ATLANTA, GA – In one of the most closely contested championship games in years, Louisville and Michigan slugged it out from end to end with a barrage of threes and thunderous dunks, leaving Rick Pitino’s Cardinals standing on top in the end with an 82-76 victory against the Wolverines in the Georgia Dome for the school’s first basketball championship since 1986, and third overall. Pitino, who was elected to the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame earlier in the day, is the first coach to win championships at two schools following his 1996 national title at Kentucky.
From the start this game was wildly different than the two semifinals, with both teams finding the shooting touch that was missing on Saturday night. Freshman Spike Albrecht started the game hot for Michigan, sinking his first four threes to help put the Wolverines up by as much as ten midway through the first half. But Louisville’s own sharpshooter Luke Hancock soon found his own range, sinking four threes to bring Louisville back just before the break. He eventually shot five for five from behind the arc and finished with 22 points, while AP Player of the Year Trey Burke scored 24 for Michigan in the loss.
Kevin Kugler, Bill Raftery and John Thompson called the action on Westwood One Sports.
(Spike Albrecht starts hot and hits a three to give Michigan a ten-point lead)
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(Luke Hancock carries Louisville back with four threes of his own)
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(Montrezl Harrell slams an alley-oop for Louisville lead)
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(Russ Smith gives Cardinals a five-point lead)
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(Peyton Siva slam makes it 67-62 Louisville)
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(Final call as Louisville wins their first national title)
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(Postgame interview with Louisville’s Luke Hancock)
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(Postgame interview with Louisville head coach Rick Pitino)
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(Postgame interview with Louisville’s Peyton Siva)
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(Postgame interview with Louisville’s Kevin Ware)
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(Kevin Kugler, John Thompson and Bill Raftery recap the Championship Game)
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