The End of the Dance

04/04/2022

By: Jeff Yoder

Tonight: #1 Kansas vs. #8 North Carolina (9:20 pm ET, TBS)

The final song of the Big Dance gets played tonight. After Saturday’s Final Four featured a Jayhawk runaway and a Tar Heel takedown, it’s Kansas (33-6) vs. North Carolina (29-9) for all the marbles. Kansas made Villanova looked pedestrian in their Final Four matchup. UNC played spoiler to Duke once again to end Coach K’s career. And now, basketball fans will be treated to what should be a fast-pace, high-octane finale. Expect points in bunches. The Jayhawks are 4-point favorites, but Carolina has caught fire. Let’s rewind Saturday’s Final Four action to see how we got here.

 

Men’s Final Four Highlights

 

#1 Kansas def. #2 Villanova (81-65)

Game 1 of the men’s Final Four on Saturday was all Kansas all night. The Jayhawks jumped out to a 10-0 lead and never looked back. KU was as efficient as it gets on offense, scoring at a 54-percent clip from the floor. David McCormack (25 pts, 9 rebs) and Ochai Agbaji (21 pts) went a combined 16-for-20 shooting to punch Kansas’ ticket to the title game for the first time since 2012. They haven’t won it all since 2008.

 

#8 North Carolina def. #2 Duke (81-77)

Saturday night’s massive rivalry game was one for the ages. The game featured 18 lead changes and neither team led by more than seven. A tight contest down the stretch saw UNC begin to stretch the lead. Duke responded, but three missed free throws in the final minute for the Blue Devils set the stage for a dagger 3 by Caleb Love (28 points) to seal it for the Tar Heels and deliver the K-O to Coach K. Armando Bacot added 11 points and 21 boards, but an ankle injury has him less than 100 percent for tonight’s title game. It’s Carolina’s first trip back to the championship since winning it all in 2017.

 

It’s the big one! March Madness crowns a champion tonight.

 

Additional Storylines

USA Today: Coach K Moved to Tears by Tribute Video Ahead of Final Four

AP News: North Carolina to Face Kansas in Blue Blood Title Game

CBS Sports: Kansas vs. UNC: Who Has Position-by-Position Edge in 2022 Championship?