All season the scoring balance, the versatility and the capability to explode were virtues that made Kansas deserving of a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

But in a 75-68 overtime victory against Memphis for the national title, the Jayhawks also showed off their grit, determination and toughness.

Some of those characteristics can be traced to a players-only meeting the day after their last defeat, a one-point loss at Oklahoma State. Players gathered in the back corner of their favorite Lawrence restaurant and plotted a path to glory.

It wasn't the first time a team regrouped in such fashion. Usually, such discussions fail to deliver the goal intended. But the Jayhawks carried out their plan as their coach, Bill Self, produced a title in his first Final Four appearance, calmly exuding confidence when all looked bleak.

Kansas, which finished 37-3 after sharing the Big 12 title with Texas, saw a five-point halftime lead slip into a nine-point deficit late in the second half against Memphis. The Tigers were converting the drives for baskets, as well as wild bank shots, and seemed destined to become the first champion since 1979 from a conference that placed just one team in the NCAA Tournament.

But as much as Memphis loves to score off the dribble, it hates to tack on points standing still from the foul line. Misses there on four of its last five attempts in regulation gave Kansas the opening it needed to come back.

Junior guard Mario Chalmers capped the rally with what instantly became the most memorable shot in Kansas history, a 3-pointer out top with 2 seconds remaining to send the game into overtime.

From there, the Jayhawks took command and rode the momentum they established to the third national crown in their storied history. And to a man, they credited Self for continually spurring them on. The fifth-year coach is now due a hefty raise, one Kansas hopes will prevent from accepting other offers.

Self deserves what he gets, and he says so does his team, for fighting through adversity, both in games and off the court.

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