Perry Ellis Leads #8 Jayhawks over Longhorns, Maintains 1st Place in Big 12

College Hoops Player of the Day for Saturday, February 28, 2015

While Buddy Hield's double-double (21 pts., 13 rebs.) was leading Oklahoma to a 67-60 home win over TCU, the Kansas Jaywahks tightened their grip on the top spot in the Big 12 with a 69-64, come-from-behind win over visiting Texas.

Junior Perry Ellis kept the Jayhawks' a game ahead of the Sooners in the standings with a double-double of his own, scoring 28 points with 13 boards. Ellis wasn't especially sharp, but he kept shooting, hitting 9 of 21 shots from the field, and canned 10 of 12 free throws.

Ellis matched his season high in rebounds while setting a new season-high in scoring. He also blocked three shots and dished an assist in 38 minutes of playing time.

Kansas still has its hands full in its quest for the perennial Big 12 title. They face #20 West Virginia at home on March 3, and finish up the regular season at Oklahoma on March 7. The Jayhawks were upset, 62-61, by the Mountaineers back on February 16 and have a win in hand over Oklahoma, defeating the Sooners, 85-78, January 19.

Kansas stands at 12-4 in the conference. Oklahoma has a mark of 11-5. West Virginia, Baylor and Iowa State are tied for third place at 10-6, so the conference title remains largely up for grabs, setting the stage for one of the more contentious Big 12 tournaments in years.

Perry Ellis Leads Kansas Rout of TCU with 32 Points

College Hoops Player of the Day for Saturday, February 15, 2014

#7 Kansas bounced back from their 85-82 OT loss at Kansas State earlier in the week, continuing to lead the Big 12 with a 10-2 record after smashing up TCU, 95-65, Saturday afternoon.

Sophomore Perry Ellis scored a career-high 32 points on a night of nearly flawless sharp-shooting. 13-for-15 from the field (2-for-2 on threes) and 4-for-4 at the foul line, Ellis led the onslaught which broke wide open in the second half.

Kansas led by seven at the break, but outscored the Horned Frogs, 48-25 in the second half. Due to their overall size advantage, KU also had a huge, 35-18, rebounding edge, Ellis adding his eight to the total, along with five assists and a pair of steals.

Ellis is the second-leading scorer for the Jayhawks, at 14.5 points per game, behind Andrew Wiggins' 16.1.

The Jayhawks lead 10-3 Texas by a game in the conference.

Around the Top 25, #1 Syracuse defied NC State, getting a late steal and a C.J. Fair layup to win their 25th game without a loss, 56-55, at the Carrier Dome. #3 Florida shook off #14 Kentucky, getting a rare win at Rupp Arena, 69-59. The Gators have won 17 straight.

#8 Duke survived a scare at home to defeat a determined Maryland squad, 69-67. #5 San Diego State continues to steamroll through the Mountain West at 11-1 after defeating Air Force, 64-56.

Andrew Wiggins Scores 29 as Kansas Leads Big 12, Drops Iowa State, 92-81

College Hoops Player of the Day for Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Whenever the Big 12 is mentioned, the first word is usually Kansas, because the Jayhawks have dominated the conference for such a long time.

This season is no different, as the sixth-ranked Jayhawks are 7-0 in conference play after riding Andrew Wiggins' career-high 29 points to a 92-81 spanking of #16 Iowa State.

Wiggins, the sensational freshman who may also be mentioned in discussions concerning player of the year, hit 10 of 16 shots, including four of six from beyond the three-point line. He also canned five of six free throws and snatched seven rebounds. Wiggins leads Kansas in scoring, at 16.5 points per game.

Kansas led the entire game, starting with a Wiggins' three-pointer 38 seconds into the contest. The Jayhawks built a lead that grew as large as 16 points in the first half, though the Cyclones fought back to within a point before exiting the first half down 46-43.

All five Kansas starters were in double figures. Junior point guard, Naadir Tharpe, and freshman center, Joel Embiid, each registered double-doubles. Tharpe scored 12 points while dishing 12 assists; Embiid had 14 points and 11 boards.

The streaking Jayhawks haven't lost since opening 2014 with a 61-57 loss to San Diego State, their final non-conference game, on January 5th. Kansas next plays at #25 Texas on Saturday, February 1.

Andrew Wiggins, Kansas Rips Iowa State, 77-70; Goes to 3-0 in Big 12

College Hoops Player of the Day for Monday, January 13, 2014

Of all the freshmen making impacts in the NCAA this season, perhaps none is more intriguing than Ontario, Canada native, Andrew Wiggins of the Kansas Jayhawks.

Listed as a guard, at 6'8", there's no disguising the ability on the interior, as Wiggins displayed in many games this season, but most forcibly and recently in Monday's 77-70 victory on the road over #8 Iowa State, as the frosh phenom registered his second career double-double with 17 points and an amazing 19 rebounds.

