With the whole world watching, Mario Chalmers nailed a game-tying three pointer, and Coach Bill Self and the Kansas Jayhawks came through in the clutch to claim their first title in 20 years.
The Jayhawks took a halftime lead and did not panic when they were down late in the game. Kansas climbed back into it with execution and playmaking, and Memphis struggled with missed free throws late in the game.
The Tigers had opportunities to close out the game but missed baskets and failed free throw attempts ultimately did them in.
Memphis missing four out of their last five free throws and a no-call on a potential foul allowed the Jayhawks to tie the game and gave them the momentum heading into overtime.
Kansas took advantage of the Tigers’ cold shooting and outscored their opponent 12-5 in the extra period.
With two first-round losses in the past four NCAA tournaments, the Jayhawks have been known in the past to come up short when playing the favorites. But now head coach Bill Self can breathe a sigh of relief.
The only question now is whether Bill Self will stay at Kansas.
Self has reportedly been offered the head-coaching job at his alma mater, Oklahoma State. The deal is expected to be worth $3 million a year with a $6 million signing bonus. That salary would be a step up from the $1.3 million has makes annually.
Things just keep looking up for Self and his coaching staff...let them enjoy the championship first and then talk coaching moves once all this sinks in.
Self, of course, has said he wants to stay at Kansas, but we've all heard that before.
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3 months ago
That was a great exciting game to watch and I am sure Bob Huggins from our great WVU was at the edge of his seat watching anxiously over the outcome! Kansas did great as a team and pulled through.
3 months ago
That was a good overtime
3 months ago
National champs!! How sweet it is! Somebody started a "congratulations" card for Coach Self and the team. Leave your message...
http://www.squidnote.com/c/GtvguyagpxO
3 months ago
Man, if you didn't like that game, you don't get college basketball. It was awesome.
Will interesting to see if Coach Self returns to his alma mater. If he does, that is yet another case of driving coach salaries into the stratosphere! Do the Cowboys really want a winning coach that badly? That's some serious coin.
from 3 months ago
Great game to watch, one of the most exciting I've ever seen... than again I'm 15 so I haven't seen much
Lew: after the massive donation he made to the school, Boone Pickens is calling the shots at OK state (for all intents and purposes) and he's always been a knee-jerk kinda guy, don't be surprised if a bidding war starts during the offseason
3 months ago
JayHAWKS WON!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GO KANSAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ROCK CHALK JAYHAWK!!!!!!!!!!!
3 months ago
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