David McCormack

Kansas neatly took down Villanova, while North Carolina ended Coach K's legendary career with a win over Duke. The two will now face each other for the ...

The first minutes of the game were a blizzard of Agbaji 3s and post feeds to McCormack, who was just too much for the Wildcats to handle. They were the best team in the country two years ago when COVID-19 derailed their tourney chances, and they might very well be the best team remaining in 2022. The Jayhawks were forcing the ball in the post to McCormack early and often; he scored two baskets in the opening two minutes and was getting touches on nearly every possession. McCormack was always going to be the key against Villanova. The Wildcats simply didn't have the size to handle him, so it came down to whether he could stay out of foul trouble, stay on the floor and be effective. Villanova and Gonzaga are the only truly elite programs in that category. Kansas got the 2022 Final Four off to a smoking start on Saturday night at the Caesars Superdome, running out to a 10-0 lead and keeping Villanova at arm's length the rest of the way for the 81-65 victory. Throw in multiple Olympic gold medals and he is arguably the most accomplished coach in the history of the sport. Self likes to play a big man who can do a lot of work in the paint, and surround him with a collection of big, versatile guards and forwards who can make an impact on the perimeter and around the rim. The biggest Duke storyline entering 2022-23 won't be about the players, of course; it will be the Blue Devils' first season under Jon Scheyer and their first season starting without Coach K since 1980. And on Saturday night, two incredible teams combined for the most important and memorable encounter in their unforgettable history. The game was the final one of Krzyzewski's Hall of Fame career, and the loss denied him a shot at a sixth national title. That it was an epic contest with so many momentum swings and subplots only adds to the legend.