While he didn't have his best game in terms of ball-handling - six turnovers - or shooting, Wiggins wiped the glass clean for Kansas, as the Jayhawks dominated their smaller opponents on the boards, 53-36. Wiggins had five on the offensive end and three assists, and, if he hadn't been inclined to shoot from long range - where he was just 1-for-5 - his overall shooting (7-for-16) wasn't that bad, 6-for-11 inside the arc.

The Jayhawks, ranked #15 in the nation, are still considered the class of the Big 12, despite their 12-4 record, as they're all alone atop the conference, at 3-0.

The competition, however, does not rest. Kansas next hosts #9 Oklahoma State on January 18, followed by another home game against #12 Baylor on the 20th.

NCAA Tourney: Friday Second Round Late Games Results

South Region

(15) Florida Gulf Coast 78 (2) Georgetown 68 - A number of expert college hoops handicappers called this one, and the Eagles, in their first ever NCAA tournament appearance, were good to the word. Georgetown trailed by double digits most of the game, but made it close late, only to watch Florida Gulf Coast's Sherwood Brown knock don his free throws to ice the game.

Brown finished with a game-high 24 points, followed by teammates Bernard Thompson - who had 23 - and Brett Comer, with a 12-point, 10-assist double-double. The biggest upset of the tournament was also one of the most entertaining games of the opening weekend. If you missed it, find a replay on the web. You will not be disappointed.

(8) North Carolina 78 (9) Villanova 71 - After taking a 12-point lead into the break, North Carolina held on against the Wildcats. The ACC-Big East match-up was a turnover festival, the two teams combining for 34 mistakes.

PJ Hairston was sharp for the Tar Heels, making five threes within 7-for-11 shooting for a game-high 23 points.

(3) Florida 79 (14) Northwestern State 47 - Regular season champions of the SEC, the Gators easily dispatched Northwestern State, holding the Demons to 36% from the floor. Erik Murphy led four Gators in double figures with 18 points. The Gators held a 38-20 edge on the boards.

(7) San Diego State 70 (10) Oklahoma 55

(1) Kansas 64 (16) Western Kentucky 57 - Top-seed kansas pushed to the limit by 16 seed Hilltoppers.

(11) Minnesota 83 (6) UCLA 63 - Tubby Smith's Golden Gophers took the measure of the Bruins in a big way. UCLA, the highest-seeded of the PAC-12 teams, is the first to go down. Andre Hollins led Minnesota with 28 points and nine rebounds.

West Region

(2) Ohio State 95 (15) Iona 70 - The Gaels wanted to play an up-tempo game, and the Buckeyes were more than willing to comply, putting up the highest total by any team thus far in the tourney. Deshaun Thomas led the way with 24 points, followed by sophomore Sam Thompson, who dazzled with 20 points and 10 boards.

(10) Iowa State 76 (7) Notre Dame 58 - Niang: 19 points.

Jeff Withey Leads Kansas to Rout of Texas Tech, 79-42

College Hoops Player of the Day for Monday, March 4, 2013

Texas Tech got a stark reminder of what happens when Kansas gets into its offense early and their perimeter players allow seven-foot Jeff Whithey to get loose inside.

Layups and dunks are the usual results... and a lopsided, 79-42 victory for the Jayhawks.

Withey led all scorers with 22 points, making seven of eight from the field, mostly in so close to the bucket that it would have been harder to miss than make the shots, and converted eight of nine from the charity stripe, a solid showing and a big asset for a big man.

The senior center also stepped outside for one three-point attempt and it too found the bottom of the net. It was his first and only three-point shot of the season, and probably his last, keeping his perfect record from beyond the arc intact.

Withey also grabbed nine boards, falling just short of what would have been his 13th double-double of the season.

The Jayhawks shot 53% for the game, holding the Red Raiders to just 26% on 14-for-53 shooting. Texas Tech also hit just one of 15 three-point shots.

Kansas, 14-3 in Big 12 play, has just one game left on their regular season schedule. They are home against Baylor this Saturday and can capture another conference title if second place Kansas State (13-3) stumbles at home against 1-15 TCU (unlikely) or loses at Oklahoma State this Saturday. The Cowboys will be looking to overturn an earlier, 73-67, Kansas State win.

Jayhawks End 3-Game Losing Streak as Ben McLemore Pumps in 30 for Win over K-State

College Hoops Player of the Day for Monday, February 11, 2013

A pair of games Monday matched up ranked teams in conference play.

At the Verizon Center in Washington DC, the #15 Georgetown Hoyas held off #18 Marquette, 63-55, despite shooting just 39% from the field. Marquette was sloppy with the ball, turning it over 19 times, and were also out-rebounded, 32-28, allowing 11 offensive boards by the Hoyas. Otto Porter scored 21 points for the Hoyas to lead all scorers.

