2008 Kansas Basketball: A Year to Remember

The Kansas Jayhawks had a spectacular season in 2008. They went on to win the National Championship and the memories made will last a lifetime.

2008 Kansas Basketball A Year to Remember

The 2008 Kansas Jayhawks men’s basketball team represented the University of Kansas in the 2008 NCAA Division I men’s Basketball season The team was led by Head Coach Bill Self, and played its home games at Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, Kansas. They finished the season 37–3 overall, and 15–1 in Big 12 conference play to win their sixth consecutive Big 12 regular season championship outright. They also won the conference’s postseason tournament for the third consecutive year. The Jayhawks received the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA tournament where they were seeded first in their region. They defeated Portland State and UNLV to advance to the Sweet Sixteen where they narrowly defeated Davidson before beating Wisconsin en route to their first Final Four appearance since 2003 and their fifth overall. In the national final game they faced North Carolina who had survived a close game against Louisville in their own regional final.Kansas won easily, 84–66, behind 20 points from Mario Chalmers and 19 from Darrell Arthur. This set up a Championship game match-up with defending champion Florida and reigning National Player of the Year Kevin Durant of Texas. In one of the most exciting Championship Games in recent memory, Kansas rallied from nine down with 2:12 left in regulation to force overtime, then prevailed in overtime 75–68 after a three-pointer by Chalmers with under two minutes remaining sealed it for good. The Jayhawks (37-3) became only the fifth team ever to lose three times during the regular season and still win a National Championship (joining UCLA in 1968 & ’69; Indiana State in ’79; UNLV in ’90; & Connecticut in ’99). Chalmers was named Most Outstanding Player for his heroics throughout the tournament as he averaged 12 points, 3 assists and 3 steals per game while shooting 58 percent from three-point range for the entire tournament (11/19).

A Look Back at the 2008 Kansas Basketball Season

The Kansas Jayhawks finished the 2007-2008 season with a record of 27-3, losing to Memphis in the Elite Eight round of the NCAA Tournament The team was led by senior guard and future NBA player Brandon Rush, who averaged 13.8 points and 5.2 rebounds per game Other key contributors included junior center Cole Aldrich and sophomore guard Mario Chalmers, who was named the Most Outstanding Player of the 2008 NCAA tournament after hitting a game-tying three-pointer in the Championship game against Memphis.

The Jayhawks started the 2008-2009 season ranked #4 in the AP poll, but they suffered an early loss to Illinois in the season opener After that, they went on a 26-game Winning Streak clinching the Big 12 Regular Season championship and eventually reaching the Final Four for the 15th time in school history. In the national semifinals, they faced off against North Carolina led by future NBA players Ty Lawson and Tyler Hansbrough. The Jayhawks won 84-66, thanks in part to a huge performance from Chalmers, who had 22 points and 10 rebounds.

In the National Championship game, Kansas faced off against another Blue Blood program, Kentucky. Led by freshman phenom John Wall Kentucky had cruised to a 35-3 record and looked like a team of destiny. However, Kansas would not be denied as they pulled out a hard-fought 75-72 victory to claim their fifth national title in school history. Chalmers was once again named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player after scoring 18 points and hitting some clutch Free throws down the stretch.

The Jayhawks’ Road to the National Championship

In 2008, the University of Kansas Men’s Basketball team had a season to remember. Led by head coach Bill Self, the Jayhawks compiled a 37-3 record on their way to winning the National Championship Along the way, the Jayhawks defeated some of the best teams in the country, including North Carolina Memphis, and UCLA.

2008 was a special year for Kansas basketball and this team will always be remembered for their accomplishments.

Kansas’ National Championship Run

In 2008, the Kansas Jayhawks had one of the most successful seasons in school history. The team went on to win the NCAA National Championship defeating the Memphis Tigers in the final game. Along the way, the Jayhawks won a number of other prestigious titles, including the Big 12 Conference regular season and tournament championships. The team also set a number of school records, including most wins in a single season (37) and most consecutive wins (19).

The Jayhawks’ Final Four Victory

In 2008, the Kansas Jayhawks made a return to the NCAA Final Four for the first time since 2003. They had a remarkable season, finishing 37-3 and ranked No. 1 in the nation. The Jayhawks’ success was spearheaded by their strong defense, which was ranked No. 1 in the nation in points allowed per game. In the NCAA tournament the Jayhawks defeated teams like Davidson, North Carolina and Memphis to earn their spot in the Final Four.

