Kansas surges into Final Four
Top seed erases 6-point deficit with 47-15 blitz in 2nd half; plays Villanova
Ochai Agbaji, David Mccormack and Christian Braun powered a dazzling second half for Kansas, and the top-seeded Jayhawks pounded Miami 76-50 on Sunday to advance to the program’s 16th Final Four.
Agbaji scored 18 points, Mccormack had 15 and Braun finished with 12, helping Kansas rally after a lackluster start. The Jayhawks trailed by six points at halftime but outscored Miami 47-15 in the final 20 minutes.
Kansas (32-6), the only No. 1 seed left in the NCAA Tournament, won the Midwest Region for the 13th time with its ninth consecutive victory overall. Next up is the national semifinals and a matchup with Villanova on Saturday in New Orleans.
It’s the fourth Final Four for coach Bill Self in his 19 seasons at Kansas, tying Roy Williams.
Kameron Mcgusty scored 18 and Isaiah Wong had 15 for No. 10 seed Miami in the program’s first appearance in the Elite Eight.
Villanova: Guard and second-leading scorer Justin Moore will undergo surgery this week for a torn Achilles’ tendon.
Notes: SMU named former Siena coach Rob Lanier as its new coach after he took Georgia State to the NCAA Tournament this season. He previously took Siena to the NCAA tourney in 2002, in the first of his four seasons as coach there. He replaces Tim Jankovich, who retired . ... Memphis and coach Penny Hardaway were accused of serious rules violations, including failing to cooperate with an investigation . ... Arizona State hired Natasha Adair as its next women’s head coach. The former Delaware coach replaces Charli Turner Thorne, who retired.