Tag: March Madness 2022

Kansas appeared to show some unbelievable sportsmanship after Armando Bacot’s injury

You don’t see that happen often.

Top-seeded Kansas and No. 8 seed North Carolina played a remarkable national title game on Monday night in New Orleans with the Jayhawks rallying back from a 15-point halftime deficit to win, 72-69. But the Jayhawks also seemed willing to turn down a crucial 4-on-5 advantage in the name of sportsmanship.

It was a sight to behold.

The sequence took place in the final minute with Kansas leading by a point. North Carolina big man Armando Bacot, who was playing on a sprained ankle, rolled that same ankle on a possibly loose part of the court. Just like that, the Jayhawks had a 4-on-5 advantage with Bacot down in the backcourt in pain. Instead of attacking that mismatch, though, Kansas’ Jalen Wilson stalled play on the perimeter until the officials blew the whistle.

Ochai Agbaji shared an emotional postgame moment with his family after Kansas’ national title

No, YOU’RE crying.

Moments like what we saw on Monday night are exactly what makes college basketball so great.

The top-seeded Kansas Jayhawks went into the locker rooms trailing North Carolina by 15 points at halftime, and they responded with one of the most remarkable turnarounds you’ll see in a championship game. Kansas outscored UNC by 18 points in the second half en route to the biggest comeback in men’s NCAA Championship history.

Obviously, any championship is a huge accomplishment. But for Kansas’ Ochai Agbaji — an under-recruited four-year player who blossomed into a star — the championship was extra special. We saw that genuine emotion after the game when he caught up with his parents, Olofu and Erica, and his sister, Orie.

We can hear as Ochai’s father shouts, “You’re a champion! Job well done!” And Agbaji couldn’t hold back the tears.

In his final game with Kansas, Agbaji scored 12 points and was named the Final Four’s most outstanding player. What a way to go out.

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Bill Self’s sweet championship gift to Devon Dotson, whose 2020 season with Kansas was canceled due to COVID

Devon Dotson was in the same recruiting class as Ochai Agbaji and David McCormack.

Kansas coach Bill Self won his second national title, and while celebrating, he made sure to find his former star guard Devon Dotson.

The win over North Carolina was huge, and it represented redemption for the Jayhawks. This was a great team, and they will have the trophy to show that forever. But their roster in the COVD-canceled season of 2020 was arguably even more formidable.

While some on that team (Ochai Agbaji, David McCormack, Christian Braun) were able to play for the title in 2022, others turned pro. One such player was Dotson.

After the game, Dotson was with two-time NBA champion guard Mario Chalmers, who played for coach Self when Kansas won the title in 2008.

Self found Dotson in the crowd and told Dotson that this championship hat should be his. He explained his decision to give Dotson the sweet gift (via NCAA.com):

“This was partially won for them too. I don’t know how you guys feel. It’s partially won for them because I always thought the 2020 team was better, more equipped to do well in the NCAA tournament.”

Before the 2020 season was canceled due to COVID-19, Kansas ranked No. 1 in the AP Top-25 poll, earning an insane 63 of 65 possible first-place votes.

They had the makings of a title team as they were the only squad with a top 10 offense and a top 10 defense, per KenPom. But they never got a chance to prove they were the best team in the nation and earn the trophy.

When I spoke to Dotson during the pre-draft process in 2020, he spoke about how he handled the tough circumstances (via HoopsHype):

“The team we had was special. The pieces fit right. We had all the right pieces to make a deep run and win it all. But it’s bigger than basketball. It was hard at first. I had to come to my senses and realize it was over. I learned from that and I grew from that. It was just a learning experience: things can be taken away from you in a split second.”

However, he told the Miami Herald that this win “fills that hole” left in 2020.

Dotson currently plays for the Windy City Bulls. He has played in 22 NBA games for Chicago since turning pro.

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Charles Barkley felt so good about guaranteeing a Kansas win that he trolled Kenny Smith by dancing in his face

Charles Barkley just gave us an elite troll

Man. Charles Barkley’s guarantees are normally a terrible sight for the teams he picks and their fans.

Last year he absolutely doomed the Charlotte Hornets with a guarantee. We also don’t have to remind Portland Trail Blazers fans about how terribly they’ve done with Chuck’s guarantees. He even put some money behind that one. This is why Barkley guarantees tend to have people skittish. They just don’t usually work out.

