KRIS JENKINS buried a buzzer-beating three-pointer to lift the Villanova Wildcats to a thrilling 77-74 upset victory over the North Carolina Tar Heels in the U.S. college basketball championship game, or NCAA, in Houston on Monday.

    It was a fitting end to a springtime single-elimination competition known affectionately as “March Madness” for its regular upsets and last-second victories.

    Jenkins’ jump shot from distance splashed through the hoop with no time left on the clock, five seconds after Marcus Paige had rattled in an off-balance heave from outside the arc for the Tar Heels to tie the NCAA Final at 74-74.

    The victory gave the Philadelphia-area university a second national title, adding to a 1985 upset victory over Georgetown.

    Back-up guard Phil Booth led the winners with 20 points, hitting six-of-seven shots with backcourt mate Ryan Arcidiacono adding 16. Paige led North Carolina with 21 points with his fellow guard Joel Berry scoring 20.

    Top seeds North Carolina, a double-digit winner in each of their five games en route to the final, held a 39-34 halftime lead in pursuit of a sixth title but the Wildcats battled back, going on a 33-16 run to forge a 10-point lead with 5:29 left.

    Second seeds Villanova were denied a stroll to the finish by the desperate Tar Heels, whose fan section featured more than 50 former players, including Hall of Famer Michael Jordan, who as a freshman hit the winning shot in their 1982 title victory.

    (SD-Agencies)