Tag: Men’s National Championship Game

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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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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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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