A record crowd saw the game live at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta ATLANTA – All season, the narrative in college basketball was parity; a year allegedly defined by the lack of a dominant team. But it was only noise Monday night, drowned out by a Georgia Dome celebration that confirmed one program was indeed a cut above the rest.
Louisville stamped its greatness with a 82-76 victory against Michigan in an entertaining national championship game that busted all kinds of myths and made plenty of history.
LOUISVILLE: Luke Hancock provides late boost
BOX SCORE: Louisville 82, Michigan 76
For Louisville coach Rick Pitino, a New Yorker who grew up in the shadow of Madison Square Garden and twice left college basketball for the allure of the NBA, it was a crowning achievement as one of the game's all-time greats. Monday night, about 12 hours after he was officially selected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, he became the first coach in history to win national titles at two different schools, joining his 1996 championship at Kentucky.
For the Cardinals (35-5), who won their third national title but first since 1986, it was affirmation that supremacy is not limited to their rivals in Lexington. This team, short on surefire NBA prospects but full of players who were either under-recruited, on their second college stop or had signed elsewhere before landing at Louisville, finished the season on a 16-game winning streak and overcame the emotional drain of backup guard Kevin Ware shattering his tibia in the middle of an Elite Eight victory over Duke.
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And for college basketball, which had been heavily criticized this season for low scoring and physical play, its rebuttal featured 40 minutes of skill and shot-making worthy of the championship-record 74,326 fans in attendance.
All season, Louisville relied on its deep bench and ability to wear teams down, and it happened again after a flurry of 17 points by little-known freshman Spike Albrecht staked the Wolverines (31-8) to an early 35-23 lead. But just like their comeback against Wichita State in the semifinals, the Cardinals responded with a trio of 3-pointers by Luke Hancock in a span of 69 seconds, setting the stage for senior point guard Peyton Siva to close his career with a 12-point second half as the Cardinals built a 73-65 lead with four minutes left and ultimately held on.
BEST NCAA TOURNEY PHOTOS: NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP GAME 
Louisville Cardinals guard/forward Luke Hancock shoots against the Michigan Wolverines during the second half of the championship game at the Georgia Dome.
Robert Deutsch, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![Michigan Wolverines guard Trey Burke drives to the basket and falls hard against Louisville Cardinals center Gorgui Dieng during the second half of the championship game at the Georgia Dome.]()
Michigan Wolverines guard Trey Burke drives to the basket and falls hard against Louisville Cardinals center Gorgui Dieng during the second half of the championship game at the Georgia Dome.
Bob Donnan, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![Michigan Wolverines guard Trey Burke shoots against Louisville Cardinals forward Stephan Van Treese during the second half of the championship game at the Georgia Dome.]()
Michigan Wolverines guard Trey Burke shoots against Louisville Cardinals forward Stephan Van Treese during the second half of the championship game at the Georgia Dome.
Bob Donnan, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![Louisville Cardinals guard Peyton Siva lays the ball up defended by Michigan Wolverines guard Tim Hardaway Jr. during the second half of the championship game at the Georgia Dome.]()
Louisville Cardinals guard Peyton Siva lays the ball up defended by Michigan Wolverines guard Tim Hardaway Jr. during the second half of the championship game at the Georgia Dome.
Richard Mackson, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![Louisville Cardinals center Gorgui Dieng is defended by Michigan Wolverines forward Mitch McGary and forward Glenn Robinson III during the second half of the championship game at the Georgia Dome.]()
Louisville Cardinals center Gorgui Dieng is defended by Michigan Wolverines forward Mitch McGary and forward Glenn Robinson III during the second half of the championship game at the Georgia Dome.
Robert Deutsch, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![Michigan Wolverines forward Jordan Morgan is fouled by Louisville Cardinals forward Montrezl Harrell during the second half of the championship game at the Georgia Dome.]()
Michigan Wolverines forward Jordan Morgan is fouled by Louisville Cardinals forward Montrezl Harrell during the second half of the championship game at the Georgia Dome.
Robert Deutsch, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![Louisville Cardinals guard Peyton Siva shoots against the Michigan Wolverines during the second half of the championship game at the Georgia Dome.]()
Louisville Cardinals guard Peyton Siva shoots against the Michigan Wolverines during the second half of the championship game at the Georgia Dome.
Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![Michigan Wolverines guard Nik Stauskas and Louisville Cardinals guard Russ Smith go for a loose ball during the second half of the championship game at the Georgia Dome.]()
Michigan Wolverines guard Nik Stauskas and Louisville Cardinals guard Russ Smith go for a loose ball during the second half of the championship game at the Georgia Dome.
Bob Donnan, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![Michigan Wolverines guard Tim Hardaway Jr. shoots against Louisville Cardinals center Gorgui Dieng during the second half of the championship game at the Georgia Dome.]()
Michigan Wolverines guard Tim Hardaway Jr. shoots against Louisville Cardinals center Gorgui Dieng during the second half of the championship game at the Georgia Dome.
Bob Donnan, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![Michigan Wolverines guard Trey Burke drives against Louisville Cardinals guard Peyton Siva during the second half of the championship game at the Georgia Dome.]()
Michigan Wolverines guard Trey Burke drives against Louisville Cardinals guard Peyton Siva during the second half of the championship game at the Georgia Dome.
