Get Outta Here!

Last night was the NCAA National Championship game between the Kansas Jayhawks and the Memphis Tigers. In a relatively low scoring game, especially for two powerhouses such as Kansas and Memphis, the course of the game ran pretty standard with Kansas out-scoring Memphis by five in the first half. Then late in the second half, a three-pointer, as it seemed, that beat the shot-clock from Memphis stopped any momentum that Kansas had in a hurry. But then later, replay officials confirmed that the triple actually was only two points because the shooter's foot was inside the arc when he shot it. Then with 2:37 left in regulation, Shawn Taggart laid it in to make it 58-51 in favor of the Tigers. Little did anyone know, that would be Memphis' last field goal for the next 6:38. Then with 1:23 left in regulation, Memphis playmaker, Joey Dorsey fouled out of the game while Memphis had a six point lead. Mario Chalmers made both of his free throws, and it became a four point deficit. Then Chalmers fouled Chris Douglass-Roberts. Douglass-Roberts would miss the one and one and Kansas rebounded and quickly made a basket to make it a two point deficit. Then Douglass-Roberts was fouled again, and missed both of his free throws. Memphis rebounded and was fouled again. This time Derrick Rose missed the first free throw and made the second. Now with 10 seconds left, it was a one possession game, the ball got into Chalmers' hands and by some miracle, he hit an unbelievable fade away three to tie it with 2.6 seconds to go. In overtime, fate was on the Jayhawks side. Kansas went onto a 8-2 run, but with under a minute to go in OT, Douglass-Roberts hit a three to make it a three point game. Unfortunately for the Tigers, those would be their last points scored for the game and the Kansas Jayhawks would go on to win the National Championship. This game has only further proved that the Big Dance is always exciting and always comes down to the wire, and usually contains a play that will be shown on the highlight reels forever. This time it was Mario Chalmers, who knows who it will be next year.