Kansas Defeats Memphis for National Championship
Analysts and the media have been saying it for weeks; the Tigers free throw shooting is atrocious and it would bite them at some point. Throughout the tournament, Memphis coach John Calipari defended his team and insisted that it would not be a factor - that’s what a coach should do, defend his players. He should also make them accountable and work harder to improve on the well-known weakness.
The analysts were proved right last night with about 2 minutes to go - Kansas down by 9 points. The Jayhawks continued to play tough defense down the stretch and forcing the Tigers to take bad shots, but their strategy to foul the Memphis players early paid off. Guards Derrick Rose and Chris Douglas-Roberts missed critical free throws in the waning minutes that would’ve sealed the victory.
Kansas also made some great plays, including stealing an inbounds pass and scoring, as well as the game tying 3-pointer by Mario Chalmers (the game’s MVP). The team’s plan also included getting the Tigers’ top rebounder out of the game and it worked - senior Joey Dorsey got a silly fifth foul defending a Kansas guard.
Credit the Jayhawks for a terrific game and great coaching from Bill Self. They had a good game plan and it paid off w/ a national championship. Stock up on your Kansas Final Four gear below: