Kansas fights off Duke in OT classic
HIGHLIGHTS
Kansas is going back to the Final Four. It’s hard to argue that Duke shouldn’t be headed there, too, after the most riveting show of the NCAA Tournament.
Malik Newman and the topseeded Jayhawks got past their Elite Eight roadblock Sunday, slipping past the second- seeded Blue Devils 85- 81 in overtime to win the Midwest Regional in Omaha, Nebraska, and clinch their first trip to the Final Four since 2012.
Newman scored all 13 of Kansas’ points in overtime and finished with a career- high 32 to lead the Jayhawks ( 31- 7), who will face Villanova in the national semifinals Saturday after snapping a two- game losing streak in regional finals.
‘‘ Everything we’ve been through . . . we do it for moments like this,’’ Kansas star Devonte’ Graham said. ‘‘ Especially after the last two years, getting over the hump. It just feels [ perfect].’’
The blue bloods traded blows for 45 minutes inwhatwas arguably the best game of March so far, one that featured 18 lead changes and 11 ties.
Had Grayson Allen’s bank shot to end regulation gone a half- inch in a different direction, it might be Duke ( 29- 8) heading to the Final Four. But it didn’t, and the Jayhawks are moving on instead.
‘‘ It was an honor to play in this game,’’ said Blue Devils coach Mike Krzyzewski, who remained tied with UCLA legend John Wooden with 12 Final Four appearances. ‘‘ I think both teams were deserving.’’
Newman, a redshirt sophomore who came on late this season, made his fifth and final three- pointer to give Kansas an 81- 78 lead with 1: 49 left. He followed with four consecutive free throws, and the Jayhawks’ defense stiffened enough to knock Duke out of the tournament.
Trevon Duval scored 20 points for the Blue Devils. Freshman star and future NBA lottery pick Marvin Bagley III added 16 points and 10 rebounds in what likely was his final game for Duke.
Allen scored 12 points for the Blue Devils, but his shot at the regulation buzzer went in, then out, then off the rim before spinning away to force overtime.
‘‘ I was trying to drive right, [ but the defender] cut me off,’’ said Allen, who finished his career with 1,996 points. ‘‘ Went back left. Their big stepped in to help. I had to get a shot up over him. I tried to bank it in, and it about went in.’’
Villanova 71, Texas Tech 59
Jalen Brunson led a balanced scoring attack with 15 points, and the top- seeded Wildcats ( 34- 4) reached the Final Four for the second time in the last three seasons by defeating the third- seeded Red Raiders ( 27- 10) in the final of the East Regional in Boston. Villanova, which will play Kansas in the national semifinals Saturday, won the NCAA championship in 2016.
Eric Paschall added 12 points and 14 rebounds, Mikal Bridges 12 points, Donte DiVincenzo 12 points and Omari Spellman 11 points for the Wildcats, who won despite shooting only 33 percent from the field and making only four of their 24 three- pointers.
‘‘ It wasn’t really a pretty offensive game, but we played pretty good defensively, too,’’ Villanova coach Jay Wright said. ‘‘ We don’t rely on our shooting. There’s a lot more to the game. Our guys take pride in that. We never worry about missing shots. It’s fun when they go in, but we don’t worry about missing them.’’
Keenan Evans scored 12 points and Jarrett Culver 11 for Texas Tech, which also shot only 33 percent from the field and was outrebounded 51- 33.
FSU’s Hamilton regrets behavior
Florida State coach Leonard Hamilton regretted how he handled himself in a postgame interview with Dana Jacobson of CBS after the Seminoles’ 58- 54 loss to Michigan in the West Regional final Saturday.
Jacobson asked Hamilton why he didn’t foul theWolverines in the final 11 seconds despite trailing by four points. Hamilton clearly didn’t appreciate the line of questioning.
‘‘ In the minutes immediately following [ the game], I was interviewed by Dana Jacobson of CBS,’’ Hamilton said in a statement. ‘‘ I did not initially respond to her questions as I would have liked, and she was doing her job in asking them.
‘‘ The combination of the drama and the raw emotion of athletics and the critical analysis of it make for compelling television but not always for levelheaded interviews with the participants who must immediately manage both. I wish I could have done better.’’