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Kansas Crushes Memphis for the NCAA Title
The Jayhawks defeated the Tigers in a miraculous comeback in the championship game in a 75-68 victory.
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April 8, 2008 (FPRC) -- The Tigers kept missing their shots. However, Mario Chalmers' three pointer with 2.1 seconds remaining put the game into overtime, putting the Jayhawks in a 75-68 win for their first national championship in 2 decades.
Chalmers saved the game with his 3 pointers after the tigers missed 4 of 5 free throws. It completed a comeback from 9 points down with 2:12 remaining on the clock. It will probably go down as the biggest shot ever made in Kansas history.
The ending disproved Memphis coach John Calipari's theory that his team doesn't have to be good because they always come through when the stakes are high. The Tigers are one of the worst teams with 59% free-throw shooting. Memphis had the game in their grasp but lost it.
Even though Chalmers shot will go down in history, the most memorable overall performance came from Rose, who took over the game for the Tigers in the second half when he scored 14 of their 16 points during one stretch to bring Memphis to a 60-51 lead with 2:12 remaining. Kansas strategically fouling the heck out of one the worst free throw shooting teams. When Rose and Douglas-Roberts made only 1 of 5 over the last 1:12, it left the door open for the Jayhawks.
With 10 seconds left, the Tigers thought they had the game. Then out of nowhere, Chalmers makes his shot, and it was all over for Memphis. Bringing the ball down the court with 10.8 seconds remaining, no timeouts and trailing by 3, Sherron Collins handed the ball off to Chalmers at the top of the 3 point line. Chalmers took his shot and it hit nothing but net, tying the score at 63.
Robert Dozier missed a shot at the buzzer and Rose went limping to the bench, favoring his right leg. Brandon Rush, Darrell Arthur and Darnell Jackson scored the first 6 points in overtime putting the Jayhawks ahead 69-63.
The Tigers didn't get any closer than 3 the rest of the game. Rose played all 45 minutes in what could be his last college game. Arthur was dominant inside, finishing with 20 points and 10 rebounds. Chalmers finished with 18 points. Rush had 12 points and Collins had 11 points, 6 assists and did a great job shutting Rose for the first 28 minutes.
Rose ended up with 18 points, showing that he's ready for the NBA. He was 3 for 4 from the line, the shot he miss is what would have sealed the game and given Memphis their first championship title. It wasn't just the free throws. If they had played better before the free throws, they would have been in better shape toward the end.
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Keywords:
sports, NCAA, basketball
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