Kansas, Miami reach Elite Eight
CHICAGO — The Providence Friars relish close games because all season they’ve thrived when the margin is tight. Some call it luck. They believe it’s skill. And here in the Sweet 16, they turned a lopsided start against Kansas into one of those nail-biting finishes. But as the final minutes ticked off the clock at the United Center, the Friars had too much to overcome and not enough time to rally against the Jayhawks, who had already generated a critical late burst on their way to a 66-61 victory.
With both teams struggling offensively, the No. 1-seeded Jayhawks survived the Friars’ comeback attempt and advanced to the Elite Eight, where they will meet No. 10 Miami.
As college basketball fans focus on Mike Krzyzewski’s final postseason, top-seeded Gonzaga’s unsuccessful run toward redemption and the miracle Elite Eight berth for Saint Peter’s, this Kansas team has quietly become the lone No. 1 seed remaining.
Despite dreadful shooting in the first half and Kansas’s 13-point lead with less than 15 minutes to go, Providence had managed to push ahead when Noah Horchler made a layup with 5:49 remaining.
The Jayhawks responded with a 7-0 burst, and in the final minutes, Providence cut the lead to four points multiple times but could never climb closer.
“I saw how excited they were getting,” Kansas forward Jalen Wilson said. “They started to talk a little bit. I’m so confident in me and my team that I know that fuels us just as much. And plus, we never get rattled.”
Horchler missed a threepointer that could have trimmed Providence’s deficit to two with 28 seconds to go.
From there, the fourthseeded Friars relied on fouling between a few successful possessions.
They held on to a sliver of hope that faded as Kansas delivered at the free throw line.
Martin, who played the past four seasons at Arizona State, had spent nearly a month this season on the bench while dealing with a bone bruise in his knee.
Until the postseason, he hadn’t scored in double digits since December. But now he’s healthy and surging, resembling the version of himself who averaged nearly 20 points in the previous two seasons.
“He’s playing with so much confidence, and we love it,” Wilson said.
The Jayhawks shot only 39.3 percent from the field, but Martin, a backup point guard who’s been electric lately, scored 23 points to lead Kansas to continue his strong run.
He scored 20 points in the Jayhawks’ previous game, and he’s now had five straight games in double figures.
Kansas guard Ochai Agbaji, a national player of the year finalist, scored just five points on 2-for-8 shooting, but he had a highlightreel lob dunk with 2:57 remaining that extended the lead to seven.
“I thought we played our hardest right to the end,” Providence coach Ed Cooley said. “I thought we responded. And I couldn’t be more proud.”
MIAMI 70, IOWA ST. 56
Kameron McGusty scored 27 points and the Hurricanes advanced to the Elite Eight for the first time, using its swarming defense to beat the Cyclones.
Jordan Miller added 16 points on 6-of-6 shooting as No. 10 seed Miami more than held its own in a matchup of two of the tourney’s most suffocating defenses. The 11th-seeded Cyclones shot 32 percent from the field in the second half and finished with 18 turnovers.
With Charlie Moore directing the attack in his hometown, the Hurricanes (26-10) got their first win in the school’s fourth appearance in the Sweet 16. Next up is No. 1 seed Kansas on Sunday for a spot in the Final Four.
Iowa State (22-13) rode its hard-nosed defense into the Midwest Region semifinals after it had just two wins last season. The Cyclones forced 14 turnovers after Miami turned it over seven times in the first two rounds, but the Hurricanes shot 46 percent from the field
Gabe Kalscheur scored 13 points for Iowa State, and freshman Tyrese Hunter had 13 points and seven assists. Izaiah Brockington finished with 11 points and seven rebounds.