Texas A&M Claims First NCAA Basketball Championship In Overtime Thriller
Texas A&M Claims First NCAA Basketball Championship In Overtime Thriller...
The Texas A&M Aggies defeated the Gonzaga Bulldogs 78-75 in overtime Monday night to win their first NCAA men's basketball championship. The victory caps an improbable tournament run for the fifth-seeded Aggies, who became the first team since 2014 to win the title without being a top-three seed.
Freshman guard Jaden Bradley sealed the win with two clutch free throws with 3.2 seconds remaining in overtime. Gonzaga's final desperation heave from half-court bounced off the backboard as the buzzer sounded at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
This marks Texas A&M's first national championship in any team sport since joining the SEC in 2012. The victory triggered massive celebrations in College Station, where thousands of students flooded the campus streets late Monday night.
The championship game is trending today as fans debate whether this ranks among the greatest NCAA Tournament upsets in history. Texas A&M entered the tournament with 25-1 odds to win it all, while Gonzaga was the preseason favorite.
Gonzaga's Drew Timme finished his college career with a game-high 28 points, but couldn't deliver the program its first championship. The Bulldogs have now lost in three championship games since 2017.
Texas A&M coach Buzz Williams became the first coach to win an NCAA title in his first championship game appearance since 2014. His team's relentless defense held Gonzaga to just 38% shooting from the field.
The game drew an estimated 18.7 million viewers across TBS, TNT and truTV, making it the most-watched college basketball game since 2019. Tournament ratings were up 15% overall this year as fans embraced the return of normal March Madness after pandemic disruptions.
President Biden congratulated both teams in a statement Tuesday morning, calling the championship "a reminder of why we love college sports." The White House has already invited the Aggies for the traditional champions' visit.
Texas A&M will hold its victory parade Saturday on campus, where officials expect record crowds. The school announced classes will be canceled Friday to allow students to travel home for the celebration.