Having lost three straight - the last two on the road at TCU and Oklahoma - the Kansas Jayhawks were pleased to be back at Allen Fieldhouse to face #10 Kansas State in an attempt to regain some winning form and hopefully tied the Wildcats for first place in the Big 12.

Freshman Ben McLemore provided ample firepower, making six of 10 from beyond the arc on 9-for-13 shooting overall in an 83-62 blowout.

McLemore was also a perfect 6-for-6 from the foul line and collected six rebounds en route to scoring an even 30 points.

Seven-footer, Jeff Whithey had his usual dominant inside game, scoring 17 points with 11 boards and five blocked shots. The Jayhawks fell from $5 in the nation last week to #14 in Monday's poll.

Monday's result produced a tie between the Jayhawks and Wildcats for the Big 12 lead, both teams at 8-3, with Oklahoma 1/2 game back with a 7-3 mark. The Jayhawks play at Oklahoma State, Wednesday, February 20, looing to erase their 85-80 loss to the Cowboys on February 2nd.

Jeff Withey's Triple-Double Leads #10 Jayhawks

College Hoops Player of the Day for Monday, November 26, 2012

Monday's sparse hardcourt activity saw the #10 Kansas Jayhawks improve to 5-1 with a 70-57 victory over San Jose State, the Spartans' failing effort led by James Kinney's game high 30 points.

While the Jayhawks encountered some difficulty containing the shot-happy Kinney (he took 26 of 65 Spartan shots, making 11), center Jeff Withey enjoyed life in the middle, coming up with a triple-double, scoring 16 points on 7-for-11 shooting, meanwhile ripping down a dozen rebounds and blocking the same number of San Jose State shots.

A seven-footer, Withey is considered to be one of the most solid interior players this season. The triple-double was the first of his four-year career at Kansas. Last season, he came within one block of the rare feat against Long Beach State, and, later, against staunch rival Kansas State.

The Jayhawks only loss was to Michigan State, a 67-64 defeat in which Withey was held to eight points and seven boards.

Kentucky Captures 8th National Championship with 67-59 Win over Kansas

After a grueling college basketball season and the rigors of the NCAA tourney, fans got the match-up they wanted when the Wildcats and Jayhawks met in the New Orleans Superdome to decide the national championship.

For Kentucky, the game broke down to a frenetic first half and a test of stamina and perseverance in the second, holding off a determined Kansas squad to capture its eighth title with a 67-59 victory.

Kentucky led by as many as 18 points in the first half, which ended with a 41-27 Wildcat advantage. The Wildcats were too quick for Kansas and pushed the ball upcourt with relentless ferocity and were also efficient with the basketball, making 16 of 30 field goal attempts (53%). Though they committed five first half turnovers, the Wildcats dished nine assists and out-rebounded Kansas, 22-14 through the first 20 minutes.

The Jayhawks struggled on offense, hitting just 33% of their first half shots (11-33) but picked up the scoring pace after the break, scoring the first three points of the second half to cut briefly into the Kentucky lead.

As had been their forte throughout the tournament, the Jayhawks deployed their defense to claw back into the fray, though this time they would come up short as Kentucky had forged too big a lead and was reluctant to slow the game down and offer any hope to the Kansans.

With 12:30 remaining, Kansas had cut the lead to 10 points, but Doron Lamb made two three-pointers within a 38 second span to give Kentukcy its largest second half lead, at 54-38.

Anthony Davis, who made only one field goal in the game but dominated the interior with a game high 16 rebounds and six blocks, hit a short baseline jumper with 5:10 left to boost Kentucky back to a 59-44 lead that signaled the end was in sight.

Kansas was relentless down the stretch, however, eventually cutting the lead down to five points when Thomas Robinson made a pair of free throws with 1:37 to go, but that was as close as the Jayhawks would get. Kentucky's Marcus Teague made two of three free throws and Lamb sunk a pair from the foul line with 17.5 seconds left to complete the scoring.

Elijah Johnson threw up a three-point attempt as time wound down, the ball suitably ending up in the hands of Davis as the final buzzer sounded.

Kentucky had survived, giving John Calipari the most cherished coaching prize in college basketball, his first national championship after three years of building the Kentucky program into an NBA feeding ground.

The scrambled second half took its toll on the stat sheet. Kentucky made just seven of 26 shots in the last 20 minutes, finishing with a shooting percentage of 41% for the game. Kansas shot just 35.5%, making 22 of 62 field goals attempts. Kentucky turned the ball over just 11 times - to nine for Kansas - and won the battle of the boards, 39-34.

Freshman Anthony Davis will not likely return to Kentucky, taking the route of winning the national title straight to the NBA, as did Carmello Anthony after his championship with Syracuse in 2002.

