SPORTS NATIONAL CHAMPIONS 1922 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS 1923 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS 1952 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS 1988 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS 2008
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
WWW.KANSAN.COM TUESDAY, APRIL 8, 2008
PAGE 1B
KANSAS 75 MEMPHIS 68
YEAR-ROUND WINNERS
Sports editor Case Keefer concludes that this has been the best year in Kansas sports history.
PAGE 3B
THE REAL UNDERDOGS
Kansas' 2008 title run won't be considered improbable years from now. But the stories behind the players make it a true underdog story.
PAGE 5B
MARIO AND THE MIRACLES
Move over Danny Manning. Mario Chalmers is the new name that will be synonymous with a Kansas national championship.
PAGE3B
WALKIN'ON MEMPHIS
Mindy Ricketts/KANSAN
Russell Robinson, senior guard, wears a basketball net from Monday night's championship game around his neck. Kansas defeated Memphis 75-68. Sophomore forward Darrell Arthur led the Jayhawks with 20 points and 10 rebounds, but junior guard Mario Chalmers provided the game's signature moment: a three-pointer with 2.1 seconds left in regulation that sent the game to overtime, tied at 65.
Kansas wins in overtime to earn NCAA title for first time since 1988
BY MARK DENT mdent@kansan.com
He moved his hips to "Celebration" and slapped hands all around with his teammates in the confetti-filled jubilation of their national championship.
SAN ANTONIO — Mario Chalmers can dance now, now that his name has been permanently etched into the Kansas basketball history books.
That's right — national championship. Kansas (37-3) beat Memphis (38-2) 75-68 in overtime on Monday night at the Alarmodome, winning its first title since 1988 and third in program history after coming back from a late nine-point deficit.
"God, we competed hard," Kansas coach Bill-Self said. "It's one thing to win. It's another thing to win the way these guys did."
Then, Chalmers separated from his man for just long enough. Collins found him. Trailing 63-60, Chalmers shot a three near the top of the key. Overtime.
Brandon Rush started out with a layup. Chalmers and Darrell Arthur combined for an alley-op. When Collins made two free throws to put Kansas up 75-68, the game was finished. Chalmers' shot had sparked all of it.
Chalmers' celebratory dance moves seemed so natural, just like the shot he made about 30 minutes earlier that sent the game to overtime. The play started with Sherron Collins. He had 10 seconds to make sure Kansas extended the game and kept its dream season alive. He dribbled to the right wing behind the three-point line and nearly lost the ball.
The game should've been finished long before that play. The Jayhawks got a gift from the Tigers when they missed five of six free throws that would've iced the game. They didn't waste the good fortune in overtime. The extra period was all Kansas.
"I just knew we had the game after that," Arthur said.
A happy ending seemed implausible late in the second half. Memphis' Derrick Rose nearly killed Kansas. He was ready to put himself at the top of the list of Jayhawk Final Four villains right up there with Carmelo Anthony, Juan Dixon and Grant Hill. With Memphis down 45-42 midway in the second half, Rose scored 12 straight points for Memphis. He couldn't miss if he tried. Really. Rose fired a long off-balance jumper at the end of the shot clock and banked it in. The basket gave Memphis a 56-49 lead with 4:10 left.
The Tigers stretched that lead to 60-51, and it looked like Memphis would cut down the nets.
"A lot of guys thought the game was over," Darnell Jackson said, "but we just kept saying believe."
Self said those exact words to his team. Chalmers used Self's message and the memories from last season's comeback victories against Texas to motivate him.
Arthur took the inspirational words to heart as well. It was no surprise to see Chalmers take over in the clutch. Arthur was more of an unexpected hero.
Kansas has known all season it plays superior ball when Arthur is active. Problem was, that didn't happen too often.
In the tournament, Arthur's inconsistency got even worse. The one they call shady reverted to his mind-bogglingly
X
}
SEE BASKETBALL ON PAGE 4B
14