Sports Stats ‘on Tapp’ is a sports statistics blog published multiple times weekly focusing on stats that go beyond the numbers.

Anthony Davis Jordan Brand Classic 2011 (Photo credit: BasketballElite)

Kentucky‘s Anthony Davis recently won the Naismith Player of the Year Award, his team won the national championship, and Monday night he set a record for the fewest points scored in a championship game by the Final Four Most Outstanding Player (MOP). Davis had 16 rebounds, six blocks, five assists and three steals to go with only six points in the MOP performance. It was the fewest points scored by an MOP in a title game since Bobby Hurley was MOP in Duke’s 1992 national championship. Hurley had only nine points in the title contest.

Following are the Final Four MOPs who had fewer than 15 points in the championship game.

Points, Player, Team, Year

6: Anthony Davis, Kentucky, 2012

9: Bobby Hurley, Duke, 1992

10: Patrick Ewing, Georgetown, 1984

11: Walt Hazzard, UCLA, 1964

12: Marv Huffman, Kansas, 1940

12: John Kotz, Wisconsin, 1941

13: Corey Brewer, Florida, 2007

14: Alex Groza, Kentucky, 1948

One more look at the leading scorers from last night’s game. Kansas’ Tyshawn Taylor led the Jayhawks with 19 points. This was the fourth straight year that the leading scorer for the losing team scored under 20 points.

In looking at the history of the tournament, there have been 42 players who scored 20 or more points in the title game as a member of the losing team. Slide the scale up to 25 points and we see that there have been 15 players who scored 25 or more points in a losing cause in the NCAA men’s Div. I championship game. Seton Hall’s John Morton tops the list with 35 points in his school’s 1989 championship game loss to Michigan.

Here’s a look at those 15 players who scored 25 or more points in a losing cause in the title game.

Points, Player (School, Year)

35: John Morton (Seton Hall, 1989)

34: Kevin Grevey (Kentucky, 1975)

29: John Wallace (Syracuse, 1996)… Larry Finch (Memphis, 1973)

28: Rick Mount (Purdue, 1969)… Cazzie Russell (Michigan, 1965)… Jerry West (West Virginia, 1959)

27: Udonis Haslem (Florida, 2000)… Ron King (Florida State, 1972)… Jerry Lucas (Ohio State, 1961)

26: B.J. Born (Kansas, 1953)

25: Greg Oden (Ohio State, 2007)… Trajan Langdon (Duke, 1999)… Howard Porter (Villanova, 1971)… Elgin Baylor (Seattle, 1958)