The Kentucky program may be decimated by the NBA draft, as, along with Davis, fellow freshmen Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Marquis Teague could also go pro. Sophomore Terrance Jones will almost certainly opt for an early exit as well, leaving only Lamb, a sophomore, as the only returnee from the starting five.

Leading all scorers with 22 points on 7-for-12 shooting, including three 3-pointers and 5 of 6 from the foul line, Doron Lamb's contribution cannot be understated. While Davis had one of his worst shooting performances (1-for-10) of his brief collegiate career, it was Lamb who picked up the scoring, with 12 in the first half and 10 in the second. He is College Basketball Daily's final player of the day for the 2011-12 season.

------------------------

Conference Tournament Scoreboard FINAL

With Kentucky's victory in the final, the SEC proved to be the best conference through the tournament, racking up an impressive 11-3 record. with the Big Ten and Big 12 also putting in impressive performances. With nine losses and just 14 wins, maybe it's time for the selection committee to pare down the number of Big East teams invited next season, though Louisville may argue with that scenario.

The worst record was that of the Mountain West, which sent four teams but won just one game (New Mexico). The PAC-12 sent just two teams - Cal and Colorado - and won only one game, that being Colorado's win over UNLV, while Cal fell in one of the play-in games, to South Florida.

2012-2013 will see a good number of teams shifting of conferences, but clearly, the best basketball is being played East of the Mississippi, primarily in the heartland, mid-atlantic and mid-southern states.

Through games of Monday, April 2

Conference	W	L
Atlantic-10	4	4
ACC	6	5
Big East	14	9
Big Ten	11	5
Big 12	10	7
Conf-USA	0	2
Missouri Valley	1	2
Mountain West	1	4
Ohio Valley	1	1
PAC-12	1	2
SEC	11	3
West Coast	2	3
All others	7	20

NCAA Final Preview: Kansas- Kentucky Final One for the Ages

NCAA National Championship - Kentucky Wildcats vs. Kansas Jayhawks - 9:23 pm EDT

Just in case you've been asleep under a rock the past month, tonight's the night, the BIG ONE, for all the college hoops marble, the national championship final pitting the Kentucky Wildcats against the Kansas Jayhawks.

They are the two winningest programs in collage basketball. Kentucky has 2,089 victories all-time, while Kansas is a close second with 2070.

Without a doubt, this one will be a thriller. It has all the elements of a classic that will be looked back upon when maybe half a dozen of the players on the court tonight will be NBA stars.

Two of the greatest college hoops programs feature two exceptional coaches. Kansas' Bill Self has done nothing but win in his nine years with the Jayhawks, compiling a record of 269 wins and 52 losses, a winning percentage of .839, seven straight Big 12 regular season championships and five Big 12 tournament titles, a national championship in 2008 and his second trip to the Final Four.

John Calipari, coach of the Kentucky Wildcats, has had his sights set on winning a national championship since he set foot on the Kentucky campus in 2009. In three season, Coach Cal has produced a record of 101-14, winning the SEC championship each year and is making his second straight Final Four appearance.

The teams are highly regarded, as Kentucky owns the best overall record this season at 37-2, while Kansas went through the 2011-12 season with a 32-6 tally. Both teams lost in their conference tournaments, Kentucky falling to Vanderbilt in the SEC final, while the Jayhawks were ousted from the Big 12 tourney by Baylor in a semi-final meeting.

Featured in the game will be the two leading player of the year candidates, Kentucky's Anthony Davis and Kansas' Thomas Robinson. Freshman Davis averages 14 points and 10 rebounds and is a shot-blocking specialist, setting the single-season record for blocked shots. Robinson is the complete power forward, averaging 17.9 points and 11.6 boards.

While those two will almost certainly wage a battle royal in the lane, their running mates, UK forward Terrance Jones and Kansas 7-footer Jeff Withey will also play key roles, while the backcourt battle between point guards Tyshawn Taylor and Marcus Teague will be a determinant of which team gets the better scoring opportunities.

The two teams met back in November, with Kentucky taking a 75-65 win at Kansas, though the outcome of that game is nearly meaningless five months later. Both teams have matured and dominated their opponents since, and there is nary a weakness on either squad.

Nationally televised by CBS, the Wildcats are the bettors' choice, having been installed as 6 1/2 point favorites in most popular venues.

Anthony Davis Leads Kentucky over Louisville; Kansas Shoots Down Ohio State; Kansas-Kentucky Final Monday Night

College Hoops Player of the Day for Saturday, March 31, 2012

National Semi-Final: Kentucky 79 Louisville 71 - The highly-anticipated Final Four meeting between Louisville and Kentucky lived up to its billing, but in the end, Kentucky forward Anthony Davis proved virtually unstoppable.

