The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Bluebloods Kansas, Duke square off with a trip to the Final Four at stake
OMAHA, Neb. — In a tournament defined by unpredictability, there will finally be a regional final that makes sense.
No. 1 Kansas and No. 2 Duke will square off in the Midwest final Sunday for the last spot in the Final Four — and the stakes are huge even by Elite Eight standards.
Mike Krzyzewski is looking to break UCLA legend John Wooden’s record of 12 Final Four appearances.
Kansas coach Bill Self, who recently joined Krzyzewski and Wooden in the Naismith Hall of Fame, is hoping to snap a two-year losing streak in regional finals and a 2-7 personal record in Elite Eights.
After scores of upsets produced some rather strange matchups elsewhere, it’ll be “Rock, Chalk, Jayhawk” vs. Coach K and the Blue Devils in a classic finale in Omaha.
“It’s great when you have two programs of this nature, this status in the history of our game play for a Final Four berth. I think it’s great for the sport,” Krzyzewski said.
As for the latest chapter in the Kansas-Duke series, the top-seeded Jayhawks (30-7) are more like a plucky underdog — at least by their high standards — while second-seeded Duke (29-7) and its cadre of ridiculously talented freshmen appear to be rounding into title-contending form. Duke is a betting favorite in the game even though it is the lower seed.
The Jayhawks have clawed their way into their third straight regional final as a No. 1 behind teamwork and a toughness that wasn’t
always there in the winter.
Their last two wins, over Seton Hall and Clemson, came by just 4 points apiece — but Kansas has won six straight postseason games after tearing through the Big 12 Tournament.
“It’ll be a tough game. But it’s going to be a fun game,” Self said. “We know we’ve got our hands full. But we like to think they have their hands full too.”
Duke cruised through to the Sweet 16, but then had to survive a furious challenge from ACC rival Syracuse and its bewildering 2-3 zone on Friday night. The young Blue Devils have flourished
under the leadership of senior captain Grayson Allen, who is 12-2 in the NCAA Tournament.
“We’re both here for a reason. It’ll be a good one,” Duke star Marvin Bagley III said.
Here are some of the story lines to look out for when the Blue Devils face the Jayhawks:
THE NUMBERS
Kansas is ranked second in all-time wins with 2,247, and Duke is fourth at 2,144. …The Jayhawks will be making their 22nd appearance in the Elite Eight, third-most in Division I history, while Duke will play in their 21st regional final. …The Blue Devils are
9-6 against No. 1 seeds …Kansas clinched its third consecutive 30-win season on Friday, a few hours before Krzyzewski picked up his 1,100th career victory. …Self is 2-5 in the Elite Eight at Kansas. But he also lost regional finals at Tulsa and Illinois before taking the KU job.