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Bill Self and the Kansas Jayhawks are in the national championship game after an 81-65 win over the Villanova Wildcats on Saturday. After the semifinal victory, the Hall of Fame coach took time to rally his team for the final challenge on Monday.
Advancing in March Madness is never easy. Kansas is the only No. 1 seed to reach the Final Four. And the Jayhawks, for a program with so much history, are in the national championship game for the first time since 2012.
Kansas (33-6), which was in control from start to finish, will play the winner of Saturday's second semifinal between North Carolina (28-9) and Duke (32-6).
After the big win, as the Jayhawks celebrated in the locker, Self's message to his team was straightforward and to the point.
The best will be left to come if the Jayhawks can recreate their performance against the Villanova Wildcats (30-8) in their next game. Regardless of the opponent, the way that Kansas was able to play would create a tough matchup for either team.
Self's Jayhawks are coming off two of their most dominant performances of the season, rolling past Miami 76-50 in the Elite Eight and then Villanova.
David McCormack had his best game of the year, while some of his teammates underperformed based on their recent play.
If their teammates can elevate to the level that McCormack and Ochai Agbaji have been playing on, the Jayhawks could be unstoppable on Monday.
Bill Self and Kansas prepare for the national championship game
Bill Self and Kansas are in the championship game with an opportunity to win a second championship for the Hall of Famer. Self has led four Kansas teams to the Final Four, winning the 2008 title and losing in the 2012 championship game.
The Jayhawks will enjoy their win tonight for a few hours as they learn who their opponent will be. They will embrace the moment and enjoy the vibes for the night.
A showdown against the Duke Blue Devils or North Carolina Tar Heels will be historic for Self's team. The Jayhawks have a history with both in national title games. North Carolina topped Kansas in 1957, and Duke beat Kansas in 1991.
Kansas has won three national championships and finished as runner-up six times.
While Self was not the coach for those matchups with UNC and Duke, he is someone who understands the significance and the importance of the moment. He will aim to avenge his program's loss and capture a second title.
