In case you missed it, Monday night's NCAA Men's Championship was a great game. Two evenly matched teams, a tight contest, a dramatic comeback with a last-second three pointer to take the game into overtime — it doesn't get any better than that. With a perfectly played overtime, the Jayhawks defeated the Tigers for their first national title since "Danny and the Miracles" beat the Sooners in 1988.
While some would label this team as "Mario and the Miracles," after his spectacular shot to send the game into overtime, it would not do this team justice. The shot was clutch, and without it, Kansas would not be the 2008 national champions. However, to win this game, Kansas needed to play a flawless game against Memphis, the more talented and athletic team on the floor. So, without further ado, here are the four reasons why Kansas was able to beat the mighty Memphis Tigers.
1. Kansas Nipped Rose in the Bud
Derrick Rose, who had been slicing and dicing his way through tournament competition, putting up superhuman numbers against Michigan State, Texas, and UCLA, proved he is human after all. While Rose did end the game with a respectable 18 points, 6 rebounds, and 8 assists, he was a non-factor for most of the game. Rose only had 4 points in the first half, was held scoreless for lengthy middle portion of the game, and did not score a point in the overtime period. Kansas did an excellent job of isolating Rose, refusing to let him use his dribble penetration, which he used so effectively in his previous two games. Memphis needed more from this standout freshman, especially in overtime, for the win.
2. Defense Wins Championships
Kansas' defense was instrumental in defeating the Tigers explosive offensive attack. The Jayhawks limited Memphis' offense to 68 points, 40% from the field, and 6-of-22 from the three-point line, all well under their season averages. Kansas successfully disrupted Memphis' quick attack and forced the Tigers to play a slower half-court offense. Sherron Collins and Russell Robinson handled Rose effectively, taking him out of his game until late in the second half. Credit Arthur, Jackson, and Kaun for providing a strong inside presence and helping Kansas to out-rebound Memphis. The Jayhawks' strong defense forced Memphis into low-percentage perimeter shots, allowing the team to stay close throughout the game.
3. My Bench is Better Than Yours
While Memphis did have a superior starting five, the Jayhawks had a stronger, more experienced bench. The bench was a great advantage for Kansas because it not only kept their starters out of foul trouble, but also gave them rest. Kaun and Robinson played key roles for the Jayhawks coming off the bench, a bench that Memphis had no answer for. Kansas was able to counter the exceptional athleticism of the Tigers by wearing out their starters. With the exception of Dorsey, who had foul trouble, the Memphis starters all played 40 minutes or longer. The fatigue of the Tigers was very noticeable in overtime, when Memphis seemed to run out of gas.
4. You Have to Hit the Free Ones
Coming into the game, Memphis' free throw shooting woes seemed to be yesterday's news. Once thought to be the Achilles' heel of Calipari's "Dream Team," Memphis emphatically shut up the pundits, writers, and sports analysts by shooting an impressive 85% in their games against Texas and UCLA. This newfound confidence, however, was nowhere to be found when it was needed the most. The Tigers returned to their dreadful foul line shooting with a 12-of-19 performance, compared to the 14-of-15 turned in by the Jayhawks.
Derrick Rose and Chris Douglas-Roberts, normally so good in clutch situations, were only able to hit a combined 1-for-6 in the final minute of the game. Each was given the opportunity to put the game on ice, but failed to do so. Kansas effectively utilized the "Hack-a-Shaq" technique, which not only kept them in the game, but also helped them to win it.
It almost seems fitting, if not ironic, that with all the hoopla made about Memphis' free throw shooting, that that is ultimately what it came down to on Monday night. With the clock ticking down, the Tigers needed someone to step up and make free throws. No one did. Game over.
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