Kentucky led almost the entire game, though the Cardinals mounted a second-half rally that eventually tied the game, but the Wildcats always had an answer, even under pressure situations. Usually, that answer was Davis, who led the Wildcats with 19 points and 14 rebounds, reaching the national championship game for the first time since they won it all in 1998.

Davis had all his stuff working in the win, hitting seven of nine shots from the field and adding four of six from the foul line. On defense, he made the lane a no-driving zone for the Cardinals, blocking five shots, but mostly just imposing his presence in the middle, forcing Louisville into a shooting nightmare of 35% for the game while the Wildcats were hoisting it at a 57% clip.

Despite losing the rebounding battle, 37-32, and Louisville's 16 offensive boards, the Cardinals were forced into tough second-chance shots, many of which realistically had no chance of finding the inside of the rim.

For Louisville head coach Rick Pitino, the irony was bitter, because the last time the Wildcats won the national championship he was their head coach.

John Calipari, who has guided Kentucky to a 37-2 record, has to work his coaching magic for just one more game in order to fulfill his goal of winning a national title. Calipari has coached Kentucky for three seasons, but this team, despite its youth, appears to have all the elements necessary to complete the task and cut down the nets when they face the Kansas Jayhawks Monday night.


National Semi-Final: Kansas 64 Ohio State 62 - Kansas roared back in the second half, erasing a 34-25 Ohio State half time lead, to win their Final Four meeting with the Buckeyes and proceed to the national championship game with Kentucky Monday night.

The Jayhawks couldn't get into a smooth offense in the first half, eventually falling behind by as many as 13 points as Jared Sullinger and Ohio State stormed to what appeared to be an insurmountable lead.

Kansas head coach Bill Self never lost faith in his players' abilities and the Jayhawks used pressure defense in the final 20 minutes to force Ohio State into mistakes and tough shooting chances. Though the game had a helter-skelter quality to it throughout, Kansas kept pressing until finally taking the lead for good with 1.35 left when Travis Relaford calmly tossed in two free throws to give the Jayhawks a 60-59 advantage. A driving layup by Elijah Johnson off a Jeff Withey blocked shot gave Kansas a 62-59 lead with 1:08 to play.

Ohio State eventually cut the lead back to one at 62-61 on a William Buford dunk, but there were only nine ticks left on the clock by then. The Buckeyes fouled Tyshawn Taylor with seven seconds to go, and the senior nailed both freebies to put the Jayhawks back up by three.

With time running down, Kansas chose to foul Aaron Craft, sending him to the line for a 1-and-1. Craft made the front end and purposely missed the second shot and was called for a lane violation as he raced in after his purposeful miss.

With just 2.5 on the clock, Kansas quickly inbounded the ball and the confused Ohio State players failed ot foul, ending the game and sending Kansas back to the championship game for the second time in five years. The Jawhawks won the national championship in 2008, giving Self his first title. The Jayhawks-Wildcats showdown Monday will feature two of the most storied programs in college basketball history.

Kansas will be seeking its fourth tournament championship and sixth overall. Kentucky has won the championship tourney seven times and was also national champion in 1933.

Game time for the final game of the college basketball season is set for an opening tip at 9:23 pm EDT, Monday, April 2nd. The game will be televised nationally by CBS.

Final Four Preview: Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Kansas Jayhawks

National Semi-Final, Saturday, March 31

(2) Ohio State (31-7) vs. (2) Kansas (31-6), 8:49 pm EDT - The second game of the Final Four is likely to be a battle down to the final buzzer, as both Kansas and Ohio State have done everything needed to reach the penultimate game of the 2012 NCAA Tournament.

The Buckeyes, headed by coach Thad Motta, with a career coaching record of 323–95 (.773) and 221–64 (.775) at Ohio State, will be coaching in his second Final Four game, after getting Butler, Xavier and the Buckeyes into the tournament eight times, reaching the championship game in 2007, when they lost, 84-75, to the Florida Gators.

For Kansas, coach Bill Self has distinguished himself as one of the nation's finest coaches, having taken over the KU program from Roy Williams following the 2002-03 season. In his nine years at Kansas, Self has produced an outstanding record of 268–52 (.838), having won the national championship with the Jayhawks in 2007-08. He has a career mark of 475–157 (.752).

On the court, battles will rage in both the front and back courts, as these two teams are about as evenly matched as any contest in the tournament.

Up front, the Buckeyes feature the burly Jared Sullinger, a strong scorer in the paint and a ferocious rebounder, who leads the team in both scoring and rebounding at 17.6 points and 9.3 boards per game. Aside him will be 6'7" sophomore, Deshaun Thomas, who has flourished in Motta's free-flowing system. Thomas, a big time scoring threat is dangerous from just about anywhere on the court, but his best forte may be from the seven to ten foot range, where he can either nail jumpers or back opponents into the paint.

