Jayhawks’ Bill Self masterminds epic championship comeback

By DAVE SKRETTA
AP Basketball Writer

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Bill Self went from the Hall of Fame coach who too often failed on the big stage to the brilliant mastermind of the biggest second-half comeback in NCAA title game history. The Jayhawks were blitzed by plucky North Carolina for most of the first 20 minutes and dug a seemingly insurmountable 40-25 hole. But Kansas rallied for a 72-69 victory over the Tar Heels inside the boisterous Superdome. Self managed to calm down his disjointed team in the locker room, then get it back on a script for success. That meant getting the ball inside to David McCormack and into the hands of Remy Martin and making crucial stops in the closing minutes.