Robert Deutsch, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![Louisville Cardinals center Gorgui Dieng dunks against the Michigan Wolverines during the first half of the championship game at the Georgia Dome.]()
Louisville Cardinals center Gorgui Dieng dunks against the Michigan Wolverines during the first half of the championship game at the Georgia Dome.
Bob Donnan, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![Louisville Cardinals forward Montrezl Harrell dunks against Michigan Wolverines forward Glenn Robinson III during the first half at the Georgia Dome.]()
Louisville Cardinals forward Montrezl Harrell dunks against Michigan Wolverines forward Glenn Robinson III during the first half at the Georgia Dome.
Bob Donnan, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![Louisville Cardinals forward Chane Behanan and Michigan Wolverines guard Nik Stauskas dive for a loose ball during the first half of the championship game at the Georgia Dome.]()
Louisville Cardinals forward Chane Behanan and Michigan Wolverines guard Nik Stauskas dive for a loose ball during the first half of the championship game at the Georgia Dome.
Daniel Shirey, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![Michigan Wolverines head coach John Beilein reacts during the first half of the championship game at the Georgia Dome.]()
Michigan Wolverines head coach John Beilein reacts during the first half of the championship game at the Georgia Dome.
Robert Deutsch, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![Louisville Cardinals guard Russ Smith drives to the basket against Michigan Wolverines forward Mitch McGary during the first half of the championship game at the Georgia Dome.]()
Louisville Cardinals guard Russ Smith drives to the basket against Michigan Wolverines forward Mitch McGary during the first half of the championship game at the Georgia Dome.
Bob Donnan, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![Michigan Wolverines guard Tim Hardaway Jr. shoots against the Louisville Cardinals during the first half of the championship game at the Georgia Dome.]()
Michigan Wolverines guard Tim Hardaway Jr. shoots against the Louisville Cardinals during the first half of the championship game at the Georgia Dome.
Robert Deutsch, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![Louisville Cardinals guard Russ Smith drives to the basket against Michigan Wolverines forward Glenn Robinson III during the first half of the championship game at the Georgia Dome.]()
Louisville Cardinals guard Russ Smith drives to the basket against Michigan Wolverines forward Glenn Robinson III during the first half of the championship game at the Georgia Dome.
Bob Donnan, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![Louisville Cardinals head coach Rick Pitino reacts on the sideline against the Michigan Wolverines during the first half of the championship game at the Georgia Dome.]()
Louisville Cardinals head coach Rick Pitino reacts on the sideline against the Michigan Wolverines during the first half of the championship game at the Georgia Dome.
Richard Mackson, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![Michigan Wolverines guard Spike Albrecht reacts during the first half of the championship game at the Georgia Dome.]()
Michigan Wolverines guard Spike Albrecht reacts during the first half of the championship game at the Georgia Dome.
Robert Deutsch, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![Louisville Cardinals forward Chane Behanan dunks the ball between Michigan Wolverines forward Mitch McGary, left, and Tim Hardaway Jr. during the first half of the championship game at the Georgia Dome.]()
Louisville Cardinals forward Chane Behanan dunks the ball between Michigan Wolverines forward Mitch McGary, left, and Tim Hardaway Jr. during the first half of the championship game at the Georgia Dome.
Richard Mackson-, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![Michigan Wolverines guard Spike Albrecht brings the ball up court against the Louisville Cardinals during the first half of the championship game at the Georgia Dome.]()
Michigan Wolverines guard Spike Albrecht brings the ball up court against the Louisville Cardinals during the first half of the championship game at the Georgia Dome.
Robert Deutsch, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![Louisville Cardinals guard Peyton Siva drives to the basket against Michigan Wolverines forward Mitch McGary during the first half of the championship game at the Georgia Dome.]()
Louisville Cardinals guard Peyton Siva drives to the basket against Michigan Wolverines forward Mitch McGary during the first half of the championship game at the Georgia Dome.
Bob Donnan, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![Michigan Wolverines guard Trey Burke drives against Louisville Cardinals guard Russ Smith during the first half of the championship game at the Georgia Dome.]()
Michigan Wolverines guard Trey Burke drives against Louisville Cardinals guard Russ Smith during the first half of the championship game at the Georgia Dome.
Robert Deutsch, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![Michigan Wolverines guard Trey Burke shoots against Louisville Cardinals center Gorgui Dieng during the first half of the championship game at the Georgia Dome.]()
Michigan Wolverines guard Trey Burke shoots against Louisville Cardinals center Gorgui Dieng during the first half of the championship game at the Georgia Dome.
Robert Deutsch, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![Louisville Cardinals forward Chane Behanan attempts a shot against the Michigan Wolverines during the first half of the championship game at the Georgia Dome.]()
Louisville Cardinals forward Chane Behanan attempts a shot against the Michigan Wolverines during the first half of the championship game at the Georgia Dome.
Robert Deutsch, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![Louisville Cardinals center Gorgui Dieng goes up for the opening tip with Michigan Wolverines forward Mitch McGary during the first half of the championship game at the Georgia Dome.]()
Louisville Cardinals center Gorgui Dieng goes up for the opening tip with Michigan Wolverines forward Mitch McGary during the first half of the championship game at the Georgia Dome.
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