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DEL.ICIO.USThis time, Kansas will not be denied
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Terence Moore
San Jose, Calif. — At halftime, members of the Southern Illinois band suggested they knew something that nobody else did on Thursday inside the HP Pavilion. They eased into a lovely version of “Georgia on My Mind,” as in Atlanta, as in where the Final Four will happen next week.
As in, what were they thinking with their underdog Salukis trailing mighty Kansas heading into the second half?
They were thinking that Kansas didn’t look all that mighty on the scoreboard. We’re talking just a 27-24 lead for the Jayhawks, the No.1 seed in the West Region. This was before Kansas became the latest team to prove that the NCAA Tournament isn’t about appearances. It’s about surviving, advancing and forgetting after each round that you came so close to losing along the way to a national championship.
Just like that, the Jayhawks can become the Final One, because they kept discovering ways down the stretch against pesky Southern Illinois to survive a slew of Jamaal Tatum jumpers, the Salukis’ swarming defense and themselves.
“I thought we were able to grind it out, and we were very fortunate to win,” said Kansas coach Bill Self, the realist, who told his players before the game exactly what would happen. Whether they believed him is highly questionable. Inside the final 40 seconds, with Southern Illinois refusing to cooperate by folding, Self had to draw up a new play on the fly for star Brandon Rush, which worked to perfection. Then the Jayhawks had to hold their breath at the buzzer when Tony Young missed a three-pointer for a 61-58 victory.
The usually high-octane Jayhawks were forced to adopt to the rock-em, sock’em style of their opponent who nearly became a college basketball version of Buster Douglas to Kansas’ Mike Tyson. “I think that shows, I mean, whatever the circumstance is, we can adjust,” said Kansas guard Mario Chalmers. “Even though we like to play an up-tempo game, try to get into the 80s and stuff like that, we can slow it down, and we can take our time and slow it down with the best of them.”
More to the point: A win is a win, especially now, with Kansas actually doing another impression. Try that of Jerome Whitehead sending Marquette past UNC-Charlotte, or Ron Lewis sinking a three-pointer to push Ohio Sate toward an overtime winner over Xavier. The Jayhawks’ Whitehead and Lewis was Rush, with slightly less dramatics. “The new play?” said Rush, Kansas’ gifted sophomore, responding with raised eyebrows. “It was just to give it to the guard, let him try to penetrate or pitch ahead to our big guy. Posting up. [It] went on from there. If you get the chance, just pull up and take the shot.”
Rush was that guard, and Rush was the guy dropping home the layup for the Jayhawks’ final margin of victory with 25 seconds left to play.
Why the game was even close is only a slight mystery. In the end, Kansas outshot Southern Illinois from the floor 60 percent to 37 percent, and that margin was worse after the first half. Still, despite the Jayhawks shooting 62 percent to Southern Illinois’ 28 percent back then, the Salukis band was confident. Such things happen when you keep turning the ball over to an aggressive defense, and your opponent has a tendency to just hang around until you look up and discover that the Elite Eight is slipping away in a hurry.
As a No. 4 seed, Southern Illinois isn’t David, but nobody would classify any team from the Missouri Valley Conference as Goliath, either.
Well, Kansas would. Even now, Self still is haunted by the big and bad ghost of Bradley, another MVC team. The Braves knocked Kansas out of the first round of last year’s NCAA Tournament, and lowly Bucknell somehow did the same the previous year.
So Kansas got it right this time after obliterating Niagara (107-67) and pushing Tubby Smith closer to Minnesota with an 88-76 smashing of Kentucky. Then the Jayhawks did what they had to do against Southern Illinois, and that was just win.
Permalink | Comments (10) | Post your comment | Categories: Final Four, Terence Moore
Comments
By Big Dave
March 22, 2007 11:53 PM | Link to this
If the Salukis could shoot just a little bit better, they could have gone all the way. Haven’t seen a defense that sticky in a long time. Easily the best D in college hoops. While the game was close, it looked like the Salukis were in control and frustrating the Jayhawks. But in the end the athletic advantage ended up tipping a few more points Kansas’s way. Great game.
By Dorothy
March 23, 2007 8:16 AM | Link to this
Come on and say it with me now…Rock chalk, Jayhawk, KU!
By HodgePodge
March 23, 2007 9:06 AM | Link to this
No real mystery why it was close, KU can’t hit their free throws. I can’t imagine a team shooting 66% from the line for the year cutting down the nets in ATL.
By HodgePodge
March 23, 2007 9:08 AM | Link to this
No real mystery why it was close, KU can’t hit their free throws. I can’t imagine a team shooting 66% from the line for the year cutting down the nets in ATL.
By gentleman Jack
March 23, 2007 10:14 AM | Link to this
KU has overcome their poor free throw shooting all year. Good group of guys that play TEAM basketball. ROCK CHALK JAYHAWK KU.
By swhite
March 23, 2007 2:16 PM | Link to this
Hey…a win is a win and KU is coming to the ATL to cut the nets down. What’s lost in that game and with that team is that they play pretty good defense as well. They also took out UF during the regular season and will do it again next weekend! Go Froot Loop Birds!!
By Pinkseelee
March 23, 2007 2:23 PM | Link to this
Great game for my mom’s Beloved J’hawks(who was ‘53 Senior Ring Queen)!!Rock chalk, Jayhawk, KU!
By Chris
March 23, 2007 6:22 PM | Link to this
Did you not write an article about a week ago about how Florida won’t lose?
So, are you just hedging your bets by saying that Kansas could be the Final One?
Pick one, fool.
By edubb
March 23, 2007 8:51 PM | Link to this
For Years My Jaybirdz Has Crushed My Heart. Will I Be Hurt Losing To Ucla? Naa, Cuz I’m Inviting Them To Represent Next W/e To Cut Down The Nets!!! Go Hawks!!!
By edubb
March 23, 2007 8:53 PM | Link to this
For Years My Jaybirdz Has Crushed My Heart. Will I Be Hurt Losing To Ucla? Naa, Cuz I’m Inviting Them To Represent Next W/e To Cut Down The Nets!!! Go Hawks!!!