When he was asked about his tweets Monday after the game, DiVincenzo said, “I didn’t do that”.
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During the winning performance, DiVincenzo wore the Nike Hyperdunk 2017.
“Outsiders, the media, they can be harsh”, Kathie said.
Where was DiVincenzo during the 2016 championship game?
Freshman Donte DiVincenzo came off the bench to score 31 points as Villanova University outclassed the University of Michigan Wolverines to claim the prestigious US collegiate basketball crown on April 2.
Clearly, something about the Lone Star State meshes well with Villanova reserves.
The Wildcats did enough of both on Monday night to secure coach Jay Wright’s second national championship in three seasons. “Al of us, we’re all going to get better every year”. There was nothing close to joy in the MI locker room.
Instead of 18 three-point shots, they made 10. But Brett Brown has seen “The Process” through to a playoff spot this year, and seeing the future fruits of it should happen until further notice. That’s when Wright learned a lesson about playing hot underclassmen over veterans, courtesy of Booth. He scored 18 of Villanova’s first 34 points on the way to a career-high 31. The NBA promises nothing like that, but time will tell if Wright has any aspirations to make the jump to brighter lights.
Villanova celebrates on the court after beating MI in Monday’s national championship game in San Antonio.
Villanova also wore out MI big man Moe Wagner by forcing him to fight through a multitude of screens on defense.
The sophomore guard had 12 points and an assist during a first-half run to help the Wildcats (36-4) pull ahead, then scored nine straight for Villanova midway through the second to put the game away.
Villanova led 37-28 at halftime, never let the edge dip below seven points and eventually built a 22-point cushion at 76-54.
MI was led by Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman’s 23 points on 8-of-13 shooting from the floor. We didn’t make them.
That’s how good these guys are. He only went in early because someone else needed a talking-to.
The 6’11 German big man single-handedly kept the Wolverines in the game against Loyola-Chicago and finished with 24 points and 15 rebounds.
“Donte could do more”, assistant coach George Halcovage said Sunday, the day before the title game.
In this title gamer, on a team with AP player of the year Jalen Brunson and potential National Basketball Association lottery pick Mikal Bridges, DiVincenzo was the go-to guy.
Bridges provided 19 critical points. Redshirt freshman Omari Spellman, who might also be off to the National Basketball Association, grabbed 11 rebounds and chipped in eight points.
DiVincenzo joins them in the rare club of players to crack 30 points while also shooting better than 66 percent from the floor in a Final Four game. Backup point guard Collin Gillespie missed eight games (broken hand).
“I just think that coach Wright tries to recruit guys that want to be in college”.
Some of the Wildcats already know what it feels like to win the title-soon the rest of them will, too.
MI was 9-5 this season when trailing at halftime, including Saturday’s comeback victory against Loyola-Chicago, which propelled the Wolverines to the national championship game for the first time since 2013, when they lost to Louisville.
Villanova had the biggest lead in the game with an advantage of 22 at one point.
“That would be nice”, he said. “We thought, ‘Get as close to the basket as you can with Jess.’ She could turn and shoot and maybe get fouled. That would be even better”. It is a trajectory distinctive to the program, which could reasonably be expected to lead to another title a year or two from now.
There was more joy, on Monday night, for Villanova. That one was considered a miracle.
“John Beilein is one of the greatest coaches of all time”, Wright said. But they are also, undoubtedly, the best team.
Monday night though, everyone was looking up to DiVincenzo – particularly one toddler in Delaware.
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Despite being a true freshman who averaged a little more than 14 minutes per game, Gillespie has already been inducted into this continuum. Jalen Brunson is a junior with his second NCAA Championship ring. “I knew he was proud at that moment”.
