Book excerpt: 'Long Shots' by Dana O'Neil

This excerpt from "Long Shots: Jay Wright, Villanova, and College Basketball's Most Unlikely Champion" by Dana O'Neil is published with the permission of Triumph Books. For more information and to order a copy, please visit www.triumphbooks.com/LongShots.

Just as CBS announcer Jim Nantz shouted, "For the championship!" on the national television broadcast, setting up the would-it-or-wouldn't-it-drop drama of the final shot, Mikal Bridges made his first step up from the bench and onto the court.

The freshman decided he didn't need to wait to see if the ball would score or miss; he'd already made up his mind. Bridges boldly moved toward what he anticipated would be a buzzer-beating celebration…