The Kansas Jayhawks completed what must be considered one of their most memorable seasons Monday night, as they defeated the Memphis Tigers 75-68 in a thrilling overtime victory to clench the National Championship.
Kansas found itself trailing by three points with 2.1 seconds left in regulation when junior guard, Mario Chalmers, hit one of the most clutch shots in the history of Kansas basketball. It was Chalmers’s three point shot that forced overtime play between the two teams. In overtime, Kansas more than doubled up their foes from Tennessee 12-5 to clench the victory.
This national championship caps a keystone year for Jayhawks sports. This was a year that also witnessed the turnaround of the perennially dismal Kansas football program. Lead by underclassmen quarter back, Todd Reesing, the Jayhawks finished the year 12-1 and added an Orange Bowl trophy to a case that is overflowing with 2007/2008 accolades.
With all the success that Kansas has achieved, this year are we looking at the emergence of the next great NCAA super power? While the information above makes a strong case, I don’t think I would go that far yet. But one thing is very clear, Kansas (much to the chagrin of fellow contributor Shawn Brouwer who attended the University of Missouri), looks to be the power house of the Big 12 all things considered.
Looking to the future, Kansas will have ample opportunity to legitimize its claim as NCAA super power later this year when college football season kicks off. The Jayhawks have a formidable schedule on the docket, with a huge game at Oklahoma before hosting Texas and Missouri to finish up the season. If Kansas shows well in these matchups, we could be looking at the birth of a new dynasty in college sports.
