MARCH MADNESS The final countdown
Kansas outlasts Duke in OT; Villanova pummels Texas Tech as the NCAA tournament’s final four is set
OMAHA, Neb. – Kansas, which won the NCAA men’s basketball championship in 2008 in San Antonio, is headed back to the Alamodome 10 years later for a shot at another title.
The Jayhawks (31-7), the No. 1 seed in the Midwest Regional for the third straight year, put to rest any talk of an Elite Eight hex by downing No. 2 seed Duke 85-81 in overtime in the Midwest Regional final on Sunday at Centurylink Center.
Malik Newman scored 32 points (26 in the second half and overtime), including a three from the corner that gave KU an 81-78 lead with 1:39 left in overtime.
It was a performance for the ages. That three gave KU the lead for good, and Newman followed it with four free throws down the stretch to keep the Jayhawks in front.
They’ll be playing for the program’s fourth championship next weekend.
Lagerald Vick added 14 points and Svi Mykhailiuk 11, including a big three that tied the game at 72 near the end of regulation. He also guarded Marvin Bagley, who scored 16 points and grabbed 10 boards.
KU prevailed in overtime without Udoka Azubuike who fouled out with 1:59 left in regulation.
Trevon Duval scored 20 points, Gary Trent 17 and Marvin Bagley 16 for Duke. Grayson Allen, whose last second shot in regulation that could have won the game rolled off the rim and forced OT, scored 12 points.
The Jayhawks, who fell to Villanova and Oregon in the Elite Eight the past two postseasons, improved to 3-5 in regional finals under 15thyear coach Bill Self.
KU claimed its First Final Four berth since 2012, when the Jayhawks lost in the title game to Kentucky.
KU’S Mykhailiuk had tied the score at 72 – the score as the game went to overtime – by nailing a three with 25.7 seconds left. Before that play, Duke’s Wendell Carter missed badly on a short shot with the Blue Devils nursing a three-point lead in possession of the ball.
KU’S Newman had missed a three before that with Duke up by three. Silvio De Sousa had committed a turnover with Duke up 70-69 at 1:42. And Allen gave Duke a threepoint lead 72-69 by sinking two free throws at 1:25.
The Blue Devils, who finished Kansas’ Devonte’ Graham celebrates in front of Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski (rear) and Gary Tret (right) as the Jayahwks pulled out the overtime win, 85-81. Villanova’s Jalen Brunson, front, drives past Texas Tech’s Zhaire Smith during the second half of Sunday’s game in Boston.
the season with a 29-8 record, dropped their third straight game to Kansas and fell to 7-5 all-time versus KU.
Duke led 36-33 at halftime, however. Newman hit a pair of threes early in the second half to give the Jayhawks a 39-37 advantage.
The score was tied at 39 at 18:08 when KU used a 7-0 run to go up 46-39. Vick opened the surge with a basket and a three and Newman added a bucket as KU grabbed the seven-point margin at 16:06.
Down 48-41, Duke clawed back at 57-57 at 9:52. KU’S Azubuike had picked up his fourth foul in the run, at 11:43, with KU still up four points.
The game was tied at 57 with 9:52 left.
That’s when Graham hit a three and Mykhailiuk a layup off a pass from Newman and KU led by five, 62-57, at 7:55.
Duke used a 7-0 run to overcome that 62-57 deficit and grab a 64-62 lead on a Trent three at 5:50.
KU would regain the lead, but Duke led 68-67 at 4:22 on a bucket by Carter.
Duke guards Duval and Trent scored 13 and nine points respectively in the first half as the Blue Devils led 36-33 after 20 minutes. Duke hit just three of 15 threes and 41.7 percent of its shots overall the initial half.
KU was led by Graham, who had eight points, and Mykhailiuk and Newman, who had six apiece. Mykhailiuk had seven rebounds and Newman and Udoka Azubuike five as KU outrebounded Duke 24-18 the first half.
KU had 10 turnovers in the first half against Duke’s zone (Lagerald Vick had four), while Duke had seven turnovers. Azubuike picked up his second foul with 5:58 left in the half and Duke’s Wendell Carter his third with 8:36 remaining in the half. Villanova 71, Texas Tech 59 BOSTON – To advance to its second Final Four in the last three years, Villanova had to withstand the grinder that was the Texas Tech defense, needing to work for every point it could get.
The Wildcats took a 15-point lead early in the second half and watched it gradually diminish during a horrendous 3-for-20 shooting stretch over a span of more than 12 minutes. But they increased their own defensive intensity and hit their free throws down the stretch to defeat the Red Raiders and move on to San Antonio.
Villanova (34-4), the top seed in the East Regional and the 2016 national champion, will be playing the winner of Sunday’s other regional final game between Kansas and Duke in its third Final Four in the last 10 years.
The Wildcats shot a season-low 33.3 percent from the
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