The final four game between the Virginia Cavaliers and Auburn Tigers was one of the best in recent history. Virginia defeated No. 5 seed Auburn by a final score of 63-62 at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. This game will be remembered as one of the most controversial endings in NCAA tournament history.

Controversial Call

The Cavaliers were just seconds away from being knocked out of the tournament and Auburn were on their way to advance to the national championship game. Virginia had built a 10 point lead over Auburn in the final minutes, but quickly erased the deficit with their own 12-0 run. Virginia’s Kyle Guy attempted a 3 over Samir Doughty which led to a foul call with just 0.6 seconds left in the game. Guy converted all three free throws to lead Virginia to their first national championship game.

Although, it wasn’t the foul that appeared to upset the Tigers but the missed call just moments before. As Virginia inbounded the ball with seven seconds left, Ty Jerome lost control of the ball off his leg and grabbed the ball with both hands as he resumed dribbling. This should have resulted as a double dribble and gave possession to the Tigers. The Cavaliers will play in the title game on Monday, one year after being upset by No.16 seed UMBC.

Texas Tech vs Michigan State

As Virginia awaited their opponent for the championship game, Texas Tech and Michigan State battled to earn the chance to play in the title game. Texas Tech defeated No.2 seed Michigan State by a final score of 61-51.

Texas Tech who were led by Matt Mooney have a rare shot to compete for the national championship on Monday. The defense by Texas Tech was the headline of the game as they held the Spartans to just 15 made shots. At the end of the first half, the Red Raiders led Michigan State 23 to 21.

As Big 12 player of the year Jarrett Culver was held to just 10 points, Mooney led the Red Raiders with 22 points. Texas Tech have knocked out Michigan and Gonzaga with their stellar defense. The Red Raiders made it very difficult for Michigan State on offense and forced many turnovers.

Championship game

Texas Tech will face the Virginia Cavaliers for the National Championship on Monday. This is the first appearance in a title game for both teams. The Red Raiders and Cavaliers are two of the best defensive teams in the country.

Virginia will look for redemption after being eliminated in the first round by UMBC last year. They will be led by their stellar guards Ty Jerome and Kyle Guy. Texas Tech has been one of the best teams in this year’s tournament. The Red Raiders previously beat Gonzaga and Michigan. The Red Raiders will look for Jarrett Culver, who is the Big 12 player of the year to spark their offense. The championship game will be a very exciting matchup to watch.