Kentucky captures US college basketball crown Kentucky players celebrate at the end of the NCAA Final Four tournament college basketball c...

Kentucky captures US college basketball crown

Kentucky players celebrate at the end of the NCAA Final Four tournament college basketball championship game against Kansas Monday, April 2, 2012, in New Orleans. Kentucky won 67-59. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

The Kentucky Wildcats won its eighth national championship on Monday, holding off the Kansas Jayhawks with a 67-59 victory to capture its first NCAA division one title since 1998.

Guard Doron Lamb scored 22 points for Kentucky which led by as many as 18 points in the first half of the American collegiate showdown at the Superdome in New Orleans.

Kentucky improved to 111-46 overall in the NCAA tournament, and has now won the national titles in 1948, 1949, 1951, 1958, 1978, 1996, 1998 and 2012.

Top-seeded Kentucky stormed to a huge first half lead and then led by as many as 15 points with just over five minutes remaining before Kansas rallied to close the gap. Kentucky led 41-27 at halftime.

The Jayhawks narrowed the Wildcats' lead to 62-57 with 1:37 left in the game but Kentucky made five of seven free throws down the stretch to clinch the title.

Kentucky's star freshman Anthony Davis finished with 16 rebounds and six blocked shots. But Davis struggled in the shooting department going one-of-10 for just six points.

Guard Tyshawn Taylor finished with 19 points and forward Thomas Robinson had 18 points and 17 rebounds for second seeded Kansas.

Kentucky posted victories over Western Kentucky (81-66), Iowa State (87-71), Indiana (102-90) and Baylor (82-70) to reach its second consecutive Final Four tournament.

This was the second meeting of the year between the two with Kentucky also winning back in November 75-65.

The Wildcats have a 21-6 all-time record over the Jayhawks, who were playing in their eighth national championship game.