The insanity that was the 2022 March Madness has now ended, in April.
After the University of North Carolina knocked out their rival Duke, and the Kansas Jayhawks eliminated Villanova, the two finalists squared off at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. In front of a roaring crowd of 69,423, Kansas claimed the game against UNC, 72-69, to win their fourth national championship.
In the second half of the game, Kansas rallied back down from a 16-point deficit, the largest comeback in NCAA Tournament championship game history. 6’5” senior Ochai Agbaji led the team and claimed the NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player (MOP) award.
Now, after Kansas’ victory, Caesars Sportsbook already has the Jayhawks as favorites to win the 2023 national championship, with 10-1 odds. Gonzaga follows them at 12-1.
“The expectations are such where being good is okay, but it’s not enough,” Kansas coach Bill Self said. “Nobody’s ever put pressure on me that we’ve got to win another one, but I think I put pressure on myself, knowing that this place deserves more than what we’ve won.”
LARGEST COMEBACK IN TITLE GAME HISTORY
THE KANSAS JAYHAWKS ARE NATIONAL CHAMPIONS pic.twitter.com/oObK7nZO88
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) April 5, 2022
Despite their loss, North Carolina did not go down without a fight. UNC rallied until about the final minute of the game, until their star Armando Bacot sustained an injury after his ankle gave out, forcing him out of the final drive of the game. This comes after he injured the ankle in UNC’s previous game against Duke, which held up until that point. With Bacot out, Kansas took advantage and secured the win.
Following the game, gaffes ensued as the NCAA president Mark Emmert accidentally called the team the “Kansas City Jayhawks” during the trophy presentation ceremony. “Here to present the trophy is the head of the basketball committee Tom Burnett to coach Self and the Kansas City Jayhawks,” Emmert said.
The error is sure to irk Kansas fans, but it does not take away from the appeal, satisfaction and joy of a national championship title.
What did you think of the NCAA championship game, and Kansas’ victory? Let us know, by either leaving a reaction below or by sending us a tweet at @celebsecrets.
