NEW ORLEANS (AP) — It will be North Carolina taking on Kansas in Monday’s NCAA men’s basketball championship game at New Orleans.
The Tar Heels earned an 81-77 win over Duke that ends Mike Krzyzewski’s Hall of Fame coaching career. Caleb Love made a key 3-pointer and three late free throws to finish with a game-high 28 points. RJ Davis chipped in 18 points and Armando Bacot grabbed 21 rebounds for North Carolina.
The Tar Heels are in the championship game for the first time since winning their sixth title in 2017.
Paolo Banchero was the lone Blue Devils starter with more than 10 points, finishing with 20 and 10 rebounds. Trevor Keels came off the bench to add 19 points.
Kansas has advanced to the NCAA title game for the first time since 2012 by defeating Villanova.
David McCormack and Ochai Agbaji led the Jayhawks’ attack in an 81-65 win over the Wildcats. McCormack delivered a season-high 25 points, the most he’s ever scored in an NCAA Tournament game. He also had nine rebounds.
Agbaji had 21 points for the Jayhawks, who shot 54% and were 13 of 24 from the 3-point range.
Jalen Wilson added 13 rebounds, 11 points, and five assists to the win.
Kansas scored the game’s first 10 points and led by 19 at one point in the first half. Agbaji hit five 3s for 15 first-half points as the Wildcats repeatedly left him open. McCormack took advantage of single coverage to score 13 by intermission.
Collin Gillespie was high man for Villanova with 17 points, hitting five 3-pointers.
Game 2 of the semifinals is much tighter as Duke and North Carolina were tied at 55 with just under 11 minutes remaining.
