By : Mike Lopresti
As Donte DiVincenzo put the stake deeper into Michigan’s heart with each 3-pointer during his historic night, he turned and winked to someone in the stands. Josh Hart, was sitting there, one of the heroes of 2016.
Josh and I competed every single day in practice. He beat me up for three years,” DiVincenzo would say later. “We had a connection there.”
This was the snapshot of Villanova fire.
It was still early Monday night, eight minutes left in the first half, but things were not going well for the Wildcats. Missed shots, a five-point Michigan lead. And there at the foul line during a halt in play, a man angrily slapped the basketball with his hands. Again. Again. Again.
“Let’s go! Let’s go! Let’s go!” Jalen Brunson shouted with each pound, to no one in particular, but to everyone in a white uniform. It was not all that surprising what happened next.
