ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - For West Virginia, it took 40 seconds to change the entire shape of the first 40 minutes of Saturday's Albuquerque Regional final.

In those 40 seconds, Louisville capped a 20-point comeback with a score-tying shot by guard Larry O'Bannon, and West Virginia's final bid for Final Four berth was cruelly swatted away by forward Ellis Myles.

It didn't matter that the last 40 seconds of the second half only put the game into overtime, a place where West Virginia had found success this postseason. The shine from the Mountaineers' glass slipper was fading and momentum had found solace on the Louisville sideline.

West Virginia went into overtime shooting 62.5 percent from the field, but that stellar shooting suffered from fatigue as the Mountaineers made just one of seven shots in overtime. Louisville, in turn, shot 60 percent in the extra period to take its first lead since the first score of the game and defeat West Virginia, 93-85.

"I've been involved in some incredible comebacks, but none ever so satisfying and as big as this one," said Louisville coach Rick Pitino, who is the first coach to take three programs to the Final Four. "These guys are the gutsiest, most phenomenal group I've ever been around in my life to win that game."

After tying the score at 77 at the end of regulation, the first tie since 18:44 of the first half, Louisville found its game in overtime. The Cardinals outrebounded West Virginia 9-2 in overtime and forced the Mountaineers into eight fouls. They also outscored West Virginia 9-2 in the final three minutes of the period.

"They've got extremely talented players. As a result, they crept back and they crept back," West Virginia coach John Beilein said. "There was no doubt in my mind that that was going to happen. Our kids hung tough, and we had some tough breaks. We got the breaks to get here, and Louisville had some great breaks tonight and they deserved them."

The Louisville comeback was so phenomenal because of how well the Mountaineers shot the majority of the game, especially in the first half. The Cardinals (33-4) led only once in the first half, and that was off their first basket of the game, a 3-0 margin. Other than that, Louisville found itself playing catch-up to a West Virginia team that seemingly couldn't miss, especially from 3-point range.

The Mountaineers (24-11) took 3-pointers from all over the court, over defenders and while the shot clock was expiring. In fact, 30 of the Mountaineers' 40 first-half points came off 3-pointers.

West Virginia shot 65 percent from the field and 71.4 percent from the 3-point line in the first half. They were also perfect from the free-throw line.

To combat the outside shooting, Louisville changed from zone defense to man-to-man, high pressure. The full-court press put the Mountaineers on their heels and allowed the Cardinals to cut what was a 20-point lead to 40-27 at the half. Louisville continued the press through the second half, and Beilein said that eventually wore the Mountaineers down.

West Virginia held Louisville at bay as much as it could. It continued to hit 3-pointers, 18 by the final, and shot 60 percent from the field. But turnovers and rebounding would determine the final half of the game.

West Virginia guard J.D. Collins attempted to win the game on a drive with six seconds to go but couldn't get the shot over Myles. Louisville's Taquan Dean had an opportunity to win the game with about two seconds remaining, but the shot went off the side of the rim. After the game, Dean said his cramping legs didn't allow him to get enough lift under the ball.

"I told the team (at halftime) that we're definitely going to win it," Pitino said. "I've seen it, I know it; that was the only mistruth I said in the motivational speech. There is no question that this is one of those nights that makes legend."