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Kansas comes back, wins NCAA title 3 years in the making

(AP) — The Great Kansas Ochai Agbaji (12), Christian experienced as this and been
Comeback, as it will for- Braun (12) and Jalen Wilson around and know each other
ever be known in the his- (15) — were on that team, so well, it’s kind of hard to
tory books, is about more too. The players who re- see us get rattled,” said Kan-
than just one stifling, scin- mained formed a poised, vet- sas forward Mitch Lightfoot,
tillating 20-minute stretch eran group that came into the who is in his sixth year of
of Jayhawks basketball. game with a mind-boggling college. “Coach had a great
973 games of college experi- message for us, and he chal-
The championship KU cap- ence. lenged us to be better and to
tured Monday night traced have more pride.”
its roots back to 2020, when If any group was built to not
the Jayhawks were a team that lose its composure when COVID-19 hurt Kansas last
looked very much on track things turned bad, this group season, too. Some players fell
for the program’s fourth na- might have been it. But, boy, ill right as tournament time
tional title. things sure looked bleak for approached. The Jayhawks
the Jayhawks as the first half went into Indianapolis as a
Instead, it was KU’s come- wound down. No. 3 seed but left after only
from-behind 72-69 victory two games — the second of
over North Carolina on Led by a dominating inside those a humbling 34-point 69 lead with 1:22 left. On the This fourth national title will
Monday that brought that game by Armando Bacot and blowout loss to USC. ensuing possession, Bacot not have any single player’s
fourth championship ban- an 18-2 advantage in second- hurt his ankle. That opened name stamped on it, the
ner back to Allen Fieldhouse. chance points, the Tar Heels They added Remy Martin, a it up for McCormack to seal way the ‘88 championship
The Jayhawks insisted they’d ran off 16 straight points to transfer from Arizona State, the game with another close- belongs to Danny Manning
share it with the 2020 team, take a 16-point lead. Kansas but the rest of the group range shot, this one over the and the Miracles or the way
too. looked stuck in cement. stayed the same. Martin less-sturdy Carolina defend- ’08 was a product of Mario
turned into a key sixth man er, Brady Manek. Chalmers’ late, game-tying 3.
“It’s partially won for them,” Self used the long halftime for the Jayhawks. On Mon-
said coach Bill Self, who break to calm things down day, he found his shooting “Coach called the play and This one, Self insisted, was
has led Kansas to two of its and breathe some fire into touch and scored 11 of his 14 said we’re going to throw it more of a group effort.
four titles. “Because I always his players. He tweaked the points in the second half. inside and we have trust in
thought the 2020 team was defense, getting DaJuan Har- you and faith in you to deliver Pretty big group, at that.
better, more equipped to do ris Jr. to apply more pressure “They’ve always kept me and get us a basket,” McCor-
well in the NCAA Tourna- early to UNC ballhandler going, and they always gave mack said. “I just prevailed, This group of Jayhawks wants
ment.” R.J. Davis. Kansas clogged up me confidence,” said Mar- I made the basket happen. I to share it with Azubuike,
passing lanes, forced the Tar tin, who struggled with in- appreciate them for allowing who is in the NBA, and Dot-
Led by Devon Dotson and Heels into rushed shots and juries early in the year. “And me to have that opportunity.” son, who was on hand at the
first-round NBA pick Udoka boxed out. I couldn’t ask for a better Superdome to watch Kansas
Azubuike, that 2020 team group.” And Kansas appreciates him. pull out the win.
was, in fact, a team built for That led to more running
a championship. It was head- and more fast-break points The other guys, Self said, The victory won’t complete- “To win when your team had
ed for a top seeding and the (8) and turned a 16-point simply improved as the sea- ly erase trouble that could be to fight and come back the
odds-on favorite to win it all. deficit into a six-point lead son went on. brewing back in Lawrence. way they did and show that
with 10 minutes left. When it There’s an NCAA inves- much grit makes this one off
It was a team that never got its was over, Kansas held on and Agbaji adds Most Outstand- tigation hovering over this the charts,” Self said.
chance after the COVID-19 completed the biggest come- ing Player of the Final Four program, and the potential
pandemic hit and wiped away back in title game history, to his All-America title. Mc- for serious penalties did not He was talking about Mon-
the season. surpassing Loyola Chicago’s Cormack played toe to toe make this Kansas run any day.
15-point rally against Cincin- with North Carolina’s dou- easier.
Most of the key players in nati in 1963. ble-double machine, Bacot. He could’ve been talking
Monday’s title game — Da- The Kansas big man backed But for now, time to cel- about the last three seasons
vid McCormack (15 points), “With the group of guys as in to make a bucket for a 70- ebrate. as well.

Auburn’s Smith, a projected Top-5 pick, enters NBA draft

(AP) — Auburn freshman gram history. He announced announced his plans to enter
Jabari Smith, who led the Smith, who is projected as a his decision in a video posted Smith led the Tigers in scor- the draft.
Tigers to their first No. 1 potential No. 1 overall pick, Tuesday on social media. ing, averaging 16.9 points and
ranking, is entering the lived up to his billing as the 7.4 rebounds. The 6-foot-10, “I came into this season want-
NBA draft. highest-rated recruit in pro- “Auburn will forever be my 220-pounder was also Au- ing to make history and give
home and will be a place that burn’s top 3-point shooter this school the recognition
is going to be a part of me after making 79 of 188 at- it deserves in basketball, and
forever,” Smith said in the tempts (43%). Auburn did that,” Smith said.
video. “The long hours in “I also want to give a special
the gym and the weight room A consensus All-American, thanks to the best coaching
have given me this opportu- Smith was named the South- staff and support staff in the
nity and the chance to chase eastern Conference freshman country. You all have made
my dream of playing in the of the year. The Fayetteville, this year one I will never for-
NBA. But none of this would Georgia native was rated as get.”
have ever been possible with- the nation’s No. 5 recruit,
out the love and the sacrifices according to the 247Sports Auburn won the Southeast-
that were made by my dad composite rankings. ern Conference regular-
and my mom. season title and spent three
Smith and 7-foot-1 center weeks atop the AP rankings
“They molded me into the Walker Kessler comprised before falling to Miami in the
man and person I am today, one of the nation’s top front- second round of the NCAA
and I’ll never be able to thank courts. Kessler, a North Car- Tournament as a No. 2 seed.
them enough.” olina transfer, had already