Kentucky players celebrate following their championship victory against Kansas on Monday April 2, 2012.
The Kentucky Wildcats have done it again. They have won eight NCAA titles--only second to UCLA. UCLA has a total of 11 NCAA titles. Kentucky won their first NCAA title for the first time since 1998 when Kentucky under then first year head coach Tubby Smith defeated Utah 78-69 in the championship game that year. The victory gives Kentucky Coach John Calipari his first NCAA title after leading three teams to the Final Four during his coaching tenure: Massachusetts, Memphis, and Kentucky. (The Final Fours at Massachusetts and Memphis were vacated due to NCAA sanctions). Calipari won a national championship with a squad that consisted of mostly freshmen. The squad also featured two sophomores in Terrence Jones and Doron Lamb and one senior, Darius Miller from Maysville, Kentucky. Kentucky's superior freshmen consisted of Anthony Davis, Marquis Teague, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, and Kyle Witljer. Davis is the first UK player to be awarded the Naismith trophy for college player of the year on Sunday. Davis is the second freshman to win the Naismith trophy. Texas's Kevin Durant was the first freshman to win it in 2007.
Kentucky defeated Kansas for the title 67-59. The title game against Kansas was Kentucky's second rematch with them. Kentucky played Kansas in the second game of the year on November 15, 2011 and won 75-65 in a classic tipoff game in New York. Kansas was one of three rematches that Kentucky played in the NCAA tournament this year. In the Sweet Sixteen Kentucky played a rematch with Indiana, which was the only team that Kentucky lost to during the regular season. In the national semifinals, Kentucky won a rematch with Louisville.
Even though Anthony Davis, the national player of the year was scoreless in the first half, he was still a force on both ends of the floor. He had nine rebounds, four assists, and three blocks. Throughout the first half and part of the second half, Kentucky had a double-digit lead over Kansas. In the second half Kansas clawed its way back to within five points, but they could never come closer. Kentucky was definitely the superior team and the team to beat in the NCAA tournament. Congratulations to a job well done to the Kentucky Wildcats.
All five starters (which include three freshmen and two sophomores) are expected to enter the NBA draft in June. To read the full story on WSJ.com.
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