Bring on Memphis

KU dominates UNC on march to title game

KU fans flood Massachusetts Street after the Jayhawks' 84-66 victory over North Carolina in the Final Four on Saturday in San Antonio. KU will play Memphis on Monday for the national title.

? The Rock Chalk chant started with 1:36 remaining, signifying Kansas University’s place on the doorstep of a national championship.

KU’s men’s basketball team beat North Carolina, 84-66, Saturday in a high-energy Final Four showdown, propelling the Jayhawks into Monday’s national championship game.

Kansas will play Memphis, another aggressive team that beat UCLA, 78-63, in equally impressive fashion earlier Saturday.

KU’s victory in the nightcap demonstrated an almost surreal showing of high and low tides. Kansas led, 40-12, after a furious first-half run, only to see North Carolina storm back and cut KU’s lead to four at 54-50 midway through the second half.

Eventually, KU righted the ship and finished on a 30-16 run to secure the victory, led by the 25-point, seven-rebound effort of Brandon Rush.

By the end of the night, the Jayhawks’ famous chant was swirling in the Alamodome, as Kansas improved to 36-3 on the season. High-fives and bear hugs lingered in the KU quadrant long after the game had ended.

The Jayhawks will play in the national championship game for the first time since 2003, and will go for their first title since 1988. Tipoff on Monday is set for 8:21 p.m.

Memphis, now 38-1 on the season, is looking for its first national championship with perhaps its best team in school history.

“It’s going to be a great matchup,” KU sophomore Sherron Collins said.

With everything on the line.