The university final did not disappoint. Maximum passion in a packed Caesars Superdome to witness a historic comeback from Kansas in the second half that led to the fourth title for the Jayhawks program led by Bill Self.
No one had ever gone into the break trailing by 15 points and then won the final in the Final Four era. That feat was signed on Monday by Kansas after losing 25-40 to North Carolina in the first half and then pulling out of the hat 47-29 in the second, winning 72-69 to obtain its first championship since 2008.
David McCormac he was the man of the match because he was the player who resolved in the final part, although the MOP of the Final Four went to his partner ochai agbaji. Both were included in the top five of the tournament, accompanied by players from North Carolina Caleb Love Y Armando Baccot and Duke’s paolo banchero.
The match had two completely opposite parts. The first was a first-rate defensive exercise by North Carolina until they prevailed 25-40 after closing the first half with a 3-18 run in which Kansas went 1 of 8 on the shot. Bacot was the dominator of the game, signing his sixth double-double (12 points and 10 rebounds at halftime) in the 6 games played in the tournament, an achievement that no one had achieved in March Madness.
between Baccot, R.J. Davis Y Brady Manek they had managed the game, and they had done it despite the 1 of 6 of Caleb Love in the first 20 minutes.
History was against Kansas’s comeback, but it came with unexpected speed, as the Jayhawks were already within a stone’s throw with a 45-46 run after scoring 20 points in 7 minutes with a 20-6 run. And things for the Tar Heels got worse: 55-50 after a 30-10 run. North Carolina seemed mortally wounded and the stands in New Orleans were boiling, but they ended up holding out on the field until they showed up at the end of the game with options.
It was a misfortune-plagued second half for North Carolina, which saw second-half player Caleb Love playing at times with a limp, who felt the provisional withdrawal to the sideline of Puff Johnson after receiving a blow and that he saw helplessly as his great star, Armando Baccot, remained nailed under the hoop after a very ugly play in which he was injured so as not to return to the court. There were 38.5 seconds left.
The next attack was clear. Kansas clashed with McCormack against Manek’s defense in the paint, an unequal duel that ended successfully for McCormack, who scored the last 4 points of the game, which made it 68-69 72-69, with North Carolina running out score in the last 100 seconds of play.
In a dramatic finish, with Bacot injured and out of the game, North Carolina missed 2 3-pointers to tie the game through Caleb Love and Puff Johnson, but still got a third chance because Kansas fumbled when they already had the game in their pocket. stepping on the touchline DaJuan Harris Jr. Thus, North Carolina had the final 4.3 seconds to seek extra time, but Caleb Love, erratic all night, was far from hitting his triple with a desperate shot that was the culmination of his disastrous night in attack.
Kansas won its first title since 2008 with 5 players scoring in double digits. The crucial McCormack had 15 points and 10 rebounds, endured the final stretch with 4 fouls and made the 2 winning baskets.
by his side, Jaylen Wilson (15 points) and the very important Remy Martin (14 points with 4 of 6 from the triple, 11 in the second half) and Christian Braun (12 points and 12 rebounds, scoring 10 after the break).
Agbaji finished with 12 points, not being a truly decisive player in his team’s victory.
North Carolina dominated the boards overwhelmingly (35 rebounds vs. 55 with 24 offensive!), but sank on offense with 31.5% shooting from the field and 13 turnovers.
Bacot had 15 points and 15 rebounds before getting injured, but this time Mr. Doble was 3 of 13 in shooting, a general trend in a team that had RJ Davis with 15 points and 12 rebounds, but 5 of 17 in shooting. the shot and Caleb Love with 13 points in a day to forget: 5 of 24 from the field with 1 of 8 from the triple.
Brady Manek was the positive exception. He very good his final with 13 points, 13 rebounds, 4 blocks and good percentages. He had to shoot more, they should have given him more offensive options.
Also, 11 points and 6 rebounds from Puff Johnson in a tough loss to digest for the Tar Heels.
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Kansas is proclaimed champion after a historic comeback against North Carolina