Basketball
Men's NCAA Basketball Championship Tonight, Women's Title Game Tuesday Night
By Jay Murry
Apr 7, 2008 - 6:34:45 AM

College basketball fans should be treated to a couple of exciting national championship games in the next two nights.

Tonight at 8:21, the NCAA Men's Division-One National Championship game will tip off between Memphis (38-1) and Kansas (36-3).  Memphis dominated UCLA in the first semifinal Saturday night, and Kansas roared to a 40-12 start against North Carolina and survived a big comeback by the Tar Heels to pull away late in the 2nd half of the second semifinal. 

Kansas is looking for its first national championship in men's basketball since 1988, when the "Danny & The Miracles" team led by Danny Manning topped Oklahoma in the title game.  Manning is currently an assistant coach for the Jayhawks, in the 20th anniversary of the Jayhawks' last national title.  Memphis is looking for its first national championship, and it is making an appearance in the men's national championship game for the first time since 1973, when it lost to UCLA and Bill Walton in St. Louis.  Walton made an amazing 21 out of 22 shots and had 44 points to lead the Bruins to victory.

Tuesday night at 7:30, the NCAA Women's Division-One National Championship game features Tennessee (35-2) and Stanford (35-3).

Tennessee survived a thrilling end to an offensively-challenged game.  Alexis Hornbuckle committed a foul with 7 seconds left that allowed LSU's Erica White to make 2 free throws for a 46-45 lead.  However, after Nicky Anosike got a pass from All-American Candice Parker and missed a layup, Hornbuckle put in the offensive rebound with 7/10th of a second remaining for a 47-46 victory in the lowest-scoring women's Final Four game in history.

Stanford had a sizable lead of 7 points at halftime, but Connecticut was able to trim that lead to a single point late in the game.  However, Candice Wiggins was able to knock down a couple of 3-point baskets in succession to put the Cardinal into the national championship game with a 82-73 victory.