North Carolina beats Gonzaga for sixth national championship

North Carolina denied Gonzaga its first ever national championship, while the Tar Heels won their sixth and third under coach Roy Williams.

North Carolina won its sixth national championship in school history in a tight game Monday night against Gonzaga, 71–65. 

​It was a sloppy game filled with fouls, and both teams struggled to make shots from the field. The game tightened up, though, in the final minutes. 

North Carolina was led by point guard Joel Berry II, who battled through ankle injuries in the tournament but scored a game-high 21 points in the title game.

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Gonzaga had a chance to tied the game down three with 22 seconds to go but Nigel Williams-Goss’s shot was blocked by Kennedy Meeks. The Zags then turned it over after a quick Tar Heels basket, all but sealing their fate.

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The Bulldogs have made the tournament in 19 consecutive seasons, the fourth-longest active streak in the nation, but had never advanced to the Final Four until this year.