No. 1 Kansas and No. 8 North Carolina to compete for 2022 Men's NCAA Basketball National Championship
Apr 2, 2022; New Orleans, LA, USA; An overall view of the Caesars Superdome during a game between the Duke Blue Devils and the North Carolina Tar Heels in the 2022 NCAA men's basketball tournament Final Four semifinals. Andrew Wevers-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 2, 2022; New Orleans, LA, USA; Kansas Jayhawks head coach Bill Self hugs Villanova Wildcats head coach Jay Wright after the game during the 2022 NCAA men's basketball tournament Final Four semifinals at Caesars Superdome. Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 2, 2022; New Orleans, LA, USA; Kansas Jayhawks forward Zach Clemence (21) subs in against the Villanova Wildcats during the second half during the 2022 NCAA men's basketball tournament Final Four semifinals at Caesars Superdome. Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 2, 2022; New Orleans, LA, USA; Villanova Wildcats guard Caleb Daniels (14) dribbles the ball against Kansas Jayhawks forward Jalen Wilson (10) during the second half during the 2022 NCAA men's basketball tournament Final Four semifinals at Caesars Superdome. Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 2, 2022; New Orleans, LA, USA; Kansas Jayhawks guard Ochai Agbaji (30) leads his team to the court before the game against the Villanova Wildcats during the 2022 NCAA men's basketball tournament Final Four semifinals at Caesars Superdome. Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 2, 2022; New Orleans, LA, USA; Kansas Jayhawks guard Ochai Agbaji (30) shoots the ball against Villanova Wildcats guard Collin Gillespie (2) during the second half in the 2022 NCAA men's basketball tournament Final Four semifinals at Caesars Superdome. Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 2, 2022; New Orleans, LA, USA; Villanova Wildcats forward Jermaine Samuels (left) and guard Collin Gillespie (2) reacts after their loss to the Kansas Jayhawks during the second half during the 2022 NCAA men's basketball tournament Final Four semifinals at Caesars Superdome. Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 2, 2022; New Orleans, LA, USA; Kansas Jayhawks forward David McCormack (33) controls the ball while defended by Villanova Wildcats forward Eric Dixon (43) during the second half during the 2022 NCAA men's basketball tournament Final Four semifinals at Caesars Superdome. Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 2, 2022; New Orleans, LA, USA; A North Carolina Tar Heels holds up a sign before the game against the Duke Blue Devils during the 2022 NCAA men's basketball tournament Final Four semifinals at Caesars Superdome. Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 2, 2022; New Orleans, LA, USA; Duke Blue Devils center Mark Williams (15) dunks against the North Carolina Tar Heels during the first half during the 2022 NCAA men's basketball tournament Final Four semifinals at Caesars Superdome. Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 2, 2022; New Orleans, LA, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Armando Bacot (5) reacts after a play during the second half against the Duke Blue Devils in the 2022 NCAA men's basketball tournament Final Four semifinals at Caesars Superdome. Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 2, 2022; New Orleans, LA, USA; Duke Blue Devils center Mark Williams (15) and North Carolina Tar Heels forward Armando Bacot (5) go for a rebound during the first half in the 2022 NCAA men's basketball tournament Final Four semifinals at Caesars Superdome. Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports
The 2022 NCAA Men's Basketball National Championship slate is set: the No. 1 Kansas Jayhawks (33-6) and the No. 8 North Carolina Tar Heels (29-9) will face off Monday night in New Orleans in pursuit of the national title.
The Jayhawks earned a trip to the National Championship game after a dominant, 81-65 win over No. 2 Villanova in the Final Four Saturday afternoon at Caesars Superdome.
Kansas started its 2022 Final Four game hot — nabbing a 10-0 lead — and held the Wildcats off for the remainder. Senior forward David McCormack led the Jayhawks with 25 points and 9 rebounds. Kansas also got major contributions from senior guard Ochai Agbaji (21 points) and sophomore forward Jalen Wilson (11 points, 12 rebounds).
This will be the Jayhawks first trip to the title game since 2012 and a national championship win would be the team's first since Kansas defeated Memphis in 2008.
No. 8 North Carolina earned a slot in the title game after an 81-77 upset of No. 2 Duke in the semifinal Monday night.
The Tar Heels and Blue Devils were back and forth throughout the entire game, sharing 17 lead changes over 40 minutes of play. With 27 points, sophomore guard Caleb Love accounted for a third of the Tar Heels scoring. Junior forward Armando Bacot posted dominated the glass with 21 rebounds while adding another 11 points before fouling out.
"[The Tar Heels] should be front and center with the spotlight on them," UNC head coach Hubert Davis said following the game. "It's a beautiful day for North Carolina basketball."
Duke's loss marked the end of head coach Mike Krzyzewski's legendary 42-year career at the helm of the Blue Devils.
The 2022 NCAA Men's Basketball National Championship game will tip off at Caesars Superdome at 9:20 p.m. ET Monday night.
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Lauren Withrow is the Publisher of Wildcats Daily on Sports Illustrated's FanNation Network. Withrow is also a Host/Reporter for Mountaineer Maven, Wolverine Digest, All Panthers and Illini Now. Follow Lauren on Twitter: @lolowithrow.