Contesting the boards with Thomas and Sullinger will be Kansas' star Thomas Robinson, who, like Sullinger, leads his team in scoring and rebounding, with 17.9 points and 11.8 rebounds per game. His wingman is 6'11" Jeff Withey, a shot-blocking machine who is not a great rebounder, but has shown more than adequate ability in the low post.

The back court battle will be vied by the two point guards - Ohio State's Aaron Craft and Kansas specialist Tyshawn Taylor. Craft, more of a defensive specialist, will be on curt for almost the entire duration, trying to stay in front of Taylor, who is a slick dribbler and excellent finisher at the rim.

Role players will be vital to each team. For the Buckeyes, William Buford is the best pure shooter of the starters, and he will be joined by Lenzelle Smith Jr. a slasher with good inside moves and a nice shooting touch.

Opposing them for Kansas, Elijah Johnson will be a key player, as he has been throughout the tourney, providing key baskets at critical moments. He's very much like Smith, though probably has more offensive potential than his Ohio State foe. Travis Releford doesn't do much scoring, but he's a capable passer and strong rebounder for the Jayhawks.

Another player to watch is Ohio State's Even Ravenel, who has performed quite well when spelling either Sullinger or Thomas.

For an idea of how close this match-up is, the statistics tell the story. Ohio State is 35th nationally in scoring at 75.1 points per contest, 57th in rebounding, at 36.8 and 12th in the nation in field goal percentage, stroing it at a .486 clip. The Jayhawks are 36th in scoring (75.0), 54th in rebounding (36.9) and shoot a field goal percentage of .485, 14th nationally.

Las Vegas has installed the Buckeyes as a 2 1/2 point favorite, but this one is really up for grabs.

Tyshawn Taylor Lifts Jayhawks into Final Four

College Hoops Player of the Day for Sunday, March 25, 2012

Experience matters in almost every walk of life, but Tyshawn Taylor's four years of tutelage under coach Bill Self at Kansas paid huge dividends for the senior guard as he lifted his team past North Carolina and into the NCAA Final Four.

Taylor was the catalyst in the Jayhawks' 80-67 win in the the Midwest regional final. It didn't hurt that North Carolina's regular point guard, Kendall Marshall had been sidelined with a fractured wrist, leaving Taylor one-on-one for much of the game with less-capable replacements - Stilman White and Justin Watts - who together tallied just nine points for the Tar Heels.

Able to guard players with limited understanding of North Carolina's attack, Taylor was able to pick off five steals, and snatch six rebounds while the bigs battled under the hoop, while on the offensive end he scored a game high 22 points and dished out five assists to grateful teammates.

Playing all but four minutes of the game, Taylor slowed Carolina's offense and while he was 0-for-5 from three-point range, he was effective otherwise, hitting 10 of 19 shots from the field and turning the ball over just three times.

Kansas will face the East region's Ohio State in Saturday's semi-final in a battle of #2 seeds. Ohio State, like Kansas, defeated their region's #1 in the regional final - in Ohio State's case, Syracuse - to advance to New Orleans.

Kansas Punches Out Tar Heels, Heads to Final Four

Midwest Regional Final

(2) Kansas 80, (1) North Carolina 67 - The loss of Kendall Marshall turned out to be an achilles heel for North Carolina as they could not make plays down the stretch and Kansas overwhelmed the Tar Heels late, en route to a date with Ohio State in the Final Four.

A frenetic first half ended in a 47-47 tie. Thomas Robinson led all scorers with 14 first-half points, James Michael MacAdoo had 10 for Carolina; Tyler Zeller and Harrison Barnes, 8 apiece. Kansas made a 12-2 run to lead, 40-33, but Carolina quckly scored eight straight to grab a brief, 41-40 advantage.

Kansas set the tone for the second half by scoring the first seven points and held the lead throughout most of the period. Elijah Johnson broke the game open with a 3-pointer at 3:09, followed by Tyshawn Taylor's layup and 3-point play, then a Travis Relaford dunk gave Kansas a nine-point lead - their largest of the game to that point - with just 1:28 to play.

Carolina could not muster any offense in the final minutes. Kansas ended the game on a 12-0 run, holding North Carolina scoreless for the final 3:58. Taylor led all scorers with 22 points, plus six rebounds, five assists and five steals. The Jayhawk big men dominated inside. Jeff Withey had 15 points and eight rebounds. Thomas Robinson scored 18, with nine boards.

Kansas will face East region #2 seed Ohio State in the Final Four at New Orleans next Saturday in one of two semi-final games.

Kentucky is the sole #1 seed remaining. Ohio State and Kansas are both 2-seeds, while Louisville was the #4 seed from the West.

NCAA Tournament Regional Semi-Final Results and Recaps, Late Friday Games

South Region

(1) Kentucky 102, (4) Indiana 90 - The Kentucky Wildcats prevailed in a game played at a breakneck pace from start to finish and avenged one of just two losses suffered this season by taking Indiana out of the tournament.

