunter had a game-high 27 points.

Jerome and Texas Tech's Matt Mooney go for a loose ball in the second half.

Jerome and Culver flex during the second half. Jerome finished with 16 points, nine assists and seven rebounds. Culver, the Big 12 Player of the Year, had 15 points and 10 rebounds.

Texas Tech's Brandone Francis celebrates a second-half play. Francis came off the bench to score 17 points for the Red Raiders.

Mooney tries to steal the ball from Virginia's Kihei Clark during the second half.

Players watch a loose ball in the second half.

Jerome reacts after hitting a 3-pointer to end the first half. Virginia led 32-29 at the half.

Hunter glides to the rim in the first half.

Mooney is guarded by Guy early in the game.

Texas Tech's Tariq Owens rises for a dunk.

Culver blocks a Hunter shot.

Key grabs a rebound in the first half.

Texas Tech head coach Chris Beard talks to Culver during the first half.

Owens knocks the ball away from Clark in the first half.

Key throws down a dunk in the first half.

Mooney shoots over Guy.

Moretti takes a shot.

Bennett watches Mooney drive to the basket.

The teams tip off at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.

The two coaches shake hands before the game.

Patrick Mahomes, the NFL's Most Valuable Player this past season, takes pictures before the start of the game. Mahomes played football at Texas Tech.

Air Force Tech Sgt. Johnny Holliday plays the National Anthem on the saxophone.

Virginia fans cheer before the game.

Texas Tech's mascot, Raider Red, does the school's "guns up" salute.

In photos: Virginia redeems itself with NCAA title

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It was the first Final Four and championship game appearance for Texas Tech (31-7), a school that has just one national championship in any team sport in its history. That came from the women’s basketball team in 1993 led by the legendary Sheryl Swoopes. That team is so revered in Lubbock that there is a freeway named after the coach, Marsha Sharp.

A school in a state better known for football – NFL MVP and former Texas Tech quarterback Patrick Mahomes was in attendance Saturday and Monday and spoke to the team – Texas Tech and its Red Raiders have made a swift ascension on the hardwood.

Led by head coach Chris Beard for the past three seasons, Texas Tech’s previous best NCAA appearance was reaching the Elite Eight, which came last year. After losing five seniors from the 2017-2018 team, the Red Raiders leaned on veterans in graduate transfers Matt Mooney and Tariq Owens as well as returning seniors Norense Odiase and Brandone Francis.

Baylor coach Kim Mulkey, left, waves the net while standing with daughter and assistant coach Makenzie Fuller and Fuller's son, Kannon Reid Fuller, after the Final Four championship game of the NCAA women's college basketball tournament Sunday, April 7, 2019, in Tampa, Fla. Baylor defeated Notre Dame 82-81. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

Related article NCAA women's basketball championship: Baylor holds off Notre Dame, wins 3rd title

An assistant for the Red Raiders under Bob Knight and Pat Knight from 2001 to 2011, Beard has been a head coach in Division I – the highest level in the NCAA – for four years.

He previously coached in Division II for Angelo State and McMurry University in Division III (both in Texas) and for the American Basketball Association’s South Carolina Warriors. His first two head coaching opportunities came at the junior college level with Fort Scott Community College in Kansas and Seminole State College in Oklahoma.

“When you talk about team of destiny, I just think they’re really, really good,” Beard said of Virginia to CBS after the loss.

“The poise, and they just find ways to win. I just want to congratulate them, their program. It’s just an honor to compete with them on this biggest stage, on Monday night. I have nothing but respect for their program. In terms of my guys, I’ve never been more proud in coaching. This is real life. We’ll bounce back. I’m just so proud of those guys.”

On Monday, Francis had 17 points off the bench to lead Texas Tech. Sophomores Jarrett Culver and Davide Moretti each had 15.

This was the first meeting between the two men’s basketball programs.

This year’s NCAA men’s Final Four had a bit of a different feel to it. Missing this year were the well-known established blue bloods: This is the first Final Four since 1987 that didn’t have Duke, North Carolina, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisville or UCLA.