NBA: Basketball Legend.

Chapter 17: Breaking the Single-Game Scoring Record! He Should Be Dissected!

The score gap had ballooned to over 20 points.

But Kansas wasn't giving up. Not even close. They were still out there, fighting tooth and nail against Texas.

Coach Bill Self's message was loud and clear: If we're going down, we're going down swinging!

"Swish!"

After a flurry of ball movement and cuts, Kansas point guard Chalmers found a clean look and drained a deep three!

He slapped hands with his teammates, trying to fire them up.

As long as they kept battling, there was still a chance... right?

Yeah, no. Not tonight.

Texas came right back, pushing the pace. DJ Augustin darted toward the rim but got stuffed. Chen Yan trailed perfectly and tipped the ball in and drew a foul from Brandon Rush.

And-one!

As Chen Yan stepped to the line, Chalmers could only sigh.

So much for that three-pointer. Useless now.

Next possession, Chalmers missed a floater out of a pick-and-roll. Darrell Arthur grabbed the board and got hacked in the process. He made the first free throw but bricked the second.

Durant soared up and grabbed the rebound with ease. And by the time his feet touched the floor, Chen Yan was already streaking down near half-court.

Durant launched a perfect outlet pass.

Chen Yan caught it in stride and bolted straight for the rim!

Just outside the restricted area, he took off—hard. Brandon Rush was there, matching him step for step.

But then—bam. Chen Yan suddenly slowed down.

Rush, used to Chen's aggressive drives, was thrown off by the change in tempo.

With a smooth, almost taunting ease, Chen glided in with a slow three-step layup.

Easy bucket.

Rush scooped up the ball and quickly inbounded it. But the next shot—Julian Wright's layup—got smacked off the glass by none other than Kevin Durant.

Wright had impressive measurables for college: 6'8" with a 7'2" wingspan. He'd bullied plenty of players with that size.

But Durant? Different breed.

After the rejection, Durant handed the ball off to Augustin, who didn't even bother to dribble—just passed it straight to Chen.

At this point, DJ Augustin might as well have had "pass it to Chen" hardcoded into his DNA.

Chen caught it, took one power dribble, wrapped the ball around his back, and slammed it down with one hand!

Rush had tried to keep up, but after getting blown by yet again, he didn't even bother to turn around. He just jogged to the baseline and got ready to inbound.

It was real out here.

With both teams playing at such a blistering pace, the court turned into Chen Yan's personal playground.

He was unstoppable.

— Off a screen, he exploded for a jump-stop slam.

— In transition, he flashed to the rim for a quick two.

— Using the pick-and-roll, he cut hard, looped under the rim, and laid it in with finesse.

Every time he scored, Brandon Rush inbounded the ball like clockwork. His motions were mechanical—almost heartbreaking to watch.

"He's doing whatever he wants out there!" Kenny Smith said from the commentary booth. "This is just straight-up domination."

"Yeah," Barkley chimed in. "Kansas actually hasn't been bad offensively this stretch, but they're trying too hard to catch up. They've completely forgotten about defense—it's backwards thinking."

"Exactly. They're so desperate to close the gap that they're leaving wide open lanes for Chen. He's killing them in transition."

Just as the two analysts continued their breakdown, a wave of noise erupted from the stands.

The big screen at the Toyota Center had just displayed something jaw-dropping:

NCAA Tournament Single-Game Scoring Record: 61 Points Holder: Austin Carr, Notre Dame (1970 vs. Ohio University)

Back in the 1970 tournament's first round, Austin Carr went off for 61, dropping buckets from all over the floor. That record had stood for decades as one of the hardest to break in March Madness history.

Why?

Because NCAA games are only 40 minutes long. Each team has 35 seconds per possession, so the pace is naturally slower than the NBA.

And this is the knockout stage—every team goes all-out on scouting, strategy, and defense. Nobody wants to go home and leave behind a career filled with regret.

In some ways, breaking this record was even harder than scoring 81 in an NBA game.

But now—tonight—there was someone dangerously close to rewriting the record books.

The arena camera zoomed in on Chen Yan's face. A stat line appeared underneath his close-up:

Chen Yan – University of Texas Shooting Guard 25/32 FG, 1/3 3PT, 6/9 FT – 57 Points

As DJ Augustin passed the ball to Chen, the entire crowd stood up.

Thunderous chants erupted from every section.

"Shoot! Shoot! Shoot!"

Fans didn't just want a win—they wanted to witness history.

The University of Kansas, however, wasn't about to just roll over and be a footnote.

They immediately switched to a double-team.

Because if Chen Yan actually broke the NCAA single-game scoring record…?

That would be a stain Kansas would carry forever.