The Wildcats advanced to a Sunday regional final against third-seeded Baylor, which took down Xavier in the region's earlier semi-final.

Indiana's Christian Watford led all scorers with 27 points, but Kentucky's Michael Kidd-Gilchrist equalled his career high with 24 points and had 10 rebounds.


Midwest Region

(2) Kansas 60, (11) NC State 57 - Elijah Johnson scored a layup off an inbounds pass to put Kansas up 60-57 with 13.5 seconds to play, and NC State could not respond in the final seconds as the Kansas Jayhawks advanced to the regional final to face the North Carolina Tar Heels on Sunday.

Thomas Robinson led the Jayhawks with 18 points and 15 rebounds. Jeff Withey had a career high 10 blocked shots. Kansas barely survived a poor shooting night, making just one of 14 three-pointers and shooting only 37.5% for the entire game. The Jayhawks were only 11-20 from the foul line, but held the Wolfpack to 28% from the field.

Conference Tourneys UPDATE: Key games, 3/8/2012

Big Ten: Indiana 75 Penn State 58 - While the Hoosiers won this one easily, it was not all fun and games as senior guard Verdell Jones crashed to the floor, screaming and clutching his right knee with 5:45 left in the first half. Team officials say Jones suffered a sprained knee, but it sure looked worse than that. Will update as better information becomes available.

Big 12: Kansas 83 Texas A&M 66 - The #4 Jayhawks got 26 points from Elijah Johnson, built a 12-point lead at the half and expanded it in the second. The Jayhawks, ranked 3rd nationally, will face #12 Baylor on Friday at 7:30 pm ET.

Big East: Cincinnati 72 Georgetown 70 - Yancy Gates led all scorers with 23 points and had eight rebounds as the Bearcats eliminated the #13 Hoyas and will face #2 Syracuse in a semi-final game at 7:00 pm ET Friday.

Mountain West: San Diego State 65 Boise State 62 - The #18 Azetcs weren't supposed to be tested in the opening round of their conference tournament, but they managed to squeak past Boise St. on Jamaal Franklin's buzzer beating three-pointer as time expired. Franklin finished with 19 points. Teammate Chase Tapley led all scorers with 20, on 8 of 14 shooting with four threes. San Diego State shot 51% to Boise's 43%, but were out-rebounded 31-22.

Tyshawn Taylor Scores 27; Kansas Wins Big 12

College Hoops Player of the Day for Monday, February 27, 2012

Tyshawn Taylor pumped in 27 points as Kansas overwhelmed Oklahoma State late, 70-58, capturing their 8th straight Big 12 regular season crown. Kansas shared the title in 2005, 2006 and 2008.

The Jayhawks improved to 25-5 overall and 15-2 in the conference with just one game to play - against Texas, March 3 - well clear of their closest pursuer, 12-4 Missouri.

Taylor scored 10 straight points during a stretch late in the second half which helped seal the win. The senior guard hit on 10 of 15 shots, making 4 of 7 from three-point distance.

With the win, Kansas is assured of a #1 seed heading into the conference tournament and has a solid chance at being a #1 seed in the NCAA tourney.

Anthony Davis, Thomas Robinson Power Wildcats, Jayhawks to Wins

College Hoops Player of the Day for Saturday, February 25, 2012

With just two weeks to go before selection Sunday, there were plenty of surprises and hard-earned wins on the hardwoods of America on Saturday, though the finest performances were secured by two big men who will likely be 1-2 in voting for college player of the year, Kentucky's Anthony Davis and Kansas forward, Thomas Robinson.

Davis led the top-ranked Kentucky Wildcats to an 83-74 win over a testy Vanderbilt bunch which pushed them until the very end. Scoring a game high 28-points, Davis was 10-for-11 from the field and 8-for-9 from the foul line, to go with 11 rebounds and six blocked shots. His 28 points surpassed his career high of 27 scored against Arkansas earlier in the season. It was his 12th double-double of the season.

Kentucky's win was its 20th straight and 14th without a loss in the SEC. The victory, coupled with Florida's 76-62 loss at Georgia, earned the Wildcats their 45th regular season conference title and second under coach Calipari.

The Wildcats have just two games remaining on the conference schedule - at home against Georgia, March 1, and at Florida on March 4. Should they win both, they would become just the third Kentucky squad to finish the SEC season without a loss. The 1996 team won the national championship, while the 2003 unit were taken out in the regional semi-final.

Kentucky will almost certainly take one of the four #1 seeds in the NCAA tourney and very likely could be the #1 overall seed.

At Kansas, Thomas Robinson led the Jayhawks back from a 19-point deficit with 28 points and 12 rebounds to take down Missouri in overtime, 87-86, in a fitting finale to one of college basketball's fiercest rivalries.

