2022 NCAA Men’s Tournament Top Moments: UNC, Kansas roll to Final Four
The NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament concluded Elite Eight play on Sunday with two big matchups.
Hot off a record-breaking Sweet 16 win, top-seeded Kansas continued its hot streak with a dominating 26-point victory over 10-seed Miami (FL) to punch its ticket to the Final Four as the lone 1-seed remaining.
No. 8 North Carolina put an abrupt end to the Cinderella story that was 15-seed Saint Peter’s, defeating the Peacocks to advance to its 21st Final Four — the most all-time and the Tar Heels' first appearance since 2017.
UNC will take on 2-seed Duke and Kansas will face 2-seed Villanova in the Final Four on Saturday, April 2.
Here are the top moments from Sunday's Elite Eight games.
No. 8 North Carolina 69, No. 15 Saint Peter’s 49
And we're off!
Armando Bacot, Rechon "Leaky" Black, RJ Davis, Caleb Love and Brady Manek started for North Carolina.
The Tar Heels were first on the board in this matchup and jumped out to a quick 7-0 lead.
On the other side, it was Daryl Banks, Fousseyni Drame, Matthew Lee, KC Ndefo and Clarence Rupert who took the court first for Saint Peter's, which is the first 15-seed and first MAAC team to reach the Elite Eight.
Hassan Drame, twin brother of starter Fousseyni Drame, dropped it in from the outside for the Peacocks' first points of the game. He accounted for all of Saint Peters' points (five) until the 13:16 mark in the first half.
Elite effort
Peacocks guard Doug Edert hit the deck when UNC's Bacot lost the basketball on this drive, gaining possession for Saint Peter's with his all-out effort.
Swatted!
UNC's Black came up with a huge block as Saint Peter's guard Isiah Dasher went for 3.
After a 12-2 run, North Carolina held a double-digit lead, 24-9, as Saint Peter's struggled to find a rhythm.
The UNC Show
The Tar Heels continued to pour it on as the first half came to a close, with lots of help from Love and Bacot.
North Carolina held a commanding 38-19 lead at halftime.
UNC went 15-of-36 in the first half — including 4-for-12 from distance — on 41.7% shooting, while Saint Peter's was 7-for-31 — including 1-for-11 from 3-point range — for an abysmal 22.6%.
Making history
Kicking off the second half, Bacot recorded his 29th double-double this season, tying the all-time ACC single-season record.
No quit
Saint Peter's Ndefo, a three-time MAAC Defensive Player of the Year, pushed through tough contact to get to the basket to keep the Peacocks in it.
Bad man
Love made a monster dunk late in the frame, as the Tar Heels ran away with the win, 69-49.
No. 1 Kansas 76, No. 10 Miami (FL) 50
The stage is set
Miami head coach Jim Larrañaga got his team hyped before tip off.
He is the first head coach in NCAA Tournament history to take two different programs to the Elite Eight as double-digit seeds. Larrañaga previously led George Mason to the Final Four as an 11-seed in 2006.
Here we go!
Ochai Agbaji, Christian Braun, Dajuan Harris, David McCormack and Jalen Wilson started for Kansas. On the other side, it was Kameron McGusty, Jordan Miller, Charlie Moore, Sam Waardenburg and Isaiah Wong who took the court first and set the tone for Miami.
The Jayhawks were first to strike, but Miami took the lead with this huge 3 from Wong:
Catching air
Kansas' Braun got up on this big-time dunk, as the Jayhawks regained the lead.
Here come the 'Canes
McGusty gave Miami the edge with this clutch basket:
Back and forth
Things were tied up at 18 points apiece near the midway mark of the first half, but that didn't last long.
Kam can
McGusty was on fire as the first half winded down. He came up with back-to-back jumpers to extend Miami's lead. Just like that, the Hurricanes' guard had 12 of Miami's 24 points.
A storm's brewing
With momentum on its side, Miami went on a 9-2 run to close the half and took a 35-29 lead into the break.
Miami was 13-for-27 in the first half, while Kansas went 13-of-31.
Coming out strong
Kansas kicked off the second-half scoring in style with this wild sequence:
Up and under
Agbaji continued to chip away at Miami's lead with another big-time basket.
CB dunk
Braun was a force to be reckoned with as the game wore on, coming up with a huge dunk to knot things up at 40 apiece early in the second half and kickstart an 8-0 run from the Jayhawks.
All-out effort
Kansas took a double-digit lead, 54-42, on this 3-point jumper courtesy of Agbaji:
Acrobatic finish
Dajuan Harris, ladies and gentlemen.
The Jayhawks guard helped Kansas continue its dominating second-half performance with another big play at the basket.
Pulling away
Kansas went on a 10-0 run, capped off with a monster Agbaji dunk, to take a commanding 67-46 lead.
That's a wrap
The Jayhawks continued to pour it on in the final minutes, and Miami wasn't able to pull off a comeback.
With the win, Kansas is headed to New Orleans for the Final Four, where it will take on No. 2 Villanova.
History made
Kansas head coach Bill Self is now tied with Michigan State's Tom Izzo for the third-most NCAA Tournament wins by an active head coach with 53, behind Duke's Mike Krzyzewski (101) and Syracuse's Jim Boeheim (58).