Louisville vs. Michigan: Breaking Down Key Moments of Championship Game

Monday's national championship game between Louisville and Michigan featured plenty of key, game-changing moments but none more critical than the mini three-point shooting clinic the Cardinals' Luke Hancock put on late in the first half.

In one of the most unforgettable championship moments, the 6'6" junior outscored the entire Michigan team 14-3 in just over two and a half minutes, pulling Louisville within striking range at the half and crushing the spirits of Michigan, which saw its own bench player overachieve in the first half.

Below we'll revisit the key moments from Monday's championship game.

Spike Albrecht Explodes For 17 First-Half Points

Freshman point guard Spike Albrecht did his best Trey Burke impression during the first half for Michigan as the National Player of the Year was sitting on the bench with two fouls.

Albrecht entered Tuesday's title game having hit all five of his previous three-point attempts in the tournament and picked up right where he left off against Syracuse, knocking in four three-pointers in the first half and scoring 17 of Michigan's 38 first-half points. 

The 5'11" guard had been averaging 1.8 points per game and hadn't scored more than seven in a game prior to his offensive explosion against Louisville.

Albrecht would go stone cold in the second half, missing both of his field-goal attempts and turning the ball over twice, but it was his outstanding first-half effort that powered Michigan to a 12-point lead. 

Luke Hancock Saves the Day

With Michigan leading 33-21 with just under four minutes to play in the first half, Louisville took a much-needed timeout. Following the timeout, junior Luke Hancock drew a foul, got to the foul line and instantly found his shooting touch.

Hancock knocked in two free throws and went on to impersonate Spike Albrecht, taking and making four straight three-pointers to cut a 12-point Wolverines lead to just one with a minute remaining in the first half. 

Michigan would take a slight lead into the locker room at halftime, but there's no doubt Hancock's remarkable outside shooting was the key moment for the Cardinals on Monday night, as it infused Louisville with energy and destroyed the Wolverines' early momentum.

Hancock poured in six more points in the second half, including two late free throws. He would finish with a game-high 22 points and earned Final Four Most Outstanding Player honors for his two huge performances in Atlanta.

Chane Behanan's Incredible Determination

Louisville sophomore forward Chane Behanan played an inspired basketball game on Monday night, scoring 15 points and reeling in 12 rebounds, including seven on the offensive glass.

Behanan was the most aggressive player on the floor all night long, wreaking havoc in the paint from start to finish for the Cardinals. But the key moment didn't come until crunch time with Louisville holding onto a slender six-point lead. 

In the game's defining sequence, Behanan missed a layup with just under two minutes to play, but got his own rebound. He missed the putback attempt and again corralled the offensive board. Finally, Behanan once again fought through the contact, putting up a third attempt that dropped through the net, giving Louisville an eight-point lead with a little over 100 seconds to play.

Rick Pitino's joyous reaction on the sideline said it all as Behanan's hard-fought basket served as the clincher for the Cardinals and the final demoralizing blow to Michigan.

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