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Friday, November 13, 2026Nov 13

Virginia stuns Auburn late to reach title game

Virginia guard De'Andre Hunter picks up a loose ball in front of Auburn forward Anfernee McLemore, right, during the first half of their teams' Final Four matchup Saturday night in Minneapolis.
Virginia guard De'Andre Hunter picks up a loose ball in front of Auburn forward Anfernee McLemore, right, during the first half of their teams' Final Four matchup Saturday night in Minneapolis. Virginia guard De'Andre Hunter picks up a loose ball in front of Auburn forward Anfernee McLemore, right, during the first half of their teams' Final Four matchup Saturday night in Minneapolis.

MINNEAPOLIS – Hard to call the Virginia men’s basketball team boring after its past two games – and the Cavaliers have pretty much put the choker label to rest, too.

From one-and-done to NCAA tournament miracle men, Virginia will play for the national title for the first time after pulling off another last-second stunner. Kyle Guy made three free throws with 0.6 second left, steadily swishing each one as debate immediately started over the sequence that sent him to the line, and Virginia beat Auburn 63-62 Saturday in the Final Four.

A year after becoming the first No. 1 seed to lose to a No. 16 in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, these top-seeded Cavaliers now look like destiny’s team.

“It’s a great story,” Virginia coach Tony Bennett said. “It is.”

The Cavaliers (34-3) will face Texas Tech on Monday night as slight favorites to win the tournament.