What a great game!!!!!    Both teams point guards had amazing games.   All second half, Joel Berry II kept hitting big shots for North Carolina to keep the game close as he scored 22 points.  But it was Nigel Williams-Goss who brought Gonzaga back when UNC had built a small lead, including a great drive on Justin Jackson with 2 1/2 minutes to give the Bulldogs a 63-62 lead.

Justin Jackson, who struggled from the field during the game, drove to the hoop and got fouled by Williams-Goss and hit one of his free throws to tie the game.    This led to the Gonzaga point guard driving again on Jackson and hitting another big basket.   But the lead was short lived as Theo Pinson had a nice pass to a cutting Jackson, who hit the layup in the paint and got fouled again.   Jackson hit the free throw to give the Tar Heels a 66-65 lead – a lead that they would not give up.

Sadly, on the next possession, Williams-Goss got tangled up with Pinson and injured his ankle.   While he stayed in the game, you have to wonder how much that impacted his play in the final minute.    Williams-Goss tried to drive on Pinson, but missed his fade-away jumper as Pinson did a great job of not leaving his feet so Williams-Goss could draw the foul and forced a tough shot.

Then, in another fitting way to end, UNC let some time come off the clock, but because of some great defense by Gonzaga, Berry had to force up a three-pointer that missed.   And the ball fell into Kennedy Meeks hands.  He actually lost it for a minute, but was able to fall on it and get a jump ball called – giving the Tar Heels a chance to run more clock.    With the time running down on the shot clock, Isaiah Hicks drove to the basket and the senior made a huge basket to make it 68-65.

After a time-out, Williams-Goss tried to drive to the basket and Kennedy Meeks blocked his runner, with the defensive rebound going to Berry.   Berry quickly outlet the ball to a streaking Justin Jackson who dunked the ball to give the Tar Heels a commanding lead.   As Gonzaga tried to rush the ball desparately up the court, Meeks stepped up again and stole the ball.   Fittingly, he got the ball into his point guard’s hands.   And Berry, the Final Four MVP who kept the Tar Heels in this game, scored the final point of the Tar Heels 9-2 run on the free throw line.

All tournament, it had been the Tar Heels finding a second gear in the final four minutes.   Whether it be going on late game runs like they did against Arkansas and Kentucky, or whether it was coming up with big offensive rebounds as they did against Oregon, North Carolina found a way to get their redemption from last year.  Maybe it was also fitting that UNC coach Roy Williams managed to win his 3rd national championship in his 100th NCAA Tournament game.

You have to give so much credit to Gonzaga – they fought hard and had such an amazing season – it is hard to go 37-2 in college basketball.   But tonight, the Tar Heels had just too many weapons, and they managed in the second half to find the right hot hand at just the right time.  Congratulations to the North Carolina Tar Heels – they are the 2017 NCAA Basketball Champions!!!!!