Texas Tech Red Raiders at Virginia Cavaliers

Comeback! Cavs get their title, 85-77 in OT over Texas Tech

And quiet those critics, too.

But Virginia was better than that.

"Surreal," Hunter called it. "It's a goal we started out with at the beginning of the season. We knew we were going to bounce back from last year. We achieved our dreams."

He helped the Cavs bring home the first NCAA title for a program with a colorful, star-crossed and, now, very winning history.

Ralph Sampson was in the house, and now it's possible that Sampson and the name "Chaminade" won't be at the top of Virginia's resume anymore.

Or "University of Maryland-Baltimore County." That was the No. 16 seed that stunned the Cavs in the first round last year, its playful social media manager online Monday night tweeting congratulations shortly after the final buzzer. Hunter missed that game with a broken wrist, but nobody thought they'd miss him THAT much.

Each of Virginia's 34 wins leading to the final, and each of its scant three losses, was punctuated by the reminder that only the end result would serve as the ultimate report card on whether the Cavs could truly shed the baggage of last year.

What a ride this was.

"I told them, I just want a chance at a title fight one day," Virginia coach Tony Bennett said. "That's all I want. ... You're never alone in the hills and the valleys we faced in the last year."

Hunter's key 3 in OT gave Virginia a 75-73 lead, and after the teams traded possessions, Tech guard Davide Moretti scrambled after a loose ball heading onto Virginia's end of the court. It appeared it would be Texas Tech ball, but a replay showed Moretti's pinkie finger had barely scraped the ball. Virginia got possession, and worked the ball into Ty Jerome, who got fouled and made two free throws.

Guy is not Virginia's only clutch free-throw shooter, by the way. The Cavs went 12 for 12 from the line in overtime to ice this game. They scored the game's final 11 points.

As for the Red Raiders (31-7), well, what can you say?

The team full of overlooked grinders refused to quit.

Jarrett Culver, also lottery-pick material, made a spinning left-handed layup over Hunter with 35 seconds left in regulation to put the Red Raiders ahead 66-65. After Jerome missed a teardrop on the other end, Norense Odiase got fouled and made two free throws to make it 68-65.

"In terms of my guys, I've never been more proud," Red Raiders coach Chris Beard said. "This is real life. We'll bounce back."

The last five minutes of regulation and the OT featured several one-on-one matchups between the two NBA-bound stars, and Hunter came out the winner. He finished 8 for 16 after an 0-for-7 start. Culver, who stayed in his hometown of Lubbock to see how far he could take Tech, went 5 for 22 for 15 points, continuing a cold-shooting Final Four; he went 8 for 34 over the weekend.

Both will likely move on to the NBA. Hunter will go there with a title.

And somebody on Virginia ought to grab that sign.

In the stands, a fan made a cardboard sign with the capital letters "UMBC" running vertically, and this spelled out after each letter:

"Uva."

"Makes."

"Big."

"Comeback."

The Cavs couldn't have written it any better themselves.

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How can I watch Texas Tech vs. Virginia?

• TV Channel: Texas Tech at Virginia 2021 College Basketball, week 2, is broadcasted on CBS.
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