The Kansas Jayhawks are college basketball’s national champions, and they made a historic comeback to make it happen.
1-seed Kansas erased a 16-point deficit (15 points at halftime) to hold off 8-seed North Carolina 72-69 in the 2022 NCAA Tournament’s national title game on Monday in New Orleans. It’s the largest comeback win in National Championship history.
Kansas wins the #NationalChampionship! 🏀🏆 pic.twitter.com/bpw3uyc8Iv
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) April 5, 2022
Your 2022 National Champions…🏆
HAS A NICE RING TO IT 😁 pic.twitter.com/GR27MoPIpi
— Kansas Men’s Basketball (@KUHoops) April 5, 2022
ROCK CHALK CHAMPIONSHIP pic.twitter.com/jZ60THkN3G
— Kansas Jayhawks (@KUAthletics) April 5, 2022
The Jayhawks outscored the Tar Heels 47-29 in the second half. Kansas got a team effort in the scoring department, with nobody scoring more than 15 points, but five players scoring at least 12 points (North Carolina had five players with at least 11 points and nobody with more than 15).
Defensively, Kansas held North Carolina to 31.5% from the field, including 5-of-24 shooting from Caleb Love (who scored 28 points on 11-of-20 shooting vs Duke in the Final Four).
It’s the fourth national title in Kansas men’s basketball history, and it’s the first one since 2008 (which also featured Bill Self as head coach).
Here’s how the sports world is reacting to the Jayhawks’ championship victory:
"The Kansas City Jayhawks."- NCAA President Mark Emmert pic.twitter.com/TfvwV8rrVb
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) April 5, 2022
Chuck guaranteed Kansas to win and let @TheJetOnTNT hear it 💀🤣@MarchMadnessMBB pic.twitter.com/TD3Ppx9XxF
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) April 5, 2022
https://twitter.com/ESPNStatsInfo/status/1511197214919598081
Entering today, North Carolina was 46-0 in the NCAA Tournament all-time when leading by double digits at the half, the longest streak by any team in NCAA Tournament history.
They're now 46-1. pic.twitter.com/gYbKQL5cKA
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) April 5, 2022
KANSAS COMPLETES THE ULTIMATE COMEBACK 😤#NationalChampionship pic.twitter.com/hU5C023cNa
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) April 5, 2022
Biggest comeback in national title game history by Kansas. @TigerWoods appears poised to have everyone hold that beer at @TheMasters
Ready for perhaps the greatest #NantzAPalooza ever.
— Rich Eisen (@richeisen) April 5, 2022
JAYHAWKS ARE THE LAST TEAM STANDING IN NOLA 🏆#NationalChampionship pic.twitter.com/TtdSlqQPt4
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 5, 2022
The 14-year wait is OVER for Kansas.
Jayhawks top North Carolina in a CLASSIC in New Orleans.
Bill Self is now 1 of 16 head coaches in men's basketball to win multiple national titles.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) April 5, 2022