A shame that wouldn't just last a game—but a century.

Rush and Wright closed in on Chen Yan, double-teaming him from both sides. At the same time, Durant spread his arms wide, ready to receive the pass at a moment's notice.

Chen Yan took a couple of steps back, calmly surveying his teammates' positions. The moment Rush and Wright stepped up, Chen exploded forward!

Using a masterful shift in rhythm and footwork, he squeezed between the two defenders.

He survived in the tightest of gaps.

Double-teamed and still not passing—Chen Yan was completely locked in.

Chalmers rotated over to help, but Chen threw a convincing fake pass that left Chalmers frozen.

Then came a confrontation with Darrell Arthur. Chen leapt into the air, twisted his body mid-air, and gently flicked the ball under Arthur's armpit with a delicate pull-up finish.

Chen Yan had just humiliated the entire Kansas defense in one sequence.

The ball banked off the glass and dropped straight into the net.

"Swish!"

With that shot, Chen Yan's personal score jumped to 59 points!

The arena exploded in deafening cheers.

The fans were one step away from witnessing history.

And Chen wasn't done yet.

Right after Kansas ran a team play that ended with Darrell Reiser missing a mid-range jumper from the baseline, Chen snatched the rebound and immediately shifted into high gear.

Another transition opportunity!

According to live stats, over 40% of Chen's points had come from transition plays. His awareness on the break was absolutely ruthless. Every time Kansas fans saw Chen start a fast break, their hearts skipped a beat.

A step outside the three-point line, Chen suddenly stopped.

Was he really going to pull up from that far out… in a moment like this?

If this shot went in, it would become an iconic scene in NCAA history.

Chalmers and Rush didn't hesitate. They both leapt into the air to contest.

They were desperate now. Winning the game was no longer the goal—it was survival. Avoiding eternal shame.

But the second they left the ground, they realized—

They'd been baited.

Chen absorbed their contact mid-air, drew them in, and launched the ball toward the basket.

"Bang!"

The shot missed.

But the referee's whistle blew instantly.

He signaled the foul.

Three free throws for Chen Yan.

"MVP!! MVP!!!"

"MVP!! MVP!!!"

The entire arena erupted into a thunderous MVP chant as Chen stepped to the line.

He had conquered the Toyota Center with sheer dominance.

Chen felt the court vibrating under his feet, but what was shaking even more violently was his heart.

Tens of thousands of fans chanting for him—this was the moment he had imagined a thousand times.

And now, it was real.

The Kansas players stood stunned. This was supposed to be a neutral-site game. So why did it feel like they were on enemy turf?

Chen took a deep breath and stepped to the line.

"Swish!"

First one—nothing but net.

"Shua!"

Second one down.

The crowd's roar grew even louder—this one tied the NCAA Championship single-game scoring record!

Before the third free throw, the entire crowd went silent. Only the Kansas fans dared to make noise, trying desperately to shake him.

Chen squatted, stuck his butt out, raised his elbow, and released.

The ball kissed the rim... bounced once... twice...

And dropped in!

A new NCAA Championship single-game scoring record—62 points.

---

2:01 left in the game.

Kansas head coach Bill Self finally waved the white flag. He subbed out all his starters.

Looking at the nearly 30-point deficit, Self realized his second-half strategy had completely collapsed.

Not only did it fail—it helped Chen Yan explode even further.

In a show of mutual respect, Texas coach Rick Barnes also pulled his starters.

The game entered garbage time.

Chen's final stat line: 62 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists.

As Chen walked off the court, the ovation was deafening. Some Texas fans screamed so hard they nearly lost their voices.

Because what they just witnessed… was historic.

On the sideline, the usually calm and collected Coach Barnes wrapped Chen in a bear hug.

His teammates swarmed him, celebrating like they'd won a national title.

This wasn't just a personal milestone. It wasn't just a win for Texas.

This was a moment that belonged to the entire NCAA.

---

"The game's pretty much over," Barkley chuckled from the commentary booth. "Texas and Kansas teamed up to give us a hell of a show tonight."

"Chen dropped a record-breaking 62 points," Kenny Smith added, laughing. "You think the Kansas players are gonna dream about him tonight?"

"If they do," Barkley smirked, "that dream's gonna be a damn nightmare."

"Hahahaha!" Both of them burst into laughter.

Then Kenny leaned forward, speaking with a mischievous grin. "You know, according to some reports, after Chen dropped 20 in his first March Madness game, the opposing coach demanded a drug test. The NCAA actually gave him a urine test right after the game."

Barkley blinked in disbelief. "Wait, wait, wait. You're telling me... twenty points got him drug tested?"

He laughed out loud. "Then tonight? Man, they're gonna dissect this kid!"

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