The Jayhawks and Tigers have been going at it on the courts since 1907. The game was the 267th time the two Big 12 contestants have met, and, with Missouri joining the SEC next season, possibly the last. The two teams, which have split wins on their home courts this season, may meet again in the conference tournament.

Robinson led the Kansas comeback on 10 of 21 shooting and an 8-for-9 effort from the stripe. He also had 12 boards, for his 20th double-double as the Jayhawks all but sewed up the Big 12 title. Robinson has scored in double figures in every game this season except one, a December 29 rout of Howard in which he played only 22 minutes and tallied nine points.

#4 Kansas, 24-5 and 14-2 in conference play, has just two regular season games remaining, at Oklahoma State on February 27 and at home for Texas on March 3. They lead the 12-4 Tigers by two games in the standings. Missouri is ranked 3rd in the latest AP poll and is 25-4 overall.

NOTABLE: Among the upsets dotting the college hoops landscape on Saturday were St. John's taking down #20 Notre Dame, 61-58; St. Joseph's taking out #22 Temple, 82-72; and TCU knocking off #24 New Mexico, 83-64. Since back-to-back wins over Mountain West powerhouses, UNLV and San Diego State, the Lobos have lost two straight, both on the road. The conference is deadlocked with New Mexico, UNLV and San Diego State all posting 8-4 marks, with TCU a game back at 7-5.

#2 Syracuse wrapped up the Big East regular season crown with a 71-69 victory at Connecticut, their ninth under head coach Jim Boeheim. The Orange are 29-1 and 16-1 in the Big East, their best marks ever. The win also secured a double bye in the upcoming conference tournament which Syracuse has won five times, all under the tutelage of coach Boeheim.

Jeff Withey Powers #4 Kansas Past K-State, 59-53

College Hoops Player of the Day for Monday, February 13, 2012

Jeff Withey came within one blocked shot of a triple-double in Kansas' 59-53 road win over Kansas State. The 7-foot junior center tied his season high with nine blocks, while scoring 18 points and snatching 11 rebounds as #4 Kansas improved to 21-5, taking over sole possession of first place in the Big 12 with a 1/2 game lead over idle Missouri at 11-2.

The Jayhawks had their lowest scoring output of the season against the gritty Wildcat defense, shooting just 40% from the field, but held Kansas State to 31% shooting. Tyshawn Taylor scored 20 for Kansas, tying him for game-high honors with Kansas State's Jamar Samuels.

With Thomas Robinson saddled with foul problems for a portion of the second half, Withey provided some key buckets, going 6-for-8 from the field and also hit the offensive boards hard, getting 6 offensive rebounds.

Kansas should continue to roll towards its February 25th showdown with Missouri. The two games prior to that are against the two bottom teams in the Big 12, Texas Tech (1-11) on February 18, and at 3-9 Texas A&M on the 22nd.

NOTABLE: #2 Syracuse gutted out a 52-51 defensive win at #19 Louisville, snapping a seven game losing streak to the Cardinals dating back to 2006. The two teams meet again in their seasonal finale on March 3.

Thomas Robinson and Jeff Whithey Power Jayhawks Past Cowboys; No Shortage of Top 25 Upsets on Saturday

College Hoops Player of the Day for Saturday, February 11, 2012

The Big 12 looks like it's going to come down to just two teams from bordering states - Kansas and Missouri - for the regular season, conference tournament title and a likely #1 seeding from the NCAA tournament committee.

While Missouri was all over Baylor on Saturday, whipping the Bears by a 72-57 score, the Jayhawks used their superior size inside to bury Oklahoma State, 81-66.

Kansas, ranked 7th nationally, raced off to a 51-24 lead at intermission and coasted to the easy win behind 24 points and 14 rebounds from Thomas Robinson and 18 points and 20 boards by Jeff Whithey.

The Jayhawks improved to 20-5 and 12-2 in the Big 12, tied with Missouri (23-2, 10-2) atop the conference standings. Missouri won the first meeting between the two squads, winning 74-71 at home on February 4, but the return engagement will be at Kansas, two Saturdays away, on February 25.

NOTABLE: There was plenty of Top 25 action around the country, and no shortage of upsets, including #11 Michigan State's 58-48 win over #3 Ohio State, Princeton's 70-62 victory over #25 Harvard and Tennessee's 75-70 win at #8 Florida.

Georgia whipped home-standing #20 Mississippi State in overtime, 70-68, and unranked Wichita State retained sole possession of first place in the Missouri Valley conference with a determined, 89-68, win at #15 Creighton, losers of three straight and in second place in the standings.

The Shockers should get more than enough votes to place in Monday's fresh poll, as they are 23-4 overall and 13-2 in the conference, winning their last four and 12 of their last 13.