Fans were ecstatic for the exciting matchup for the 2013 NCAA Championship game in Atlanta, GA. So much so that almost 10.7 million viewers, the most viewers for an NCAA tournament in 19 years, tuned in to see who would become the National Champions this year.
After Ware of the Louisville Cardinals suffered a heartbreaking injury, his teammates were able to brighten up the severityy of his condition as they conquered the Michigan Wolverines in a very exciting game, final score 82-76.
This allowed them to capture their first National Champions title since 1986, which some would argue was inevitable given the Cardinals winning season and No. 2 ranking as they entered the regular season.
With Michigan dominating the first half of the game, things were not looking good for the Cardinals though.
Louisville was able to take the lead after Montrezl Harrell dunked the ball, giving the Cardinals their first lead of the game. By halftime, a very exciting game was underway.
Louisville player Luke Hancock helped his team out by making all of his 3-point shots. In the second half, Hancock continued to lead his team, seeming like an unlikely star rising to the occasion. It also earned him the recognition of Most Outstanding Player. While Hancock may have had a huge effect on the outcome, the win for Louisville was truly a team effort.
In the end, the Louisville Cardinals also brought the victory home for injured teammate Kevin Ware.
The victory was even sweeter for coach Rick Pitino, who made history by becoming the first coach to win two national titles at two schools in his career.
Sadly, the madness of 2013 is now over for another year and begs the question: can Louisville do it again?