ARMANDO BACOT

It was the largest comeback in national championship history, surpassing the 1963 title game when Loyola overcame a 15-point deficit.

APTOPIX NCAA North Carolina Kansas Basketball North Carolina guard R.J. Davis (4) shoots against Kansas forward Jalen Wilson (10) during the first half of a college basketball game in the finals of the Men's Final Four NCAA tournament, Monday, April 4, 2022, in New Orleans. The Jayhawks brought their fourth NCAA title back to Allen Fieldhouse on Monday thanks to a second-half flurry that erased a 16-point deficit and eventually overcame North Carolina 72-69 in an epic battle of power programs. North Carolina missed its final four shots, including Caleb Love’s desperation 3 at the buzzer. North Carolina grabbed an offensive rebound and got the ball to Armando Bacot under the bucket. Carolina was trying to join 1985 Villanova as only the second 8 seed to win March Madness.

NCAA North Carolina Kansas Basketball Kansas head coach Bill Self cuts the net after their win against North Carolina in a college basketball game at the finals of the Men's Final Four NCAA tournament, Monday, April 4, 2022, in New Orleans. McCormack finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds, dueling in the paint all night with ailing Carolina big man Armando Bacot. It's the fourth title for the Jayhawks and the second for Self, who claimed his first when another bunch of comeback kids rallied to beat Memphis in overtime in 2008. Caleb Love and Puff Johnson both missed tying 3-point tries, then North Carolina got one last chance when Dajuan Harris turned the ball over with 4.3 seconds to go. The comeback broke the record for the largest halftime deficit overcome in a championship game, set by Kentucky in 1998, when it rallied to beat Utah.

Bill Self went from the Hall of Fame coach who too often failed on the big stage to the brilliant mastermind of the biggest second-half comeback in NCAA title game history.

(AP Photo/Brynn Anderson) (Brynn Anderson)NEW ORLEANS — (AP) — David McCormack's two late baskets in the paint to help Kansas surge past North Carolina during the NCAA championship game followed a Final Four trend. The way teams played in the post had a major influence on how the games turned out. McCormack scored the final four points of Monday night's national title game to finish with 15 points and 10 rebounds in Kansas' 72-69 triumph. The Jayhawks rolled to an 81-65 victory in which they led most of the second half by double digits. But McCormack asserted himself in the second half, when he had nine points and seven rebounds.

David McCormack’s late inside baskets to help Kansas surge past North Carolina in the NCAA championship game followed a Final Four trend.

Bill Self won his elusive second national title with a masterful second-half coaching job and a spicy dash of Remy Martin.

APTOPIX NCAA North Carolina Kansas Basketball North Carolina guard R.J. Davis (4) shoots against Kansas forward Jalen Wilson (10) during the first half of a college basketball game in the finals of the Men's Final Four NCAA tournament, Monday, April 4, 2022, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) (Gerald Herbert)NEW ORLEANS — (AP) — Kansas brought its fourth NCAA title back home Monday thanks to a second-half flurry that erased a 16-point deficit and eventually overcame North Carolina 72-69 in an epic battle of power programs. North Carolina missed its final four shots, including Caleb Love’s desperation 3 at the buzzer. After McCormick’s go-ahead bucket, Love’s shot got blocked but North Carolina got an offensive rebound and fed to Armando Bacot under the bucket. Carolina was trying to join 1985 Villanova as only the second 8 seed to win March Madness.

NCAA North Carolina Kansas Basketball North Carolina forward Armando Bacot reacts during the second half of a college basketball game against Kansas in the finals of the Men's Final Four NCAA tournament, Monday, April 4, 2022, in New Orleans. In the end, battling both an ankle injury and Kansas’ physical David McCormack inside proved to be too much. Hobbled all night, the 6-foot-10 junior had a double-double by halftime of the national championship game but faded after the break as Kansas erased a big deficit. That was all before Bacot reinjured the ankle on a fall in the final minute and exited a final time, ending his night — and the Tar Heels’ remarkable postseason push -- one win short of a national championship. Bacot returned and gutted that game out, then assured anyone who would listen that he would be ready for the title tilt against Kansas.

North Carolina big man Armando Bacot never looked like himself in the national championship game against Kansas because he was battling an ankle injury.

Kansas finished off the biggest comeback in national championship history Monday night, getting a big game from David McCormack, crucial shots from Remy Martin and surviving a potential game-tying 3-pointer by Caleb Love at the buzzer for a 72-69 victory over North Carolina in the Superdome.

