Revisiting the 2018 NCAA Tournament

Five years ago, the 2018 NCAA Tournament captivated audiences. Let’s revisit that tournament and ensure those epic moments are not lost to history.

Who Won the 2018 National Championship?

The Villanova Wildcats captured their third title with a 79-62 victory over the Michigan Wolverines. The Final Four was held in San Antonio, Texas, where fans witnessed the Wildcats capture double-digit wins in their final two games, as they did all tournament.

Jay Wright’s loaded roster contained six players who averaged double-digit points during the season: Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, Donte DiVincenzo, Omari Spellman, Eric Paschall, and Phil Booth. Five of those players went on to play in the NBA.

It was a dominant run for the Wildcats.

Who Won the Most Outstanding Player?

Donte DiVincenzo was named Most Outstanding Player for helping lead his team to the National Championship. He will go down in college basketball history for his epic National Championship game performance, scoring 31 points on 10/15 shooting from the field, including five three-pointers.

What Was the Biggest Storyline?

The Loyola Chicago Ramblers had one of the most incredible runs in tournament history for a double-digit seed. They entered the South bracket as an 11 seed and advanced to the Final Four. It’s an underdog story that will be repeated for a long time and will not be forgotten by those who witnessed it. Clayton Custer was the team’s top option, and one of the best moments of the great run was a Donte Ingram game-winning three-pointer with just 0.9 seconds on the clock in the first round against the Miami Hurricanes. 

Which Team Failed to Live Up to the Hype?

The No. 1 seed Xavier Musketeers fell to the No. 9 seed Florida State Seminoles in the second round. They weren’t the only high seed to go down early in the West Regional, as the No. 2 North Carolina Tar Heels also fell in the Round of 32. Their loss was arguably more embarrassing, considering they lost by 21 points to a No. 7 seed (Texas A&M Aggies).

What Should the 2018 NCAA Tournament be Remembered For?

Two main storylines should never be forgotten about this tournament. The first is the utter domination by Villanova, who won every one of their six tournament games by double-digits. Jay Wright’s squad made things look easy thanks to the performance of five future NBA players, a lineup that no other team in the country came close to matching.

The second storyline is the No. 11 seed Loyola Chicago making it to the Final Four. It was a Cinderella run for the ages and one in which all future upset darlings will be compared to in future March Madness tournaments.