What others are saying about…

By Staff     Apr 8, 2008

NCAA Championship Game

Kansas

At times, the Jayhawks almost seem socialist – everybody gets to shoot before anybody gets to shoot again. … Memphis had no idea which Jayhawk was looking to shoot, because Kansas had no idea which Jayhawk was looking to shoot.”

– Michael Rosenberg, Detroit Free Press

Mario Chalmers made a three-pointer with two seconds left. That sent the game into overtime, but it had already been decided. You could see it on the faces of Chris Douglas-Roberts and Derrick Rose. They knew they’d blown it.”

– David Whitley, Orlando Sentinel

Kansas was the national champion. And Roy Williams, who stuck around to cheer for Kansas after losing to the Jayhawks Saturday night, finally had something turn out right at this Final Four.”

– Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer

And 20 years after that improbable championship, KU had another that, in this one game, was even more improbable, and not because this KU team was not most deserving. It surely was that.”

– Dick Jerardi, Philadelphia Daily News

Kansas had a veteran core of four players who had played together for three years, and when it mattered the most at the end of the game they never panicked. “

– Tim Dahlberg, Associated Press

Given an inch, the Kansas Jayhawks worked a miracle.”

– Gil LeBreton, Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Memphis

Was this the final college game for freshman sensation Derrick Rose from Chicago? That was one of the big questions of the night.

Another was: ‘Why won’t Rose shoot?'”

– Mike Downey, Chicago Tribune

In a battle between the two best teams in college basketball (there’s no question about that, is there?), the lone weakness of one of the teams finally came through. And it resulted in tears and the worst kind of missed opportunities.”

– Israel Gutierrez, Miami Herald

With Memphis leading 60-51 with 2:12 remaining, it appeared comparisons of Rose to Carmelo Anthony were forthcoming.”

– Ken Tysiac, Charlotte Observer, on Anthony, who led Syracuse past Kansas in the 2003 finals

The game

The talent was there all game as the stars of both teams lived up to their billing. Secondary players stepped up. The emotion was evident in a charged-up Alamodome. The defense was good on both sides.

The things that weren’t right were Memphis’ free-throw shooting and Kansas’ ability to hit from behind the arc.

That all changed in the last 7 minutes of the season.”

– Jim O’Connell, Associated Press

For the Jayhawks, it was a happy ending. For Derrick Rose, who moves on now (to the NBA), it was just an ending.”

– Bob Ford, Philadelphia Inquirer

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