But it did on Monday night, I guess.

Barkley guaranteed Kansas would beat UNC in the National Championship game and that’s exactly what happened. Don’t pay attention to the fact that it took the greatest comeback in championship game history to make it happen. All that matters is that it happened.

And Barkley…somehow knew it. He was even so confident that he started trolling Kenny Smith by hitting the YMCA in the middle of the game while Kansas was up just four with plenty of time left.

That’s almost four minutes left on the clock! That’s a confident dude, man. Can’t say I blame him, though. He’s been jamming out through the whole tournament. Vibe is clearly on 1,000 right now.

Poor, poor Kenny, though. He didn’t deserve this. He’ll probably get his revenge sooner rather than later, though.

The NBA playoffs are coming soon.

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Watch this year’s One Shining Moment cap off the 2022 NCAA Tournament

In ONE SHINING MOMENT, it’s all on the line.

After three weeks of drama, upsets, and high-level college basketball, there’s but one more thing we need to do. I know it may seem like we all accomplished a lot together in watching America’s consummate sudden death sports tournament, but we can’t forget this note. It’s like forgetting the Christmas tree and gingerbread cookies.

Yes, it’s our One Shining Moment. (Starts tap dancing.)

The yearly tradition, i.e., the best part of the tournament (if you’re a giant, sentient cheeseball of earnestness like me), is here again to cap the wild ride we just experienced together. Kansas, I’m sorry. You and your national title have to take a backseat for a second.

Without further adieu — Take it away, Mr. David Barrett. You have our (my) full attention:

IN ONE SHINING MOMENT, IT’S ALL ON THE LINE.

Sorry, sorry. Let me compose myself.

Ugh, it’s so good it almost makes me angry. It makes me feel like I’m on a wonderful magic carpet ride of basketball. It’s like a whimsical basketball musical. Excuse me while I totally don’t watch it another 1,000 times or so before finally falling asleep.

The 2022 Men’s NCAA tournament is over. And, yes, we have our One Shining Moment together, dear readers.

Gannett may earn revenue from Tipico for audience referrals to betting services. Tipico has no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. See Tipico.com for Terms and Conditions. 21+ only. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO).

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Sideline has bettors sick as late KU blunder fails to cover spread

A late turnover leads Kansas to miss covering the spread (-4.5).

If you had Kansas covering the spread (-4.5), close your eyes!

You almost had it.

It didn’t look good for a while. North Carolina built up a 15-point halftime lead and it seemed unlikely that the Jayhawks would pull off the biggest comeback win in NCAA Tournament Championship Game history. But they did, thanks to a furious second-half rally that included stifling defense, timely baskets, and the heart of a champion.

While Kansas had the moneyline bettors covered, it had 4.6 seconds to save the bettors who had KU covering the spread. All that needed to happen was the Jayhawks to get the ball inbounds securely, accept the incoming UNC foul, and go to the line and sink two. Easy, right?

Well, a silly little sideline got in the way and Jayhawk guard Dajuan Harris Jr. stepped on it a few times. So UNC got the ball back and one last Hail Mary three left all zeros on the game clock.

Tough pill to swallow for whoever had those KU -4.5 bet slips?

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Kansas beat UNC and finished the largest comeback in Championship Game history

They will never, ever forget this night in Lawrence.

There’s no denying that winning a championship, in any sense, is an amazing feeling. It’s one of the best moments of your life, and you’ll remember where you were forever. Win that title by overcoming historic adversity at that, and it’ll be that much sweeter.

Kansas beat North Carolina, 72-69, to win the National Championship on Monday night. It’s the fourth title for one of the most prestigious programs in college basketball. Those facts alone should make the Jayhawks extremely proud. But this was no ordinary three-point championship win.

You see, Kansas (eventually) won by completing the largest title game comeback in the 83-year history of the Men’s NCAA tournament.

I’m sorry, can you repeat that? Certainly, (ahem): 83 years!

(Because I know everyone in Lawrence, Kansas, will never let me forget any detail.)

A 91 percent win probability and a 47-29 second half for Kansas. Unfathomable.

Yes, after looking lifeless and trailing 40-25 at halftime, Kansas is now in possession of the largest second stanza comeback in the history of the Championship Game.

