NEW ORLEANS — It’s time to make room for another banner in the north rafters of Allen Fieldhouse. The Kansas Jayhawks are the 2022 NCAA men’s basketball champions.
David McCormack scored 15 points, hitting two key late buckets, and Jalen Wilson added 15 points and Remy Martin 14 to lift KU (34-6), the No. 1 seed in the Midwest Regional, to a 72-69 historic come-from-behind victory over North Carolina (29-10), the No. 8 seed in the East, in the NCAA title game on Monday night at Caesars Superdome.
The Jayhawks trailed by as many as 16 points in the first half and by 15, 40-25, at the break.
KU in winning pulled off the largest comeback victory in NCAA men’s title game history. Loyola Chicago trailed Cincinnati by 15 points in a title win over Cincinnati in 1963. KU’s win also was the biggest comeback from a halftime deficit in title game history. Kentucky trailed Utah by 10 at the break in the 1998 championship contest.
Christian Braun had 12 points and 12 rebounds.
Ochai Agbaji 12 points for the Jayhawks and was voted Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA Tournament.
KU claimed its fourth NCAA title in history. KU also won it in 2008, 1988 and 1952.
Armando Bacot scored 15 points with 15 rebounds and RJ Davis added 15 points, Brady Manek and Caleb Love 13 points and Puff Johnson 11 for North Carolina, which failed in its bid for a seventh NCAA crown. Manek had 13 rebounds and Davis 12.
