David McCormack scored a crucial layup with 1:21 to lead Kansas 70-69. He then added another bucket with 22 seconds left to make it 72-69. North Carolina lost consecutive three-pointers for the possession that followed and a look from the top of the key to the buzzer to stabilize the result.
Kansas led early with 7-0, but prevailed 40-18 in the rest of the first half, as the Tar Heels dominated the attacking glass for an 18-2 lead in the second chance points that came in the break. But what coach Bill Self said to the Jayhawks at half time worked wonders as KU broke out of the locker room 31-10.
McCormack finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds and was particularly late when he battled the injured UNC tycoon Armando Bacot. The Tar Heels junior center was playing on a twisted ankle which he injured again while maneuvering for a possible bucket for goals in the last minute. But he got the best of McCormack in the first half before McCormack reached key games late in an epic finish.
Here are the conclusions from a classic national title game on Monday night in New Orleans.
The redemption of David McCormack
When David McCormack hit a jumper less than a minute before the game to give the Jahox a 5-0 lead, he seemed to be continuing from where he left off in a semifinal victory over Villanova on Saturday. In that victory with 81-65 KU, she scored 25 points, which was her high season. With Bacot fooling around and McCormack gaining confidence in Saturday’s performance, early returns suggest the Jayhawks may have an inside advantage. Bacot struggled at first, but as the half-time passed, the injured UNC warrior repeatedly got the best of McCormack, who left the game with 4:17 remaining in the first half after scoring his second foul. His exit came amid a 16-0 run for North Carolina and things did not improve amid McCormack’s absence. But in the second half, the big man of KU found his footing. He finished with his 11th double-double of the season and his two baskets in the last two minutes made the difference. It was an upward trajectory for McCormack, and that was incorporated into Monday’s game. In the end, it ended in the best way as it raised the Jayhawks to a national title.
Role players appear
The trio of Remy Martin, Christian Brown and Jalen Wilson combined to shoot 3 of 18 from the floor in the first half for Kansas. In the second half, the same three players came together and made 13 of the 18 shots from the field. Wilson equalized for McCormack with 15 points and Brown scored a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds. Martin, meanwhile, made all four of his shots on target in the second half, including a three-pointer. While Agbaji and McCormack were arguably the most important players for this Kansas team throughout the season, what set the Jayhawks apart was their role players. In particular, the dynamic play of Braun and Wilson as players with a unique combination of size and flexibility made KU a tough match all season. With Agbaji, Martin and McCormack as seniors on the team this season, the appearance by Braun and Wilson can only be a preview of what will follow. While one or both could choose to try their hand at NBA Draft waters, the pair of dynamic playmakers could make Kansas a candidate to repeat themselves as national champions if they return next season.
UNC is running out of star power
Bacot put Tar Heels on his back in the first half, but ran out of gas in the second half, making it 0-6 off the floor after half time. With 50 seconds left, he twisted his injured right ankle again and fell to the floor in agony as he made a move to the basket with the Tar Heels 70-69 behind. The game was symbolic of how Bacot gave what he had before he literally hit a breaking point in the final minute of the match. With guard RJ Davis and Caleb Love teaming up to shoot 10 of 41 from the floor, North Carolina simply did not have the firepower they needed in the second half to keep up with the hot Jayhawks. eeSophomore striker Puff Johnson made a huge rise from the bench with 11 points, including nine in the second half, as he played extended minutes due to the Leaky Black effect. But a UNC team that took so many clutch buckets from Love, Davis, Brady Manek and Bacot on an unforgettable journey only needed one or two more to cross the finish line.
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