VILLANOVA & KANSAS: LAST 1’s IN
KU survives in OT after Duke’s regulation miss
OMAHA, Neb. — Grayson Allen curled to the left side of the lane, jumped and kicked out his left leg a bit as he let fly the shot that would send Duke to the Final Four over two Kansas defenders. With the clock showing less than a second left in regulation, the ball teasingly bounced off the backboard, hit the front of the rim, bounced off the backboard and rim once more — and swirled out to the right.
“I thought it was in,” star big man Marvin Bagley III said. So did Allen, who watched as the ball fell away. Sunday’s game stayed tied at 72 and was headed for overtime.
Kansas’ Malik Newman, the Midwest Region Most Outstanding player, took over from there, and the Jayhawks won 85-81. Season over for Duke. Career over for Allen.
“Yeah, that thing rolled around the rim about four times,” Allen said. “I thought it was going in. It’s not a good feeling.”
Allen never found his rhythm in Omaha. He was 7 for 28 in games against Syracuse and Kansas, 5 for 23 on 3-pointers. He made clutch free throws late in regulation to keep the Blue Devils tied or in the lead against Kansas.
His only field goal since the first half, though, was a meaningless 3-pointer four seconds before Kansas started celebrating its victory. Allen’s four seasons at Duke were over, and off the court walked — depending on your perspective — one of the most reviled or celebrated college basketball players in America.
“It’s like a shock to your body because you don’t plan for a loss,” Allen said. “You expect to keep going and going. Then it’s so abrupt when it hits you. It’s over. I can’t really wrap my head around it yet.”
Kansas is going back to the Final Four. It’s hard to argue that Duke shouldn’t be headed there as well after the most riveting show of the NCAA Tournament.
Newman and the top-seeded Jayhawks got past their Elite Eight roadblock to clinch the program’s first trip to the Final Four since 2012. Newman scored all 13 of the Jayhawks’ points in OT and finished with a career-high 32 to lead Kansas (31-7).
The Jayhawks will face fellow top seed Villanova on Saturday in San Antonio — the site of KU’s last title over Memphis in 2008 — after snapping a two-game skid in the 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).”
This was college basketball at its best, two bluebloods trading blows for 45 minutes in what was arguably the best game of March so far, one that featured 18 lead changes and 11 ties.
“It was an honor to play in this game,” said Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski, who remained tied with UCLA legend John Wooden with 12 Final Four appearances. “I think both teams were deserving of winning.”
Newman, a redshirt sophomore who came on late this season, drilled his fifth and final 3 from the corner to make it 81-78 with 1:49 left. Newman followed with four straight free throws, and the Jayhawks’ defense stiffened enough to knock the favored Blue Devils out of the tournament.
Trevon Duval scored 20 points, two shy of a career high, for Duke. Freshman star and future lottery pick Marvin Bagley added 16 points and 10 rebounds in what could have been his final game for the Blue Devils (29-8), who fell shy of their first Final Four trip since winning the national title in 2015.