Kansas tops Villanova in Final Four rematch
LAWRENCE, KAN. >> Lagerald Vick had never watched last season’s Final Four loss to Villanova before this week, when top-ranked Kansas had to endure every minute of it while prepping for Saturday’s game against the Wildcats.
“We watched it for like, a week straight,” Vick said. “It was definitely hard.”
He’ll have better memories of the rematch.
Vick poured in 29 points Saturday, Dedric Lawson added 28 points and 12 rebounds, and both helped the Jayhawks make just enough free throws in the closing minutes to hold off the No. 17 Wildcats 74-71 in a game that was nipand-tuck almost the entire way.
Devon Dotson added 11 points for the Jayhawks, including four effortless free throws in the final 1:10 to help Kansas (9-0) end a three-game losing streak to Villanova — the last two in the NCAA Tournament.
“This atmosphere was just awesome,” Wildcats coach Jay Wright. “We played a great program, just a great atmosphere — tough game — and they just did a great job getting Lagerald Vick in spots where he wanted it, and Dedric Lawson, you know you’re not going to shut them out.”
Still, the Wildcats (8-4) had chances in the final couple minutes.
Collin Gillespie’s three-point play drew them within 69-65 with 31 seconds left, and Vick gave them an opening when he threw the ball away on the ensuing inbounds play. But Vick atoned for the mistake by pulling down a defensive rebound, and then calmly made a pair of free throws at the other end.
Phil Booth’s deep, line-drive 3 got Villanova within 71-68, and after Lawson made the second of two foul shots for a 72-68 lead, Booth added another driving layup to trim the deficit to two.
Lawson added two more free throws to restore a 72-68 lead with 7.5 seconds left, and Gillespie was fouled at the other end. He made the first but was forced to miss the second on purpose, and the ball squirted toward the Wildcats’ bench, where a scrum ultimately gave Kansas the ball with 0.4 seconds left.
Once the Jayhawks inbounded the ball, they finally had a longawaited win over the Wildcats. Even if it came with far less on the line.
Booth finished with 29 points for the Wildcats. Eric Paschall scored 17 but was rendered ineffective down the stretch because of foul trouble, and Gillespie finished with 15 but was just 1 for 7 from 3-point range.
(3) TENNESSEE 102, MEMPHIS 92 >> Admiral Schofield scored 20 of his 29 points in the second half and added 11 rebounds as Tennessee (8-1) snapped a three-game skid to its in-state rival Memphis (5-5). (5) MICHIGAN 70, WESTERN MICHIGAN 62 >> Charles Matthews made a layup just before halftime to give Michigan (11-0) its first lead, and the smooth-shooting guard matched a season high with 25 points to help the undefeated Wolverines beat Western Michigan (5-5).
(14) BUFFALO 73, SOUTHERN ILLINOIS 65 >> Nick Perkins had 20 points and 11 rebounds, and Buffalo (10-0) beat Southern Illinois (7-5). (15) OHIO STATE 73, BUCKNELL 71 >> Kaleb Wesson had a career-high 20 points and Ohio State (9-1) held off a comeback bid by Bucknell (4-4). (19) KENTUCKY 88, UTAH 61 >> Freshman Keldon Johnson scored 24 points, including five 3-pointers in the first half, and Kentucky (82) beat Utah (4-5).
(23) FURMAN 93, UNC WILMINGTON 50>> Clay Mounce tied his career high with 26 points and had 10 rebounds as Furman ran past UNC Wilmington (4-7), moving to 12-0. OLD DOMINION 68, (25) SYRACUSE 62>> B.J. Stith scored all of his 18 points in the second half, and Old Dominion (8-3) overcame an 11-point second-half deficit to stun Syracuse (7-3).
(25) INDIANA 71, BUTLER 68 >> Rob Phinisee hit a deep, buzzer-beating 3-pointer, and Juwan Morgan scored a career-high 35 points to give the Indiana (9-2) a victory over Butler (73) in the Crossroads Classic.