Kansas survives a late scare from Clemson to advance, 80-76

pulse

March 24, 2018 3:29 AM

OMAHA, Neb. — Kansas’ most important player is senior guard Devonte’ Graham. But entering Friday’s Round of 16 matchup against a physical Clemson team, the Jayhawks’ X factor was the sophomore 7-footer Udoka Azubuike.

Doubts about whether the 280-pound Azubuike would be at full strength evaporated early as No. 1-seeded Kansas defeated fifth-seeded Clemson, 80-76, in the Midwest Region.

Graham — playing in the tournament’s second weekend for the third straight year — leapt with excitability just before tipoff. But on Kansas’ first possession, it was Azubuike who got the ball.

Several inches taller and considerably heavier than anyone on Clemson’s roster, he maneuvered for an easy basket, the first of his five in the half.

Despite the large brace on his left leg, Azubuike finished with 14 points, 11 rebounds and two blocks in just 25 minutes.

“He makes everything easier for us,” Graham said. “We get to play off of him. We always say throw the ball inside and play around Doke.”

In the game’s final minutes, after Azubuike had fouled out, his value became even clearer as Clemson threatened a stunning comeback that ultimately fell short.

After trailing by 15 points with less than five minutes left, Clemson got to within 4 points with 14 seconds remaining. Kansas inbounded to Graham, who was fouled and made both his shots. On the other end, Clemson missed a 3-pointer but got a putback with 4.6 seconds left.

Kansas then inbounded to a wide-open Malik Newman, who like a wide receiver behind the safeties ran away from defenders and to victory.

In the regional final on Sunday, Kansas will seek its first trip to the Final Four since 2012, meeting the winner of a game between No. 2 Duke and No. 11 Syracuse.

If Kansas was humongous down low, Clemson was versatile: Forward David Skara did pick-and-rolls with guards for buckets. When freshman Aamir Simms was double-teamed, he flipped a short pass to senior Mark Donnal on the other side of the hoop for an uncontested score.

And senior guard Gabe DeVoe was superb, going 4 for 6 from the field, with a 3-pointer, leading all players with 12 first-half points. He finished with 31 to go along with nine rebounds and three assists. The Tigers were playing in the second weekend of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament for the first time in more than two decades.

But the Jayhawks’ experience won out. Newman, a redshirt sophomore, was like a hybrid of Kansas stars past, particularly last year’s national player of the year, Frank Mason III, a floor-general guard, and Josh Jackson, a silky perimeter scorer who became a lottery pick in the 2017 NBA draft. Newman finished with 17 points, seven rebounds and three assists.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

pulse

Enhance Your Pulse News Experience!

Get rewards worth up to $20 when selected to participate in our exclusive focus group. Your input will help us to make informed decisions that align with your needs and preferences.

I've got feedback!