David McCormack and the Kansas Jayhawks found themselves down 40-25 at halftime against North Carolina in the men’s basketball national championship Monday evening in New Orleans.
Favored heading into the game, that’s when Kansas decided to overwhelm the Tar Heels by outscoring Hubert Davis’ squad 47-29 in the second half to pull off the biggest comeback in the history of the championship game.
It was back and forth in the second half with the two sides exchanging leads. That’s when senior forward David McCormack scored two consecuive late buckets to give the Kansas Jayhawks a thrilling 72-69 win.
David McCormack with back-to-back BIG buckets inside for Kansas pic.twitter.com/5sfRC3C26w
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) April 5, 2022
For a former top-30 recruit from Oak Hill Academy, this represented the culmination of a career that saw him play limited minutes in his first two seasons in Lawrence.
Kansas’ comeback win also didn’t come without controversy in the end. Up by three with four seconds left, Dajuan Harris Jr. turned the ball over for the Jayhawks.
Out of bounds on Kansas pic.twitter.com/FMtcaZQC5B
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 5, 2022
It gave North Carolina guard Caleb Love an opportunity to tie the game in what might have been his last shot as a member of the Tar Heels. Unfortunately for North Carolina, he missed the shot.
This gave the Kansas Jayhawks their first NCAA title since all the way back in 2008. It also comes two years after Kansas might have lost out on winning the title when the 2020 season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
As for David McCormack, he finished the evening with 15 points on 7-of-15 shooting while grabbing 10 rebounds in his final game as a member of the Jayhawks.
YOUR KANSAS JAYHAWKS ARE THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONS
— Kansas Jayhawks (@KUAthletics) April 5, 2022
JAYHAWKS ARE CROWNED NATIONAL CHAMPS!
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) April 5, 2022
Kansas wins it all in NOLA #NationalChampionship pic.twitter.com/cAnqnzi5mO
Kansas, down by as many as 16 in the first half, completes the largest comeback win in National Championship history.
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) April 5, 2022
This is the Jayhawks' 4th national title, tied for the 6th-most all-time. pic.twitter.com/5L40Kqs7Pm
LARGEST COMEBACK IN TITLE GAME HISTORY
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) April 5, 2022
THE KANSAS JAYHAWKS ARE NATIONAL CHAMPIONS pic.twitter.com/oObK7nZO88
MJ watching Kansas cook UNC pic.twitter.com/Co2nm6EVdF
— Josiah Johnson (@KingJosiah54) April 5, 2022
Great game, but just not enough. Fantastic season all the same, UNC.
— Kevin M. Kruse (@KevinMKruse) April 5, 2022
Congrats on a huge win, Kansas. Well deserved.
Kansas was the No. 1 overall seed in 2020 before the tourney was cancelled.
— ESPN (@espn) April 5, 2022
The Jayhawks DELIVERED on their promise by bringing home the trophy this year pic.twitter.com/Jrjt7eU6Kj
Things many people never thought they'd tweet: Kansas would have had no chance to win a national title without Remy Martin.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) April 5, 2022
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