Super Mario tames the Tigers

5:21PM | April 8, 2008 | posted by Admin | comments: 1

Finally! …an exciting game in this otherwise ho-hum NCAA Tournament. At least they saved the best for last.

Mario Chalmers’ three-pointer at the end of regulation will go down as one of the biggest shots in college hoops history -right up there with Michael Jordan in 1982 and Keith Smart in ’87. Chalmers’ long-range bomb capped a nine-point Kansas comeback, sending the title game with Memphis to overtime. OT was a mere formality, the Tigers never recovered.

LISTEN TO CHALMERS TALK ABOUT HIS MIRACLE SHOT AFTER THE JUMP…

The real hero is Kansas coach Bill Self, who employed the “Hack-A Shaq” strategy with about 2:12 left. Even at 38-1 entering the game, the Tigers shot only 59 percent from the line during the season. Self’s theory didn’t work right away- Chris Douglas-Roberts combined for four straight from the charity stripe. But Douglas-Roberts missed four in a row and Derrick Rose one of two to set up Chalmers’ heroics. Memphis, considered one of the most talented teams around, can only wonder what might have been.

Listen to Mario Chalmers talk about this miracle shot:

Hear more from Kansas coach Bill Self :

Hear more from Memphis coach John Calipari:

Comments: 1

Posted by crb at April 9, 2008 12:05 PM

Oh those Mephis Tigers, 9 pt lead 2:19 to go and gone goodbye the waste side.. rock chalk jayhawk baby... Every coach from college to the pros should always emphasize free throw shooting.. Once again for Calipari it's "what about a bit of the hair of the dog that bit ya? The game was sealed, the papers were signed but the delievery was short... Kansas deserves the win. They showed heart down the stretch. they werent scared, memphis was scared not to lose and like alot of teams if u are scared not to lose you will lose..

I wonder what Danny Manning thinks?

p.s. This is fun, glad they have a sports forum, keep up the great work. hope u get alot of posts...