Wendell Barnhouse 
College Basketball Insider: Which title fits? National champ or $6 million man?
Star-Telegram Staff Writer
SAN ANTONIO -- Thanks to the game's outcome and CBS' choice of talent, Monday night's postgame interviews didn't turn blue.
The last time Kansas played in a national championship game, the Jayhawks lost when they missed 18 of 30 free throws. Their coach, Roy Williams, was rumored to be headed to North Carolina.
After a gut-punch defeat, Williams was asked by Bonnie Bernstein about the Tar Heels' job. Ol' Roy, whose strongest language for public consumption resides in the dad-gum category, said he "didn't give a [expletive] about North Carolina."
Bill Self's Kansas team won the national championship in stunning, comeback fashion in the Alamodome. Amidst confetti falling, Self was interviewed by Jim Nantz and Billy Packer about The Game, not The Job.
Whether Self cares about Oklahoma State the way Williams said he cared about North Carolina has yet to be determined. Like Williams, Self will be courted by his alma mater and his native state.
Unlike Williams, Self must decide whether to take the money and run to a basketball program where national championships are ancient history.
Oklahoma State's No. 1 benefactor is T. Boone Pickens.
His contributions have bought him the power to make and/or approve decisions made by Mike Holder, the (in name only) athletic director.
Pickens' money is the reason Sean Sutton is job hunting after two seasons as the Cowboys' coach.
And Pickens' money is the reason Self will at least listen to Oklahoma State if and when his alma mater calls.
The reported contract numbers: a $6 million signing bonus and $3.5 million per year.
That deal, if Self takes it, would make him the Nick Saban of college basketball.
That is not a compliment.
After his team's 75-68 overtime victory over Memphis, Self effectively covered all the bases.
He said you "never say never" then repeated that Oklahoma State should "look in a different direction."
Tuesday morning, working on one hour's sleep, Self said he wanted "security" and that "I've got the best job, so I'm not evaluating anything else."
Then he said if Oklahoma State calls, "I would answer the phone."
It's clear that Kansas won't give up its national championship coach without a fight.
"I want to visit with my athletic director," Self said Monday night. "To be real honest with you, I love Kansas. I love my job here and hopefully it will be a situation where I can spend a long time here.
"I'm certainly not looking to leave, but [athletic director] Lew [Perkins] and I got to visit. I'm sure that'll happen in the next couple of days."
Perkins is one of the best and the toughest in the business. He can't match Pickens' bank account, but Perkins will no doubt offer Self a raise and a contract extension.
Roy Williams left one Cadillac Program for another. Two years after leaving Kansas, he won his first national championship.
If Bill Self leaves Kansas for Oklahoma State, he'll be a richer man but a coach known for winning a national championship in his one and only chance.
Free-throw karma
In its last two NCAA national championship games -- 2003 vs. Syracuse and 1991 vs. Duke -- Kansas lost the game at the free-throw line.
Against Duke in a 72-65 loss, the Blue Devils made 20 of 28 foul shots; the Jayhawks were just 4-of-8. In Kansas' 81-78 loss to the Orange, the Jayhawks made just 12 of 30 attempts (Syracuse was 10-of-17).
For the Rock Chalk fans, Monday night was payback. The Jayhawks were 14-of-15 -- they made every attempt after missing their first foul shot -- while Memphis' four missed free throws over the last 1:15 allowed Kansas the chance to rally from a nine-point deficit.
Brand's opinion
A report in the Tulsa World says that Oklahoma State, bankrolled by T. Boone Pickens, is prepared to offer Kansas coach Bill Self a $6 million signing bonus plus an annual salary of $3.5 million.
NCAA president Myles Brand was asked by CBSSports.com for his thoughts on the contract speculation:
"It doesn't seem appropriate to me... but it's a free market, and people are worth what you'll pay them. But the context of higher education makes us ask some very hard questions."
Quotable
"Our goal was to win them all and the national title. Right now, I take no solace in how many games we won, against ranked opponents, nonconference scheduling, road wins, RPI. None of that matters right now. What matters is I've got a team in there that is really, really down."
Memphis coach John Calipari
"It means a lot, man. Even though I wasn't out there, I still felt like I was part of the team. During every timeout the team came over and said, 'We're going to win it for you, we're going to win it for you.' We were down, and most teams would have folded. It just tells you a lot about our players. We didn't fold."
Kansas senior Rodrick Stewart, who didn't play in the two Final Four games after breaking his right knee cap during Friday's practice at the Alamodome
"I think I got fouled, actually. But I ain't complaining. I'm glad they didn't call a foul."
Kansas guard Sherron Collins on the sequence before Mario Chalmers' game-tying shot.
"I'm a little overwhelmed ... I don't know if a coach really deserves what happened to me tonight because I can't imagine it being any better any time."
Kansas coach Bill Self
The call
Courtesy of The Kansas City Star, here's how Kansas radio play-by-play man Bob Davis described Mario Chalmers' late 3-pointer to send the game into overtime:
"Hawks need a 3-point basket. Collins... 7 seconds to go in the game... Collins got pushed... Chalmers shoots... Three!... The game's tied!... 2.1... Memphis inbounding... Half-court shot... Overtime! Overtime!"
Seven-minute solution
Trailing 60-51 with 2:12 remaining in regulation, Kansas was able to flip the script and rally for a 75-68 overtime victory in Monday night's national championship game. Here's how the last 7 minutes, 12 seconds stack up statistically.
| Category | Memphis | Kansas |
| Possessions | 14 | 14 |
| Points | 8 | 24 |
| Field goals | 1-9 | 8-11 |
| Free throws | 5-9 | 6-6 |
The top four teams in last November's preseason poll made the Final Four. But it's not that easy projecting the Top 25 the day after the season ends. Here's the best guess for 2008-09's preseason Top 25. No attempt was made to project which teams will lose which players to the NBA Draft. The Top 25 is based on the status of players as of today:
| Team | Comment |
| 1. Texas | Their top contributors should return |
| 2. North Carolina | Will be on a mission to win the title |
| 3. UCLA | Will welcome outstanding recruiting class |
| 4. Florida | Young team should be better with experience |
| 5. Connecticut | A.J. Price's recovery from knee injury crucial |
| 6. Notre Dame | Irish return six of their top seven scorers |
| 7. USC | Trojans should challenge for Pac-10 title |
| 8. Georgetown | Frosh Greg Monroe is Hoyas' next big man |
| 9. Purdue | Core of a talented team returns |
| 10. Kansas | Good, but not national title contenders |
| 11. Ohio State | Buckeyes can build after winning NIT title |
| 12. Kansas State | Status depends on NBA Draft decisions |
| 13. Pittsburgh | Always dangerous because of 'D', rebounding |
| 14. Davidson | Another season of Stephen Curry's magic |
| 15. Villanova | Should benefit from NCAA experience |
| 16. Memphis | Should remain on top of Conference USA |
| 17. Michigan State | Izzo's coaching keeps Spartans in the mix |
| 18. Duke | Has to restore some of its reputation |
| 19. Tennessee | Needs to find some low-post scoring |
| 20. West Virginia | Huggins still converting team to his style |
| 21. Gonzaga | Watch for sophomore Austin Daye's star turn |
| 22. Louisville | Cards must replace "glue guy" David Padgett |
| 23. Arizona State | Sun Devils just missed NCAA Tournament bid |
| 24. Baylor | Bears can move up if defense improves |
| 25. Virginia Tech | Freshmen provide over 40 percent of scoring |
