Twenty years after Danny Manning and the Miracles won it all, Kansas defeated Memphis, 75–68 in overtime, for the national championship, thanks to a miraculous shot by Mario Chalmers at the end of regulation.

“Unbelievable game, unbelievable finish,” said Kansas coach Bill Self, who won an NCAA title in his first trip to the Final Four.

Down by seven points with just 2:13 remaining in the second half, the Jayhawks started to foul the Tigers. After shooting 59.6 percent (483-of-811) as a team during the regular season, coach John Calipari’s team had improved to 70.2 percent (113-of-161) in the NCAA Tournament.

In fact, the Tigers shot a combined 84.7 percent (50-of-59) from the charity stripe in runaway wins against UCLA and Texas.

But just as it did in Memphis’ only previous loss this season (66–62 vs. Tennessee), free throw shooting became a problem down the stretch against Kansas.

“I take full responsibility,” said Calipari, following a difficult loss.

“When you’re up seven… you’re supposed to win that game.”

At first, the foul plan didn’t work. Worse, it seemed to backfire.

Robert Dozier converted both ends of a one-and-one to give Memphis a 60–51 lead with 2:12 to play. Then, following a made KU 3-pointer, a foul on Chris Douglas-Roberts resulted in two made free throws and a 62–56 margin with 1:39 remaining.

Soon enough, however, Memphis’ bricks from the line paved the way to a Kansas crown.

After two Chalmers free throws, Kansas trailed 62–58 with 1:23 to play. A quick foul was followed by Memphis’ CDR missing the front end of a one-and-one. Then, a Darrell Arthur turn-around jumper pulled the Jayhawks within two, 62–60, with one minute on the clock.

Old habits die hard, and the Tigers missed three of their four free throws in the final 16 seconds to give the fans who cheer "Rock Chalk, Jayhawk" a reason to scream at the Alamodome in San Antonio.

Douglas-Roberts rimmed out on consecutive free throws with 16 seconds remaining, but was bailed out by an offensive rebound by Dozier.

Following a quick foul and a KU timeout, Memphis superstar freshman Derrick Rose — who finished with 18 points, eight assists, six rebounds, two steals and several highlight reel plays in the second half (after disappearing in the first half) — had two shots from the free throw line with a 62–60 lead and 10 seconds to play.

But the phenom from Chicago who wears No. 23 short-armed and faded-away from the first shot. With the outcome of the game in his hands, Rose could only manage to make one free throw, giving the Tigers a 63–60 lead they would eventually relinquish.

Kansas’ Sherron Collins pushed the ball up the court, then lost his footing and fumbled a pass to Chalmers. The junior Alaskan assassin dribbled, pulled up and swished a game-tying 3-pointer with 2.1 seconds remaining — a shot that will define the 2008 national title game and go down as one of the greatest moments in Kansas history.

“I had a good look at it,” said Chalmers. “When it left my hands it felt like it was good, and it just went in.”

From there, the Jayhawks outscored the Tigers 12–5 in the seventh overtime in a national championship game. With a 75–68 victory, Kansas claimed its third NCAA title (1988, 1952), thanks in large part to Coach Self and Final Four M.O.P. Chalmers, who finished the game with 18 points, four steals, three rebounds and three assists.

“This could not have been scripted better for us. On the 20th anniversary of 'Danny and the Miracles.' Danny gets elected to the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame yesterday,” said Self, referring to current assistant coach Danny Manning, who led Kansas’ last title as a player in 1988.

“I thought this would be great, but it’s a lot better than I thought it would be.”