Kansas Seizes Title In A Game To Remember

Lloyd Garver Recounts "One Of The Most Exciting" Nights In NCAA Championship History

(CBS)  Something told them they weren't in Kansas anymore, but the Jayhawks felt right at home at the end of the NCAA basketball Championship Game Monday night.

They beat Memphis 75-68 in overtime, as Elvis left the building at the end of regulation. That's when "Super Mario" Chalmers of Kansas tied the game at 63-63. It was like a heavyweight championship fight, with both fighters getting off the canvas over and over again.

Memphis was prepared to play two halves of basketball, but Kansas played until the game was over. They call the tournament, "The Big Dance," but there's only room for one team to waltz down victory lane. And that's the last sports cliche I'll use to describe this amazing game. It's just a shame that one team had to lose. Oops! Couldn't resist.

The game was one of the most exciting in NCAA championship history. Two "Number One" teams played fantastic basketball to prove which one of them was really Number One. There's a "rule" among members of the press covering a sporting event, which states: "No cheering from the press box."

What this means is that writers are supposed to be impartial, professional observers who don't show any emotion during a game. Well, that rule went out the window somewhere in the second half. It was impossible not to be excited by the game. There were six lead changes in the second half alone, and I lost track of how many times the game was tied.

It seemed like the Memphis Tigers were about to defeat the Kansas Jayhawks when Chalmers hit a game-tying three point shot with only 2.1 seconds in regulation. From then on, through the overtime period, it looked like Memphis was in shock. They never recovered. There was no look of determination on their faces, only one of worry.

Throughout the season, free throws had been a problem for Memphis, and they missed four out of five in the last minute and fifteen seconds. That's the kind of thing that drives coaches - and fans - crazy. But as I said in my column the other day, the college game is played by kids, and kids make mistakes.

However, those last few minutes shouldn't be the only thing that people remember about how Memphis played. I'll remember the junior guard whose name sounds like a fancy Englishman: Chris Douglas-Roberts. He made shots from seemingly impossible angles, his long arms extending like a real Stretch Armstrong. Freshman guard Derrick Rose was outstanding. If he'd had a first half like his second, Memphis would be the champs now.

Kansas has, perhaps, the most storied tradition of basketball in the country. Its first basketball coach was James Naismith who invented the game of basketball. Some of the original rules seem quaint these days, but the game is slow to change its regulations. In fact, at lunch today I overheard a couple of coaches declaring that it was about time the NCAA got rid of its "antiquated" rule against players chewing tobacco during a game.

Yes, that's actually a rule. Personally, I think it's a good rule and see no reason to get rid of it. Besides, just as a matter of practicality, where are the teams going to find stores that sell spittoons?

Monday night, basketball royalty was not only on the court, but in the stands. The legendary Bill Russell was in attendance, and this game was worthy of his presence. Earlier in the day, the Basketball Hall of Fame announced that, among others, Adrian Dantley, Pat Riley, Cathy Rush, Patrick Ewing, and Hakeem Olajuwon would be inducted into the Hall this year.

They were all at the game, too. Another inductee is basketball announcer, Dick Vitale, the man who put "hype" in hyperbole. Strangely enough, Vitale got a bigger ovation at the game than any of those players or coaches - and he's an announcer. Just think how wild the crowd would have gone if they had introduced a columnist.

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Lloyd Garver has written for many television shows, ranging from "Sesame Street" and "Family Ties" to "Home Improvement" and "Frasier." He has also read many books, some of them in hardcover.

E-mail your questions and comments to Lloyd Garver
and check out his website at lloydgarver.com.

[barbjc1]

When Mario Chalmers hit that 3 pointer with 2.1 seconds left and tied the game, I KNEW KU would win. ROCK CHALK KU JAYHAWK
As Yogi Berra said, "It ain''t over till its over"
Did anyone hear the fat lady sing?

[howdyrowdy53]

A great game to watch! Both teams players made some excellent offensive and defensive plays. In the end, however, the Kansas defense was just a bit too relentless and the Memphis weakness at the free throw line (their season-long problem) finally bit them.

I was disappointed that Rese ***, *** Vitale, Bob Knight, Digger Phelps and Jay Bilas spent so much time on their ESPN show criticizing Calipari and the Memphis players rather than giving credit to the Kansas players for a job well done. They weren''t ALL slanted that way but overall it came off as though Kansas didn''t win it... Memphis gave it away.

If you''re a Tiger fan... I can understand why you would feel that way.

As a KU fan... we won it because we were just a bit tougher down the stretch.

But... ya''ll have no reason to hang your heads!

[excoachken]

This was a very entertaining game and the coaching was terrific!

[bogusbones]

fun game - great players - great plays - the cliche exists that it''s too bad someone had to lose. the ebb and flow was amazing. well worth the time to watch a clean, hard fought game.

[ksjeff-2009]

"Kansas was out-classed, but got the upper hand."

Hardly.....We WON!!

Memphis is a great team, but the Jayhawks were the winners in every respect. Two equally matched teams, but one played better and the rest is history.

[skeezix06]

Kansas was outclassed? We won.

Rock Chalk Jayhawk....KU!

[ictrep]

ROCK CHALK JAYHAWK!!!!!

Heck, I went to bed before it was over. Thought Memphis had it. Then couldn''t get to sleep, turned on ESPN and saw the replays!!! WOW!!! This was way more exciting than the 1988 win -- and winning on the 20th anniversary of that win -- AWESOME!!! GO HAWKS!!!

But I have to feel for Memphis too. Son lived in Memphis and he was routing for them. This was a hard fought game for both. Kansas was out-classed, but got the upper hand. This game could have gone either way! It just went to the team that outlasted everyone!

[luigi999-2009]

GREAT game! Memphis choked, Kansas didn''t.

[kevboom]

I feel for the Memphis fans. This was their game to lose with two minutes to play, and lose they did. They were literally one free throw from a national championship, twice, and couldn''t pull it off. A gargantuan flop. They gave Kansas life which was obviously a mistake for a team that was near impossible to finish off with miracle steal after miracle shot. Big mistake. The two best teams in the country obviously made the final this year.

[tiredofthebs]

Hats off to the 2008 Memphis Tigers !!!!!

This season, you gave Memphis something I''d rarely seen in all the years I''ve lived here .... HOPE. No other team in NCAA Division One history has ever gone 38-2. Not even this year''s National Champions. This year''s championship game will truly be remembered because of the tremendous effort you put forth. It was amazing to watch this city get sweeped by "Tiger Mania". To all of here in Memphis, you will forever be champions.

[ksjeff-2009]

It was absolutely THRILLING to watch our Jayhawks come from behind and tie so late in the final seconds. Here in Kansas, we were on the edge of our seats. Kansas is PROUD of our athletes and basking in the spotlight of a national Championship today.

Memphis was a class act, and we should be greatful to have beat such a quality team of talented players.