In fairness, you do have to play poorly to come back first. After all, the deficit happened for a reason. But it seems all-too-fitting that it happened for Kansas — the NCAA all-time wins leader — with all of their rich history.

Bill Self, Ochai Agbaji, Remy Martin, and every single Jayhawk deserves credit. They never tanked, plugged away, and their resolve paid off on the biggest stage. Also, Self clearly gave a rousing halftime Hollywood-like speech. There’s no other logical explanation for such a run.

Gannett may earn revenue from Tipico for audience referrals to betting services. Tipico has no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. See Tipico.com for Terms and Conditions. 21+ only. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO).

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How to bet North Carolina-Kansas in Monday night’s 2022 national championship game

Breaking down how to bet UNC-Kansas.

Here it is, folks — 68 teams down to two. Just like that.

March was madness, as advertised, and offered plenty of moments that we’ll all hold onto for a while. But the main course has arrived and the table is set for this Monday evening.

Kansas has a chance to win its sixth national championship and first since 2008, while North Carolina looks for its seventh overall and first since 2017.

So, when the two college basketball powerhouses on collide on Monday night, what could we expect to happen? Let’s take a look at how to bet UNC-Kansas in the 2022 national championship game.

All odds via Tipico Sportsbook

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The legend of Dawn Staley continues to grow as South Carolina wins second NCAA title since 2017

Dawn Staley adds to an impressive eight-month run as South Carolina wins the national championship.

The South Carolina Gamecocks are national champions for the second time in five years and it just adds to the wildly successful last eight months of Dawn Staley’s coaching career.

Let’s rewind.

Look no further to just a few days ago (Wednesday), when Staley was named the 2022 Naismith Women’s College Coach of the Year for coaching the Gamecocks to a Final Four appearance after remaining the nation’s No. 1 ranked team throughout the entirety of the season. Staley won the same award back in 2020 when South Carolina’s 32-1 season and pursuit of a national championship was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Take it back a few months earlier to October when Staley earned a historic seven-year $22.4 million contract extension from the university.

And of course, Staley coached the USA Women’s Basketball National Team, which included Diana Taurasi and Sue Bird, to a gold medal in the Tokyo Olympics. Although, Bird and Taurasi probably had mixed emotions watching Staley win the natty for the Gamecocks while their beloved Huskies came up short.

Nevertheless, Dawn Staley keeps on winning and doing things that most coaches could only dream of. What an epic run this has been.

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Bettors believe Kansas upends North Carolina in Men’s National Championship Game

Rock Chalk, Jayhawk in New Orleans.

After all of the upsets, emotion, and high drama, it’s prestigious blue-blood Kansas and prestigious blue-blood North Carolina for the Men’s National Championship in college basketball. Oh, gross. Why are my hands so chalky all of a sudden? Can someone get me a washcloth?

Both the Jayhawks and Tar Heels had stark, different paths to get to the last boss of men’s college basketball. What you find more impressive, because they’re both impressive roads, depends on what flavors of victory you like.

Bill Self’s top-seeded crew, behind impressive consistency from Remy Martin and Ochai Agbaji, among others, just polished off two straight tournament blowouts — the latter over Jay Wright’s Villanova March Machine. Or, the path of peaking at the right time.

Meanwhile, Hubert Davis and the underdog Tar Heels — largely behind a terrific performance (and shot) from Caleb Love — took Duke and Mike Krzyzewski out to pasture. Or, the path of spite.

And when it comes to Monday night’s title game, bettors with Tipico Sportsbook think we’re in for a (chalky) potential classic.

To elaborate, 63 percent of the bet slips coming in have Kansas at the moneyline. By that same token, the Jayhawks have been given a generous (at least to me) -4.5 point spread as the favorite.

I do think it should be no noted that is no typical No. 1 vs. No. 8 matchup for a championship. Kansas is firing on all cylinders while Carolina has certainly reached a high-level gear of a title squad. I think we’re in for another classic.

Hey, it might be “boring” because these two programs are seemingly here, in early April, all the time. But you’d be a fool to expect anything less than a back-and-forth. This is March, I mean … April.

Gannett may earn revenue from Tipico for audience referrals to betting services. Tipico has no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. See Tipico.com for Terms and Conditions. 21+ only. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO).

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