For the first time since 2008, the Kansas Jayhawks have reclaimed the title of national champions. What a run and thrill it was to watch this group of mostly seniors win a championship in their last year of eligibility. They won in remarkable fashion, sparking a sixteen point comeback and completely taking over the second half. 

Kansas came out fast and strong, just like they did against Villanova. They started with a 7-0 lead and looked like they would take control. Then North Carolina started scoring. The Tar Heels took their first lead with 13 minutes left in the first half. It was tied with just under six minutes to play in the half. North Carolina would go on a 16-0 run over the next four minutes. Kansas hadn’t overcome that big of a deficit all season, until it mattered most on championship night. 

The theme of the second half was just smart basketball and good scoring. Dejuan Harris was a silent assassin for the Jayhawks, igniting momentum by starting off the half with an alley oop to David Mccormack. On the defensive side of the ball, Harris was responsible for a lot of the stops according to Head Coach Bill Self. McCormack and Jalen Wilson were also big contributors for Kansas, each scoring 15 points. McCormack added ten rebounds for the double-double. Ochai Agbaji and Christian Braun were very reliable in the second half and both scored 12 points. Super senior point guard Remy Martin came off the bench and scored 14 points.

Agbaji was named the Most Outstanding Player of the 2022 tournament. His rise to stardom has been nothing short of a masterpiece. Originally a two star ranked player that was redshirted as a freshman transitioned into becoming the team’s leading scorer and player of the year finalist. Although he was somewhat absent in the first two rounds of March Madness, Agbaji turned out to be what he had been all season; a First Team All-American. From flashy plays to great defense and excellent shooting, Agbaji has it all, which is why he currently is a projected first round pick.

Massachusetts Street was filled with an estimated 70,000 KU fans celebrating the Jayhawks’ historic comeback victory. This is where all Kansas University fans go after a huge win. There was no empty space all the way down Massachusetts street, everywhere you looked there was someone new. That just comes to show how passionate KU fans and students are about the basketball team and their alma mater.