In the National Semifinal game, Kansas faced off against archrival North Carolina The Jayhawks jumped out to an early lead and never looked back, winning 84-66. This victory earned them a spot in the National Championship game against Memphis.

The Jayhawks and Tigers played a tightly contested battle, with neither team leading by more than six points at any point in the game. In the end, Kansas prevailed 75-68 to win their first NCAA National Championship since 1988. This victory was especially sweet for Head Coach Bill Self, who had been with the Jayhawks since 2003 and had led them to three consecutive Big 12 Conference championships

Kansas’ national championship Game

In 2008, the Kansas Jayhawks men’s basketball team had one of their most successful seasons in school history. They finished the Regular Season with a 27-3 record, won the Big 12 conference tournament and earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament The Jayhawks went on to beat Davidson, North Carolina Southern Illinois, and Memphis to reach the Final Four.

In the national semifinals, Kansas faced off against fellow No. 1 seed UCLA. The Jayhawks won 88-74 to advance to the National Championship Game In the Championship game Kansas faced off against Memphis. The Jayhawks won 75-68 in overtime to win their first National Championship since 1988.

The Jayhawks’ Legacy

The Kansas Jayhawks have cemented themselves as one of college basketball’s most successful programs, with a rich history that includes some of the sport’s most iconic figures. The Jayhawks have won five NCAA Championships including three in the last fifteen years. Kansas is also the only team to win four consecutive conference championships outright, a feat they accomplished from 2005 to 2008. The Jayhawks’ success is a result of a commitment to excellence at all levels of the program, from recruiting and development to coaching and support staff.

Kansas Basketball in the Year Ahead

The 2008 Kansas Jayhawks Basketball team represented the University of Kansas in the 2008 NCAA Division I men’s basketball season The team was coached by Bill Self and played its home games in Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, Kansas. The Jayhawks finished the season with a 27–3 record, defeating the Texas Longhorns 109–91 in the Championship game to win their first NCAA title since 1988. The Jayhawks were led by national player of the year candidates Darrell Arthur and Mario Chalmers, both of whom were selected in the 2008 NBA draft

The Jayhawks entered the season as the reigning NCAA champions, having defeated Memphis in the 2007 NCAA championship game. They finished the regular season with a 25–3 record and earned the top seed in the Midwest Regional of the NCAA Tournament After winning their first two tournament games, they defeated North Carolina 84-66 to earn a spot in the Final Four. In the national semi-final game, they defeated David Sloan and his Davidson Wildcats 358-85 to advance to the National Championship game There they faced off against Memphis, led by future NBA players Derrick Rose and Chris Douglas-Roberts. The Jayhawks won easily, 109-91, to claim their fifth NCAA title and first since 1988.

After winning their second consecutive conference championship Self was named co-coach of the year alongside Roy Williams of North Carolina Arthur and Chalmers were both named first-team All-Americans by multiple publications, with Arthur also being named National Player of the Year by ESPN. Along with those two players, sophomore Sherron Collins and freshman Cole Aldrich were both significant contributors throughout Kansas’ run to a national title.

The Future of Kansas Basketball

In 2008, the Kansas Jayhawks had one of their most successful seasons in recent memory. Led by then-sophomore guard Mario Chalmers, the Jayhawks won the NCAA Tournament and were crowned National Champions

This season was also significant because it marked the beginning of a new era in Kansas Basketball After years of struggling to rebuild their program, the Jayhawks finally had a championship-caliber team again.

Since 2008, the Jayhawks have continued to be one of the best teams in college basketball They have won multiple conference championships and made several deep runs in the NCAA tournament In 2019, they even won another National Championship

There is no doubt that the Kansas Jayhawks are one of the top programs in college basketball They have a bright future ahead of them, and their fans can look forward to many more great seasons.

Kansas Basketball: A Year to Remember

In 2008, the University of Kansas Men’s basketball team had a historic season. They finished the regular season with a record of 27-3, and they won the Big 12 conference tournament They went on to the NCAA Tournament as a number one seed, and they won the National Championship It was a year to remember for Kansas fans!