Craig Larson Jr.
March 21, 2025
Updated 07:34 a.m. ET
On April 1st, 1985, the consensus was that the #1 ranked Georgetown Hoyas would repeat as National Champions. Their opponent that night at Rupp Arena was fellow Big East foe Villanova, whom Patrick Ewing and company had dispatched twice during the regular season. If ever there was a mere formality, this was it. In each instance, the Wildcats were held to only 50 points in defeats.
With Georgetown opening as 10-point favorites, the question wasn’t “how” Rollie Massimino would keep the contest competitive; it was if he could even keep the score within reach. 1985 was the year in which the tournament field expanded, growing from 48 to 64 participants. That expansion allowed the Wildcats to qualify relatively easily despite accumulating seven conference losses, including a brutal stretch in February. Villanova’s slotting as a #8 seed remains the lowest seed ever to win a title. I spoke this week to the legendary Brent Musburger, who was on the call that night in Lexington, Kentucky, for the 66-64 historic upset.
Craig: Can you believe it’s been forty years?
Brent: l will never forget that game. I could write an entire book about it!
Craig: What do you remember most about that Championship Night on April 1st?
Brent: Well it actually started on that Sunday, the day before. Georgetown actually stayed in Louisville, about 75 miles away. I have no idea where John Thompson and the team even practiced on Sunday. Villanova worked out and practiced at the arena that they’d cut the nets down in. I attended that practice and afterwards I spoke to Rollie, and I simply told him that he had his hands full. I was wearing a sport coat that I had bought from Mitchell’s clothing store in Connecticut, and he said, I’ll bet you that coat that we win tomorrow night.” (laughs) I accepted, and I lost that bet I went back to Bill Mitchell in Westport, CT and had him make me another coat that fit Coach Massimino, and I brought it to him a few weeks later. I think that was the only bet I ever made against a coach. He kept that coat and wore it.
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Craig: When I look back at that game, Villanova just shot the ball lights out, and that kid Harold Jensen off the bench going 5 for 5 was the difference.
Brent: This was also before the shot clock and Rollie knew exactly how to milk that and maximize their possessions. Also, I started them staying in a hotel in Louisville because I’ve just always thought that it wasn’t good for those kids on Georgetown to be stuck on that bus facing the heavy traffic jam heading into the arena that night. It was a major traffic jam, and they just sat there. I think that was a factor. It was a heck of a game, but Georgetown only has itself to blame. They were by far the superior team physically and they just didn’t get it done.
Craig: Amazing that we’re here still talking about it and it’s been forty years.
Brent: You know there are certain games that people ask me about when they see me, and this is one of them. I did so many championship games, but I get asked about this one as much as any.
Craig: You probably could never recreate that even in cinematic form given the current state of the transfer portal. The Wildcats and Hoyas knew each other inside and out and had played each other throughout the years. That era of basketball is gone unfortunately.
Brent: Exactly. You’re absolutely right. Keep in mind, there were three big east teams in that 1985 Final Four. Louie Carnesecca was there with St. John’s. I’m thinking of the present and all of the SEC schools having 14 teams at the start. At least one of those will make the Final Four. I never thought we’d ever see three teams from the same conference, it might start becoming more frequent.
