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Tough birds: KU stuns Ohio State, will play for title

21.05.12

Kansas&#x92; 64-62 victory over Ohio State in the national semifinals on Saturday could be offered as the most improbable of its NCAA Tournament journey.</p><p>The next one seems impossible. But if there&#x92;s a lesson to the Jayhawks&#x92; run, it&#x92;s never to count them out.</p><p>&#x93;Oh, nobody outside of the Jayhawk Nation thinks we can win that one,&#x94; Kansas assistant coach Barry Hinson said. &#x93;And maybe some of them &#x85; &#x94;</p><p>The next task is top-ranked Kentucky on Monday night for the national championship, an occasion that came about by another amazing performance by the Jayhawks.</p><p>Not amazing as in well played, but by adding another game of looking at times dead in the water and coming out on top.</p><p>&#x93;We still haven&#x92;t played terrific in the tournament,&#x94; Kansas coach Bill Self said. &#x93;But somehow these guys find ways to win games.&#x94;</p><p>This time, Kansas trailed the Buckeyes by 13 in the first half, and after the opening moments didn&#x92;t lead again until less than 3 minutes remaining.</p><p>The Jayhawks didn&#x92;t lead for good until 97 seconds remained when Travis Releford made two free throws.</p><p>Since this is Kansas in the NCAA Tournament, there would be no coasting to the victory.</p><p>Kansas was called for traveling and threw it away in the final seconds while trying to preserve a lead.</p><p>But preserve the Jayhawks did, and they won this the way they defeated Detroit, Purdue, North Carolina State and North Carolina in previous NCAA games.</p><p>They turned on the defense.</p><p>Trailing by nine at halftime, Kansas forced Ohio State to miss its first 10 shots in the second half.</p><p>In the second half, KU held the Buckeyes to 24.2-percent shooting (eight for 33).</p><p>All-America forward Jared Sullinger finished with 13 points but needed 19 shots. He made five. Forward DeShaun Thomas went three for 14.</p><p>&#x93;Sometimes it happens,&#x94; Sullinger said. &#x93;The ball rolls that way.&#x94;</p><p>Or it gets stuffed by Jeff Withey, who blocked seven shots including big ones at the beginning and end of the second half.</p><p>Releford&#x92;s free throws and his hustle finishing plays on run-outs.</p><p>Elijah Johnson collecting 10 rebounds on a night when he missed a big chunk of the second half after collecting his fourth foul.</p><p>Tyshawn Taylor picking up nine assists and outplaying Aaron Craft after the Ohio State guard controlled the game in the first half.</p><p>And once again, Kansas went to the triangle-and-two defense to slow down an Ohio State team that was playing at full strength. Remember, All-America Jared Sullinger didn&#x92;t play against the Jayhawks in KU&#x92;s regular-season victory in December.</p><p>Ohio State led 55-49 with 5:22 remaining when, once again in NCAA play, Kansas started making huge plays.</p><p>Thomas Robinson, who led the way with 19 hard-earned points, knocked down a jumper. Johnson scored at the basket on a run out, and when Releford hit two free throws with 2:48 left, Kansas led 56-55, its first lead since 2-0.</p><p>Ohio State restored a three-point lead, but back came KU. Taylor inside, then two more Releford free throws gave KU a 60-59 edge.</p><p>It grew to 64-61 with Taylor&#x92;s two free throws at 8.3 seconds, but with a chance to seal the victory &#x97; Taylor stole the inbounds and promptly threw it away &#x97; KU had to survive a final Ohio State thrust. Craft made the first of two free throws, purposely tried to miss the second but went into the lane too soon.</p><p>Early on the game was unfolding in a similar fashion to the Purdue game, only without an individual star like the Boilermakers&#x92; Robbie Hummel.</p><p>Ohio State players were taking turns attacking Kansas. William Buford knocked down two straight threes. Craft was controlling the game with his penetration, and Kansas was struggling on offense.</p><p>Had it not been for a Withey block of Craft that started a run out finished by Releford at the buzzer, Kansas would have had its lowest scoring first half of the season. As it was, the Jayhawks trailed 34-25.</p><p>&#x93;Once we got in that locker room he basically told us we were better than this and we had to do what we do best,&#x94; Johnson said of Self. &#x93;It clicked.&#x94;</p><p>Ohio State missed its first 10 shots after halftime and Kansas had forged a 38-38 tie six minutes into the half.</p><p>But Kansas didn&#x92;t lead until late. When it was anybody&#x92;s game toward the end, the Jayhawks seized it.</p><p>&#x93;This is kind of who we are,&#x94; Self said.

Source: Kansas City Star