Villanova captured the 2018 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament championship with a dominant 79-62 victory over Michigan on April 2, 2018, at the Alamodome in San Antonio. The Wildcats, led by Most Outstanding Player Donte DiVincenzo who scored a career-high 31 points, won their third national title and second in three years, overcoming a 7-point halftime deficit to win by 17. Villanova won all six tournament games by an average of nearly 18 points, with none decided by single digits.

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Champion: Villanova
Runner-up: Michigan
Final Score: 79-62
Date: April 2, 2018
MVP: Donte DiVincenzo

Quick Snapshot

Tournament Overview

  • 68 teams competed in the single-elimination tournament
  • The championship game was held in San Antonio at the Alamodome
  • The 2018 tournament featured the seventh year of the current postseason format with First Four

Final Four Teams

  • Villanova (East No. 1 seed)
  • Michigan (West No. 3 seed)
  • Kansas
  • Loyola Chicago (11-seed, fourth 11-seed to reach Final Four)

Villanova’s Dominance

  • Season record: 36-4 overall, 14-4 in Big East play
  • Won all six tournament games by an average of nearly 18 points
  • No tournament game decided by single digits
  • Third national championship, second in three years

Notable Upsets

  • UMBC upset Virginia 74-54 in the South region first round
  • Loyola Chicago (11-seed) reached the Final Four as Cinderella team

Key Facts

Category Details Source
Champion Villanova Wildcats NCAA.com
Runner-up Michigan Wolverines (33-8) ESPN
Final Score 79-62 (Villanova over Michigan) CBS Sports
Championship Date April 2, 2018 CBS Sports
Most Outstanding Player Donte DiVincenzo (31 points) CBS Sports
Venue Alamodome, San Antonio, Texas CBS Sports
Final Four Location Houston, Texas NCAA.com

Who won the NCAA March Madness in 2018?

Villanova’s path to the championship

Villanova entered the 2018 NCAA Tournament as the No. 1 seed in the East region and dismantled opponents throughout the bracket. The Wildcats defeated Radford 87-61 in the first round on March 16, 2018, according to NCAA.com records. They then topped Alabama 81-58 in the second round, West Virginia 90-78 in the Sweet 16, and Texas Tech 71-59 in the Elite Eight on March 25, 2018, per NCAA.com bracket data.

Final game vs Michigan

Villanova faced Michigan in the national championship game on April 2, 2018. After trailing by 7 points at halftime, the Wildcats mounted a comeback and built a lead of up to 22 points in the closing minutes, ultimately winning 79-62, as documented by CBS Sports. Donte DiVincenzo delivered a career-high 31 points and was named Most Outstanding Player. Jalen Brunson, the Player of the Year frontrunner, scored only 9 points in the championship, per CBS Sports reports.

“They chanted his name from the cheap seats: ‘DiVincenzo, DiVincenzo.'”

— ESPN game coverage

“Villanova ran the table — winning six games by an average of almost 18 points while not playing a contest decided by single digits.”

— NCAA.com tournament recap

What was special about the 2018 NCAA tournament?

Record-breaking performances

The 2018 tournament featured several memorable performances. Donte DiVincenzo’s 31-point game in the championship stood out as a career achievement, documented by CBS Sports. The Wildcats’ margin of victory throughout the tournament was historically dominant—they won all six games by an average of nearly 18 points, with no game decided by single digits, according to NCAA.com official records.

Notable upsets and storylines

The most stunning upset of the tournament came when UMBC defeated Virginia 74-54 in the South region first round, per NCAA.com bracket data. Meanwhile, Loyola Chicago emerged as the Cinderella story, becoming the fourth 11-seed to reach the Final Four, as documented by Wikipedia. Michigan advanced past Xavier, Houston, Florida State, and Loyola Chicago in the West region, with their Final Four matchup against Loyola Chicago ending 69-57 in Michigan’s favor, per NCAA.com.

Tournament Context: The 2018 tournament marked the seventh year of the current postseason format featuring the First Four in Dayton, according to NCAA.com.

Who defeated Michigan 79-62 in 2018?

Game highlights

Villanova defeated Michigan 79-62 in the 2018 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship Game on April 2, 2018, at the Alamodome in San Antonio. The Wildcats overcame a 7-point halftime deficit to claim victory by 17 points, per CBS Sports championship recap. Donte DiVincenzo led all scorers with 31 points and was named Most Outstanding Player.

Key players

DiVincenzo’s performance was historic—not only did he score 31 points, but fans chanted his name throughout the game, as reported by ESPN. Jalen Brunson, despite being a Player of the Year frontrunner, managed only 9 points in the championship game, per CBS Sports. Michigan finished the season 33-8, as documented by ESPN game data.

Championship Venue: The Alamodome in San Antonio hosted the 2018 championship game, marking a significant venue for college basketball’s premier event, according to CBS Sports.

What were the NCAA March Madness 2018 results?

Bracket overview

The 2018 NCAA Tournament began with First Four games in Dayton on March 14-15, followed by the First Round on March 15-16, Second Round on March 17-18, Sweet 16 on March 22-23, and Elite Eight on March 24-26, per NCAA.com tournament records. The Final Four took place in Houston, Texas on March 31, with the championship following on April 2 in San Antonio.

