The two schools did not face each other in the final four more often than the two contenders for the national title.
The Kansas Jahaks and North Carolina Ter Hills know each other very well, as the game was the 12th meeting between the two teams, now tied 6-6 after the Jayhawks won their fourth national title at home with a 72-69 victory.
Called the “Roy Williams Bowl” since the now retired head coach spent time as head coach of both programs at one point, the national title game was full of suspense as both teams held the lead which changed within minutes.
Meetings again for the rematch of the 1957 NCAA title, taken from the recent meeting between Jayhawks and Tar Heels here.
160 in the first half of UNC
Looking at the first five minutes of the game, it looked like the Joycocks scored 11 points and occupied the title by aggressively keeping Tar Hill at bay, but the UNC started to find their flow in the glass, and the Jahcos couldn’t. Do not read the shots, the game began to take a different path.
The high-stakes, Kansas half-scoring threat, was heavily guarded by Rachan “Leakey” Black, who allowed him only eight points in the half, and when David McCormack tipped six more points, the Jahcos were just 10-of-33 from the floor shooting. 30 percent.
Although the Tar Heels didn’t look very good, shooting 12-of-33 in the half, there were two key areas where they were able to find the most success – the free throw line and the second chance.
Going to the line for a total of 16 shots, North Carolina made 81 percent of the shots from the line, 13 of those shots had nets, but their real impact was made the way they were able to find the net after a missed shot.
Score 18 seconds chance points in the half, UNC dominated when it grabbed eight of the offensive rebounds and out-rebounded a total of 25-18 Jayhawks, with Armando Bucket accounting for 10 rebounds in the half.
Putting tremendous pressure on Kansas by teaming up with their Starler defense, the UNC turned the game around and increased the speed that was too much for Jehoks to stop before the break.
With just over two minutes left in the half, a Kansas free-throw from the fire broke a 16-0 UNC run, giving the hosts a 15-3 lead at 18-3 at half time.
Big people make big plays
Beckett holds the single-season record for double-doubles in NCAA history with 12 points and 10 rebounds in NCAA history, and his effort paired with Brady Manek on both sides of the floor is exactly why Tar Hills big men were the biggest key to success. In the first half
By scoring double-doubles in every game of the tournament, Bucket made history by becoming the only player to achieve such a feat in Big Dance.
Manek contributed nine points and four rebounds in the first half, but also helped Kansas return as he shot all his baskets from outside the arc, shooting 60 percent in five three-point attempts.
The other big man made history by becoming the second player to hit three triple hits in all six games of the NCAA Tournament.
He, like all the tar heels on the floor, played defensively and was even responsible for three of the four rebounds from the defensive glass as well as two blocks in half.
With 21 of the Jayhawks’ 40 first-half points coming from two big guys, they not only controlled the offensive charge and the pace of the game but also maintained a defensive intensity to ensure they worked hard to get the lead.
It’s not over until it’s over
Just as it was seen in the first five minutes for Kansas, and again what it looks like at halftime for UNC, the national championship was a game story that never stopped until the final buzz.
Just as UNC did halfway through, Kansas went on their own scoring in the first nine minutes of the second half, outscored Tar Hills 22-8 and reduced the 15-point deficit to 11 and a half. Minutes of play.
Within just 10 minutes of the game, the game was level at 50-50, with both Jalen Wilson and Christian Brown leading the scoring for the Jayhawks when Tar Hills began to miss shots in each game as Kansas began to fight for the board.
A 9-0 run at half-time in the second half gave Jehoks a six, but two minutes later the game was tied at 57-57, and in the eight-minute game UNC again began to rush offensively and play hard. Defense
Ter Hills guard Puff Johnson, the brother of Phoenix Suns forward Cameron Johnson, assisted the UNC in their rhythm, scoring seven points in a row and ending the night with 11 points and six rebounds.
Remy Martin highlighted the intensity for Kansas, scoring 14 points, including 12 from the three-point range, and playing defensively until the final market that put Kansas ahead long enough to win.
With 1:41 to play in the game, a match that seemed so uninterrupted at different points for each team took a one-point lead as the Jahkos trailed 69-68.
McCormack’s physique in the paint to score back-to-back shots helped Jahkos regain the lead, three ahead of the game in four seconds which sealed the game 72-69.
Crime won the game, Defense won the historic championship
As the South Carolina Gamecocks showed for women the night before, Kansas showed why defensive intensity is the key to winning a national title.
Kansas won the second title of Bill Self’s tenure as head coach of the men’s basketball team, scoring 47 points in the second half and 16 less in the first half to overcome the biggest deficit in the history of the national championship.
Self joined J. Wright and Rick Petino as the only active men’s basketball head coach and won two NCAA titles with his win.
Despite only advancing to their first title game in a decade, the Jayhawks are now tied for the sixth-highest NCAA title of all time as they claim their fourth title. Kansas’ last appearance in a title game was in 2012 against Kentucky.
Five scorers scored 12 or more points in the win, McCormack finished with double-doubles of 15 points and 10 rebounds, and Brown finished with 12 points and 12 rebounds with the same feat.
Despite their offensive rhythm, it held North Carolina to 28 percent shooting and did not allow more than 40 percent shots against them in the tournament which helped them complete their comeback and win a title. Even when players like Manek finished the game with double-doubles of 13 points and 13 rebounds, he was held to just four points in the second half.
Backt was also placed on three points and five rebounds in the second half – although an early departure due to an ankle injury – even a double-double from RJ Davis was not enough for 15 points and 12 rebound tar heels. Minutes as Jayhawks continued to mount pressure on the back and second half.