No one in the NCAA Tournament has yet. “I’ve always felt working inside/out is the way for successful offensive basketball and that’s the way we’re going to do it,” North Carolina coach Hubert Davis. North Carolina and Kansas, the last teams standing, have numerous offensive options with multiple players who can put up 30 points any given night. But the winner of of Monday night's national championship game could come down to which team can slow the other's dynamic duo. He led Kansas with 18.9 points per game this season and has been a difference-maker through most of the NCAA Tournament, including a 21-point game against Villanova.

North Carolina has an effective inside/outside combo in Armando Bacot and Caleb Love.

Caleb Love and North Carolina proved they could play their outside-shooting finesse style better than Duke could play bully ball.

Kansas will face Villanova, then it's Duke-Carolina for the first time in the NCAA Tournament in New Orleans.

Kansas will face Villanova, then it's Duke-Carolina for the first time in the NCAA Tournament in New Orleans.

Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski's final chapter will have a distinctly blue tint.

Saint Peter's saw its fantastic run in the NCAA Tournament end with a 69-49 loss to North Carolina in the East Region final.

NCAA St Peters North Carolina Basketball North Carolina's Armando Bacot reacts during the first half of a college basketball game against St. Peter's in the Elite 8 round of the NCAA tournament, Sunday, March 27, 2022, in Philadelphia. Next Saturday in New Orleans will mark the first Final Four meeting — first NCAA Tournament meeting, in fact — between the Tobacco Road archrivals whose campuses are separated by 11 miles. While Coach K’s winding road to retirement has been a beauty to watch this March, nothing has captured more imaginations than the run put on by underdog Saint Peter’s. In its three tournament wins over Kentucky, Murray State and Purdue, Saint Peter’s had never trailed by more than six. KC Ndefo led Saint Peter's with 10 points.

North Carolina crushed all hope of a March Madness miracle, getting 20 points and 22 rebounds from Armando Bacot in a wire-to-wire 69-49 runaway over 15th-seeded Saint Peter’s.

The Tar Heels ended all hope of a March Madness miracle in the early going Sunday, getting 20 points and 22 rebounds from Armando Bacot in a wire-to-wire 69-49 runaway over 15th-seeded Saint Peter's. No. 8 seed Carolina (28-9) made its record 21st Final Four, and this one will be a scene like no other. Next Saturday in New Orleans, it's North Carolina vs. archrival Duke and its soon-to-be-retiring coach, Mike Krzyzewski.

Saint Peter’s has knocked off Kentucky, Murray State and Purdue and now has its sights on pulling another NCAA Tournament upset.

NCAA St Peters Purdue Basketball Saint Peter's Doug Edert celebrates after Saint Peter's won a college basketball game against Purdue in the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA tournament, Friday, March 25, 2022, in Philadelphia. 8 seed North Carolina on Sunday with a trip to New Orleans on the line, have joined Florida Gulf Coast and Oral Roberts as the third No. And while America is embracing the Saint Peter's story — who wouldn't love a 2,200-student commuter school on a busy street in Jersey City trying to put the screws to Tobacco Road? The Tar Heels are 8 1/2-point favorites against Saint Peter's, according to FanDuel Sportsbook. Still, there's something magical about that number — “15” — perched next to the name “Saint Peter's” on the bracket.

The run by tiny Saint Peter's to the cusp of the Final Four has been riveting.

NCAA North Carolina UCLA Basketball North Carolina's Caleb Love reacts during the second half of a college basketball game against UCLA in the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA tournament, Friday, March 25, 2022, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola) (Chris Szagola)PHILADELPHIA — (AP) — Turns out, the best explanation for the shooting spree Caleb Love put on for North Carolina was also the simplest. Reinvigorated by a change of sneakers at halftime, Love went crazy for the Tar Heels on Friday night. North Carolina is one win away from its 21st Final Four, which would improve on the record it already holds. Trailing 64-61 with 2 minutes left, the Tar Heels fed to Love, who missed again — this time on a pull-up 3 that would have tied it.

Caleb Love hit game-tying and go-ahead 3-pointers 37 seconds apart and North Carolina moved within a victory of its 21st Final Four.

3 Purdue meets Saint Peter's, which is trying to become the first 15 seed to advance to a regional final. One of these teams will emerge from the East for a trip to New Orleans and the Final Four. “We're always trying to prove ourselves as a program, as a basketball team.”But Saint Peter's will hardly be alone in that respect over the next three days in Philly. While Purdue has long envisioned a path here, Saint Peter's (21-11) has been on a different road. Meanwhile, Saint Peter's, coached by former Seton Hall guard Shaheen Holloway, has reeled off nine straight wins.