Sweet 16 and Elite Eight

Villanova’s Sweet 16 victory came against West Virginia (90-78), and their Elite Eight win was against Texas Tech (71-59), both documented by NCAA.com bracket data. In the Final Four on March 31, 2018, Villanova defeated Kansas 95-79 while Michigan beat Loyola Chicago 69-57, per NCAA.com official records. Other notable results included Purdue defeating Cal State Fullerton 74-48, Texas Tech beating Stephen F. Austin 70-60, Kansas State topping Creighton 69-59, and Kentucky defeating Davidson 78-73, per NCAA.com.

What this means: Villanova’s second national championship in three years established them as a dominant force, with their average victory margin of nearly 18 points per game setting a new standard for tournament dominance.

What was the 2018 March Madness bracket?

Regional breakdowns

In the East Region, Villanova (No. 1 seed) dominated with victories over Radford (87-61), Alabama (81-58), West Virginia (90-78), and Texas Tech (71-59), according to NCAA.com bracket data. The West Region saw Michigan (No. 3 seed) advance past Xavier, Houston, Florida State, and Loyola Chicago, as documented by NCAA.com. Villanova was the No. 1 seed in the East region while Michigan was the No. 3 seed in the West region, per Wikipedia tournament overview.

Top seeds performance

Villanova’s performance as the East No. 1 seed resulted in a championship, while other top seeds included Kansas and Duke. The Final Four featured Villanova (East No. 1), Michigan (West No. 3), Kansas, and Loyola Chicago (11-seed), per Wikipedia. Villanova finished the season 36-4 overall and 14-4 in Big East play, as documented by Wikipedia. Jay Wright coached Villanova to their second title in three years.

Tournament Note: Villanova won the Big East tournament defeating Marquette, Butler, and Providence before the NCAA Tournament began, per Wikipedia (medium confidence).

Confirmed Facts

  • Villanova defeated Michigan 79-62 on April 2, 2018 — CBS Sports
  • Donte DiVincenzo scored 31 points and was named Most Outstanding Player — CBS Sports
  • Villanova won their third national championship, second in three years — NCAA.com
  • Villanova won all six tournament games by an average of nearly 18 points — NCAA.com
  • 68 teams competed in the tournament — NCAA.com
  • Final Four was held in Houston, Texas — NCAA.com
  • Championship game venue: Alamodome, San Antonio — CBS Sports

What’s Unclear

  • Exact dates for all round games beyond Final Four and championship
  • Detailed box scores for non-Villanova games
  • Player stats for entire tournament beyond key players
  • Post-tournament impacts on players’ NBA drafts
  • Regional attendance or TV ratings data

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Villanova’s commanding 79-62 championship victory over Michigan defined NCAA March Madness 2018, with the full 2018 recap offering identical bracket details and highlights.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What were the top seeds in the 2018 NCAA tournament?

Villanova was the No. 1 seed in the East region, while Michigan was the No. 3 seed in the West region. Kansas and Duke were also among the top seeds. The Final Four featured Villanova (East No. 1), Michigan (West No. 3), Kansas, and Loyola Chicago (11-seed), per Wikipedia tournament overview.

How many games were played in 2018 March Madness?

The 2018 NCAA Tournament featured 68 teams competing in a single-elimination format, playing a total of 67 games from the First Four through the championship game on April 2, 2018, according to NCAA.com records.

Who was Loyola-Chicago in 2018 Final Four?

Loyola Chicago was the Cinderella team of the 2018 tournament, becoming the fourth 11-seed to reach the Final Four. They defeated Michigan 69-57 in the national semifinal before losing to Michigan in a different game—they actually lost to Michigan 69-57 in the Final Four, as documented by NCAA.com. The Ramblers captured national attention for their run under coach Porter Moser.

What was Kansas’s run in 2018 tournament?

Kansas reached the Final Four by defeating Purdue in the Elite Eight before losing to Villanova 95-79 in the national semifinal on March 31, 2018, per NCAA.com official records. The Jayhawks were among the top contenders throughout the tournament.

Where did the 2018 Final Four take place?

The 2018 Final Four was held in Houston, Texas at NRG Stadium, with the championship game following at the Alamodome in San Antonio on April 2, 2018, according to NCAA.com and CBS Sports.

What records were set in the 2018 NCAA final?

Donte DiVincenzo’s 31-point performance in the championship game was a career high, and Villanova’s average victory margin of nearly 18 points per tournament game (with no single-digit margins) set a dominant performance record, per CBS Sports and NCAA.com.

Who coached Villanova to the 2018 title?

Jay Wright coached Villanova to their second national championship in three years (2016 and 2018), establishing the Wildcats as a powerhouse program under his leadership, according to Wikipedia team records.

Tournament Timeline

  1. March 14-15, 2018: First Four games in Dayton — NCAA.com
  2. March 15-16, 2018: First Round — NCAA.com
  3. March 17-18, 2018: Second Round — NCAA.com
  4. March 22-23, 2018: Sweet 16 — NCAA.com
  5. March 24-26, 2018: Elite Eight — NCAA.com
  6. March 31, 2018: Final Four semifinals in Houston — NCAA.com
  7. April 2, 2018: Championship: Villanova 79, Michigan 62 — CBS Sports

Additional Sources