Jayhawks overcome Wolfpack
ST. LOUIS— Few things have come easily to the kansas Jay hawks during a season in which they had to replace a trio of players who bolted to then ba and survive the rise of an onslaught of new contenders in the big 12.
So maybe it was fitting that the secondseeded Jayhawks were barely able to get past no. 11N.C. State on friday night, giving the wolf pack a hand ful of game-tying attempts in the game’s final half-minute before finally sealing a 60-57 Ncaa mid-west region semi-final win.
It wasn’t until wolf pack forward Richard howell launched an air-ball 3-pointer as time expired that the Jayhawks could finally breathe easily.
Kansas led 58-52 with less than three minutes to play, but N.C. State managed to rally, closing to58-57 on ac.j. Williams dunk with 1:06 left.
Suddenly, the jay hawks seemed to be in serious trouble. Their next possession ended with Elijah Johnson launching a desperation halfcourt heave of a three with the shot clock dying, and N.C. State had a handful of possible tries to take the lead.
However, Scottwood’s 3-point try was off, and C.J. Leslie’s layup was rejected, which led to one final insurance bucket by Kansas. On an out-of-bounds play under the basket with 14 seconds left, Hoboken product Tyshawn Taylor found a cutting Johnson for a layup, giving the Jayhawks a 60-57 advantage.
Seconds later, Wood, trying to free himself for a three along the baseline, stepped out of bounds while catching a pass, giving the ball back to Kansas before Howell’s desperation three.
Thomas Robinson led Kansas (30-6), which faces UNC in Sunday’s regional final, with 18 points and 15 rebounds. Teammate Jeff wi they blocked 10 shots to finish one shy of then caa tournament record.
Leslie had18 forn.c. State (24-13).