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No. 1 Kansas tops No. 2 Villanova in semifinal to reach 2022 national title game

The Jayhawks are looking for their first championship since 2008.

By Chinmay Vaidya
/ new
Villanova v Kansas
Ochai Agbaji of the Kansas Jayhawks and Eric Dixon of the Villanova Wildcats reach for a loose ball in the second half of the game during the 2022 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Final Four semifinal at Caesars Superdome on April 02, 2022 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images

The No. 1 Kansas Jayhawks are headed to the 2022 NCAA Tournament national title game after defeating the No. 2 Villanova Wildcats in the semifinal round 81-65. The Jayhawks got out to a hot start courtesy of star guard Ochai Agbaji and built a nice 40-29 halftime lead. The Wildcats had cut the deficit to nine at one point, but late Kansas basket gave the favorite a double-digit edge at the break.

Villanova would eventually cut the gap to six, before key baskets from David McCormack and Christian Braun gave the Jayhawks enough room to pull away. McCormack finished with a game-high 25 points, while Agbaji added 21.

With the win, Kansas advances to the national title game for the first time since 2012. The Jayhawks lost that game to Kentucky. Prior to that appearance, Kansas won the championship in 2008 over Memphis.

The Jayhawks entered March Madness at +600 to win it all per DraftKings Sportsbook.

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