[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 62 (Thursday, April 7, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2086-S2087]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       RECOGNIZING THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM

  Mr. MARSHALL. Mr. President, I am here today to talk about the 
extraordinary accomplishments of the University of Kansas's men's 
basketball team. As the Nation saw on Monday night, KU beat the 
University of North Carolina in the NCAA championship game, doing so in 
a historic fashion.
  The game started strong for the Jayhawks, taking an early 7-0 lead, 
but after some back and forth, North Carolina seemingly broke the game 
open, ending the first half on an 18-3 run to go up 15. This deficit 
proved to be the largest ever overcome in an NCAA championship game. 
Going into the locker room, one could only imagine the sense of 
determination running through their minds. To win this game, they 
literally needed to pull off the biggest comeback in championship 
history in front of thousands of Kansas schoolchildren who look up to 
these young men as role models and student-athletes. How would they 
respond to this adversity?
  This question was answered as the referee handed the ball to a Tar 
Heel player and he looked up to see a Jayhawk in his face. The Jayhawks 
had a look of champions in their eyes. This game meant too much to 
everyone back home to give up. They stormed out of the locker room 
after inspirational words from power forward David

[[Page S2087]]

McCormack, who started the half by giving Jayhawk fans back home 
something to cheer about with an electrifying, signature Jayhawk alley-
oop. That play ignited a 20-6 run that brought the Jayhawks within 1 
point. In true Kansas fashion, the Jayhawks ramped up their defense and 
began executing the fundamentals of basketball Kansans learn in the 
front driveway and haymounds across the state. The game became a 
slugfest at that point with KU and North Carolina trading body blows 
back and forth until McCormack sank one last shot to take the lead with 
just over a minute left. That shot ultimately sealed this KU team's 
spot in the history books, brought KU its fourth NCAA national 
championship, and added to their lead as the winningest basketball 
program in NCAA history.
  For all of us who saw the game, it was clear that this championship 
lived up to the March Madness hype. Every Kansas basketball fan will 
remember this team for their ability to share the ball--or as Coach 
Self says, ``to not let the ball stick.'' Each game during this 
tournament seemed to have a different hero, but in this historic 
championship game, every player was a hero, and everyone's 
contributions were necessary to win. This Jayhawk team made us all 
proud to be Kansans and delivered the greatest final game comeback 
ever.
  This group should relish in that fact, and I hope they also 
understand the enormity of the impact they have made with this title on 
so many fans, young and old alike. This team gave us hope and 
entertainment to distract us from a challenging past couple of years. 
They showed up every day and did their job. With this title, current KU 
students now have the experience of a lifetime, alumni and fans 
everywhere are connected forever through this one game, and every 
little girl and boy across Kansas has learned what hard work, teamwork, 
and a never-give-up attitude can accomplish.
  To the players graduating or heading to the draft,I wish you the best 
of success and happiness in your future endeavors. To Coach Self and 
everyone else returning, I look forward to current and future 
generations of Kansans cheering you on and celebrating the tradition of 
Kansas Basketball. ``Rock Chalk!''

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