On April 5, Beijing time, the NCAA Finals came to an end, and the final No. 1 seed, the University of Kansas, staged a big reversal, once trailing by 16 points, defeating the University of North Carolina 72-69, winning the championship for the fourth time in team history and also being crowned four champions. Congratulations to the University of Kansas, who previously won the championship in 1952, 1998 and 2008, now they beat the University of North Carolina and won the NCAA championship after 14 years.
The NCAA's format is different from that of the NBA and international basketball, including a single offense with 30 seconds and a half-court within 10 seconds. There are no four quarters, but 20 minutes each in the first and second halves, with a 15-minute break in the intermission. The University of Kansas is the number one seed team and the University of North Carolina is the 8th seeded team. Celtics celebrity Pierce watched the game live and cheered on his alma mater, the University of Kansas.
Focus Lens:
North Carolina will mark Bacott's 31st double-double of the season, tying the NCAA first-division league double-double-doubles record held by NBA legend David Robinson. At the same time, Bacott has scored two double-doubles in all six games of the tournament this season, becoming the first player in NCAA history to achieve this statistic.
In the final 38.5 seconds of the second half, North Carolina's Bacott retired injured.
First:
Kansas' Abaji hit a three-pointer to open the match scoring account. McCormack and Wilson scored two straight points and Kansas made it a perfect 7-0 start. Manek's three-pointer stopped the bleeding for North Carolina and McCormack elbowed Manek in the face without escalating the penalty. Bakcourt and Abaji scored against each other, Ricky Black and Love in North Carolina chased the score consecutively, Bakcourt scored 2+1, and North Carolina 12-11 to win the score. Kansas' Braun and Lightford made layups to stop the bleeding.
RJ Davis hit two free throws, Remy Martin scored five straight three-pointers and jumpers, Love threw a score, Kansas's Bacourt made two free throws, RJ Davis and Manek scored consecutive points for North Carolina, and Manek's three-pointers were superb. Barcourt and RJ Davis' free throws gave North Carolina a double-digit lead 32-22.
North Carolina's Bacott hit a layup again, RJ Davis quickly advanced, Bacourt hit two free throws, Kansas scored difficulties, and North Carolina led by 16 points. Abaji hit one of two free throws, then he scored on a jumper, Pav Johnson scored a layup, and at the end of the first half, the University of North Carolina was 40-25 at the University of Kansas.
Second:
McCormack dunked and Braun made a layup, and Kansas chased points in a row. Love's empty three-pointer stopped bleeding, Wilson and Love scored against each other, Braun and Wilson scored five straight points, and Kansas closed the gap to single digits. De Juan Harris threw in the shot, Bacourt hit one of two free throws, McCormack picked up a basket to score, and Braun closed the gap to one point.
Love threw a shot, Pav Johnson slammed it, Abaji scored 2+1 and Kansas equalised. Remy Martin hit a three-pointer, Kansas countered the score, and Wilson scored 2+1. RJ Davis scored four consecutive points on a layup to stop the bleeding in North Carolina, McCormack made one of two free throws, and Pav Johnson of North Carolina rushed to shoot a three-pointer.
Kansas's Remy Martin hit a straight three-pointer, Pav Johnson threw back in color, and Kansas's Wilson's three-pointers burst in. Pav Johnson did not give up on the layup, Remy Martin hit the board, AndManek hit both free throws to tie the knot 65-65 by Aka. Remy Martin hit a three-pointer, Love scored on a layup, Manek made a layup to give North Carolina a comeback score, and Kansas's Remy Martin hooked up to score, alternating leading the two teams. Bacott was injured again, Wilson scored a layup and Kansas won.
Starting line-ups for both sides:
University of North Carolina: RJ-Davis, Caleb Loaf, Ricky Black, Manek, Bacourt;
University of Kansas: Braun, DeJuan Harris, Abbaji, Wilson, McCormack;