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DiVincenzo scores 31 points
Donte DiVincenzo explodes for 31 points as Villanova handles Michigan.
How Michigan and Villanova shape up for next season, Page 5
Notre Dame captures women’s title, Page 5
SAN ANTONIO — The days of pretending to be Buddy Hield are long gone.
It’s all Donte DiVincenzo now, and everyone knows exactly what he can do.
The Villanova guard came off the bench in the first half on April 2 at the Alamodome to give the reeling Wildcats a lifeline and wound up bringing them their second national title in three years. DiVincenzo, the Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA Final Four, had 31 points, including consecutive threepointers with about eight minutes to play that put an exclamation point on the 79-62 victory against Michigan.
After the second, DiVincenzo turned to the camera and winked.
Hey, when you’re hot, you’re hot.
As the final seconds turned off, DiVincenzo’s teammates mobbed him and he threw the ball high into the air. His 31 points were the most ever for a non-starter in a championship game and was the first 30-point game in 21 years.
DiVincenzo’s performance was reminiscent of what Phil Booth did two years ago, when he came off the bench to score a team-high 20 as Villanova beat North Carolina in the title game. But no one does super sub better than DiVincenzo, as his teammates discovered two years ago.
Then, when Villanova was preparing for its Final Four matchup with Oklahoma, DiVincenzo was given the task of playing the otherworldly Hield on the scout squad. The fresh- man, redshirting after an injury, played the role almost a little too well, repeatedly lighting up his teammates.
“If we can’t guard Donte,” coach Jay Wright said then, “how in the world can we expect to guard Buddy Hield?”
The Wildcats did, of course, shackling Hield. And now the whole world knows what a spe- cial player DiVincenzo is.
Villanova was reeling early, flustered by Michigan’s defense and unable to get an uncontested shot. The three-pointers that fell with abandon were nowhere to be found — not that twopoint shots were in great supply, either.
But DiVincenzo made a three-pointer — Villanova’s first of the night — and the Wildcats slowly got on track. His second three-pointer, with 6:08 left in the half, gave Villanova its first lead in a while, 23-21 with 6:08 to play.
With the teams trading baskets — and leads — DiVincenzo reeled off seven quick points, punctuating the mini-run with a dunk. He would finish the first half with 18, and Michigan’s advantage was long gone.
Midway through the second half, DiVincenzo single-handedly outscored the Wildcats 10-4 and all that was left was to grab a spot to watch One Shining Moment.
No one will ever forget DiVincenzo’s game. And everyone is going to remember his name.