The NCAA Tournament saw plenty of historical moments and elite games, and the outcomes will impact plenty of programs for the next few years. Despite teams like Saint Peters and Michigan pulling off early upsets and teams like Kentucky and Auburn failing to make it out of the first weekend, we ended up with a blue-blood Final Four.
The season ended with Kansas playing North Carolina in the Roy Williams Bowl. UNC fought through Duke in an emotional win to get here, and Kansas coasted past Villanova, but none of that matters once the ball is tipped.
Kansas was favored by four points, but North Carolina managed to fight back early and take a 15-point lead into halftime. However, Kansas fought back and won it late. What happened in this NCAA Tournament Championship game?
Why Kansas Won it All
Kansas went from 7-0 up to down 15 at halftime. So, how did they overcome that deficit? For starters, they took it a play at a time. The Jayhawks did not worry about the deficit, and they went on a run early in the second half by taking quality looks and forcing turnovers. They took advantage of transition opportunities and did the little things. There’s no 15-point shot, but Kansas chipped away with fundamental basketball on both ends of the floor.
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North Carolina also struggled with injuries in this game. Between the foul trouble and the players stepping out, the Tar Heels were outmatched in the final minutes. UNC made it to the title game with a shallow bench and clutch performances, but the injuries became too much.
Even with everything working against them, North Carolina had a chance to force overtime in the final moments. Kansas simply played quality defense to force a tough shot, and the rest is history.
UNC’s Toughness on Display
North Carolina had one of the toughest paths to the title game in recent memory. They had to beat Baylor to even reach the Sweet 16, and the roster stepped up in key moments to overcome obstacle after obstacle.
UNC also overcame injuries to get here. Armando Bacot tweaked his ankle against Duke in the Final Four game, but he managed to return in that game and started for North Carolina in the championship game. Brady Manek took a tough hit to the head early in this game, and he managed to come back. He took another hit, but he still found a way to play through the pain.
Every team has to overcome adversity, but North Carolina saw more in this season than most teams ever do. They went from a team that could have missed the entire NCAA Tournament to a true title contender in a few short weeks, and they overcame injuries and nail-biters to do so.
What Is Next for Each Team?
One of the problems with college basketball is that you can’t project far because of the changes that happen every offseason. Rosters are fluid, and you never know who will go pro or return for another season. Some players even enter the draft and still return. This is exacerbated by the Transfer Portal, so it is way too early to know what either roster will look like next year.
The good news for both of these teams is that they should be in contention next year. With Coach K retiring, Bill Self has a claim as the best active head coach in college basketball. He will bring in an elite recruiting class and probably recruit some transfers to Kansas. Kansas will be favored to win the Big 12, and Self will have this team back to title contention.
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In Hubert Davis’ first year as the head coach of North Carolina, he defied the odds and carried them to a title game. In this run, he proved two things. He showed that UNC is going to remain a contender with him in charge, and he sent a sign to any transfer that he is a coach who you should want to play for.
While North Carolina undoubtedly overachieved this year, they will be back in the NCAA Tournament next year with a strong roster. Both teams should be fun in 2022, but Kansas ends this year with bragging rights.
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