National Championship Tale Of The Tape: North Carolina vs. Kansas
National Championship Tale Of The Tape: North Carolina vs. Kansas
The stage is set for the men’s basketball National Championship game, and two blue-bloods have found their way to the title matchup in New Orleans. As such storied programs, we look at the tale of the tape for each team, their all-time history, and a familiar face that connects the two programs.
Kansas Jayhawks
Tournament Appearances: 49
Final Fours: 15
Championships: 3 (1952, 1988, 2008)
Overall wins: 2,356
Regular-season Conference Titles: 63
Legendary Coach: Phog Allen
Colors: Crimson and Blue
Nickname: Jayhawks
Mascot: Big Jay
Arena: Allen Fieldhouse
Famous Alum: Paul Rudd
North Carolina Tar Heels
Tournament Appearances: 51
Final Fours: 20
Championships: 6 (1957, 1982, 1993, 2005, 2009, 2017)
Overall wins: 2,322
Regular-season Conference Titles: 39
Legendary Coach: Dean Smith
Color: Carolina Blue and White
Nickname: Tar Heels
Mascot: Rameses
Arena: Dean Smith Center
Famous Alum: Michael Jordan
All-Time Head-to-Head Record: North Carolina Lead 6-5
The Tar Heels have the slight edge historically between these two blue-bloods. Despite being two of the three winningest programs in men’s collegiate basketball dating back over 100 years, these two have met just 11 times, with six coming in the NCAA Tournament. Among those six postseason meetings, the Jayhawks hold the advantage, winning four of those outings.
A Familiar Face: Roy Williams
A more familiar name amongst today’s college basketball fans would be Roy Williams, a three-time NCAA Champion who called it a career after last season. Williams saw success at both programs, leading the Jayhawks to four Final Fours and an NCAA Tournament appearance in all 15 seasons except his first. His success took off to greater heights during his time with the Tar Heels, where Williams would capture three National Championships over 18 seasons in Chapel Hill. He is a clear connection between two major programs that often don’t see each other on the hardwood.
Who Will Win?
The Jayhawks looked like a handful in their win over #2 Villanova on Saturday, and that was without their MOP in Remy Martin. The Kansas offense will be too much for North Carolina here.
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