The Sweet 16 at the East region features one game between UCLA and North Carolina and another between Purdue and underdog Saint Peter’s.

All-ACC power forward Armando Bacot had 15 points and 16 rebounds for North Carolina. The Tar Heels won as No. Manek had just drained a 3-pointer that put the Tar Heels ahead 67-42. With Manek out, and Caleb Love fouling out soon after that, the Tar Heels had 10 turnovers as Baylor turned up the pressure and made a furious rally. North Carolina had one more shot, but Davis' 3-point try hit off the front of the rim.

RJ Davis scored a career-high 30 points and eighth-seeded North Carolina beat defending champion Baylor 93-86 in overtime in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

Brady Manek scored 28 points, Caleb Love had 21 of his 23 points before halftime and North Carolina routed Marquette 95-63 in coach Hubert Davis’ NCAA Tournament debut.

(AP Photo/Gerry Broome) (Gerry Broome)With Selection Sunday just days away, AP Top 25 teams in major conferences are down to their final days to impact their landing spots in the NCAA Tournament. 1 seeds in the NCAA Tournament with No. BIG TENThe tournament's top seed is the conference's third team among AP Top 25 teams in No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament as it enters Las Vegas. 1 NCAA seed on BracketMatrix's projection Monday night, while Kentucky was a 2-seed and the Volunteers were a 3.

CBS 2 Meteorologist Robb Ellis has the 10 p.m. forecast for Sunday, March 6, 2022.

North Carolina spoiled retiring Hall of Famer Mike Krzyzewski’s emotional home finale at Cameron Indoor Stadium, upsetting fourth-ranked rival Duke 94-81.

The Quadrant 4 loss, North Carolina's first in 18 games against teams from Quads 2-4, surely doomed its NCAA Tournament chances. Finally, after seven tries, a Quad 1 win that put the Tar Heels right back on the NCAA Tournament bubble. “There have been times as I’ve said before that they’ve been knocked down, they’ve been scarred,” North Carolina coach Hubert Davis said. “We’ve done a good job this year of bouncing back,” North Carolina leading scorer and rebounder Armando Bacot said. They'll need a strong finish if we're going to see Sister Jean back in the NCAA Tournament.

Freshman A.

– North Carolina coach Roy Williams lost his first opening-round NCAA Tournament game in 30 tries as ninth-seeded Wisconsin blew out his eighth-seeded Tar Heels 85-62 on Friday night. “I thought (Wisconsin) played very well and Roy Williams didn’t coach very well,” Williams said. Brad Davison scored 29 points and D’Mitrik Trice added 21 points for Wisconsin. “Obviously, our league has been phenomenal and it was such a grind to go through, specifically the schedule we had down the stretch,” Wisconsin coach Greg Gard said. North Carolina never won more than three straight games all season.

(AP Photo/Kathy Kmonicek, File)North Carolina players apologized Tuesday for not following school and athletic department COVID-19 guidelines during a celebratory gathering after a win at rival Duke. “Our intention was to celebrate privately within our group,” the players and managers said in a statement released by the school. “But they realize they did make a mistake, for which they are paying a very significant price,” Williams said. The Tar Heels (12-6, 7-4 ACC), who have won seven of nine, are scheduled to visit ninth-ranked Virginia on Saturday. “We have worked too hard for eight months doing the right things to make those kinds of mistakes at this point in the season,” the players and managers said.

Notre Dame forward Juwan Durham (11) drives to the basket against North Carolina forward Armando Bacot (5) and guard Leaky Black (1) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Chapel Hill, N.C., Saturday, Jan. 2, 2021. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)The Latest on the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on sports around the world:___The Memphis women’s basketball game against USF scheduled for Sunday has been canceled. It's the sixth game this season the team has been affected by health and safety concerns. ___The men's basketball game between Notre Dame and Howard scheduled for Monday has been canceled because of COVID-19 concerns in the Howard program. “This was a tremendous opportunity to bring national exposure to our basketball team and the university.

North Carolina won 75-63. 22 North Carolina from a double-digit deficit to beat Kentucky 75-63 at the CBS Sports Classic. BIG PICTURENorth Carolina: The Tar Heels are 0-2 against teams ranked in the AP Top 25, losing 69-67 to No. ... North Carolina has completed its nonleague schedule and will play its next 20 games in the Atlantic Coast Conference. UP NEXTNorth Carolina: Plays at North Carolina State in its ACC opener Dec. 22.