Kansas Jayhawks Win NCAA Title

SAN ANTONIO - Tradition-rich Kansas overcame trendy Memphis in what was either a miraculous comeback or an historic collapse. Maybe both.

Trailing by nine points in the final two minutes of regulation, the Jayhawks rallied to tie the score on Mario Chalmers' long three-point shot with 2.1 seconds left, then took advantage of Tiger lapses to post a stunning 75-68 overtime victory and claim their first NCAA men's basketball championship in 20 years.

The loss, only its second of the season, was a bitter disappointment for a Memphis team that appeared to have its first national title well in hand, thanks to a brilliant second-half performance by freshman point guard Derrick Rose, who scored 15 of his team's 17 points during the stretch that vaulted the Tigers into the lead.

But they fell victim to the foul-shooting woes that afflicted them for most of the season but hadn't cost them in the NCAA Tournament. It cost them everything they wanted Monday night at the Alamodome.

Kansas, in claiming its third NCAA championship, continued the momentum from Chalmers' shot into overtime, scoring the first six points. Douglas-Roberts, who led all scorers with 22 points, hit a trey with just under one minute remaining to cut the Jayhawks' lead to three points at 71-68 with 58 seconds on the clock, but Chalmers hit a pair of free throws 13 seconds later and the Tigers' dream was scuttled.

The victory by Kansas culminated a tournament that was largely uncompetitive. Only one game in the Elite Eight was decided by fewer than 10 points, and both Final Four matchups involving only No. 1 seeds were strangely one-sided.

In all, 42 of the first 62 games played could be regarded as blowouts, including several upsets. Perhaps a dozen were compelling, and three of those involved 10th-seeded Davidson.