David McCormack Was Smiling at Kansas Teammates While Losing by 15 to UNC at Halftime
Apr 5, 2022
Kansas forward David McCormack celebrates after scoring against North Carolina during the second half of a college basketball game in the finals of the Men's Final Four NCAA tournament, Monday, April 4, 2022, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
David McCormack helped keep Kansas loose in the locker room on Monday despite a 15-point halftime deficit in the national title game against North Carolina.
Christian Braun said after the game that the senior was smiling at his teammates despite the Jayhawks trailing 40-25 at the time.
"I was like, 'Why are you smiling, dude? We're down 15,'" Braun said, per Jeff Borzello of ESPN. "He was telling me, 'Keep your head up, keep going, we'll be all right.' I was like, man, I don't know if I've ever been here before. Down 15 in a national championship game. I've definitely never been there."
Kansas responded in the second half, pulling out a 72-69 win for its first national title since 2008. It was the largest comeback in title-game history after North Carolina led by as many as 16 points in the first half.
McCormack was a key part of the Jayhawks' success, getting momentum back on their side with a dunk to open the second half. The center then made the final two baskets of the game to take the lead and expand it.
It seems his upbeat attitude at intermission was justified.
Kansas' Location, Date, Time, Schedule and More for 'Welcome Home Celebration'
Apr 5, 2022
Kansas celebrates with the trophy after their win against North Carolina in a college basketball game at the finals of the Men's Final Four NCAA tournament, Monday, April 4, 2022, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
The Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball team is in for a well-deserved greeting from its fans after making a historic comeback to defeat North Carolina 72-69 in the national championship game on Monday.
Kansas announced it's hosting a "welcome home celebration" at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium on Tuesday. Gates will open at 3 p.m. local time with the team expected to arrive around 4:15 p.m. after returning from the Final Four in New Orleans.
No announcement has been made about a potential championship parade in Lawrence.
The Jayhawks earned the celebration by making the largest comeback in men's NCAA tournament title game history.
After falling behind by as many 16 in the first half and facing a 15-point halftime deficit, a special second-half performance propelled Kansas to victory. The Jayhawks outscored the Tar Heels 47-29 in the final 20 minutes.
It was a balanced effort for the Jayhawks with five players scoring in double figures. David McCormack and Jalen Wilson led the way with 15 points apiece. Remy Martin had 14 points off the bench. Ochai Agbaji and Christian Braun each had 12 points. Braun added a team-high 12 rebounds and McCormack also had 10 boards.
The win helped KU capture its fourth national championship in men's basketball and the Jayhawks' first March Madness title since 2008.
Kansas' Ochai Agbaji Named 2022 NCAA Men's Tournament's Most Outstanding Player
Apr 5, 2022
Kansas guard Ochai Agbaji handles the ball during a second-round game against Creighton in the NCAA college basketball tournament in Fort Worth, Texas, Saturday, March, 19, 2022. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Kansas Jayhawks senior guard Ochai Agbaji was named the 2022 NCAA tournament's Most Outstanding Player following his team's 72-69 win over the UNC Tar Heels on Monday at the Superdome in New Orleans.
Agbaji finished Monday's championship game with 12 points, three rebounds, one assist, one steal and one block. He made four of nine shots from the floor and one of four from beyond the arc.
A very emotional Ochai Agbaji hugged his family after winning the National Championship. They hugged him and said “You’re a Champion.” Tears man. @youngochpic.twitter.com/OcctnD7772
The 21-year-old had a great NCAA tournament, averaging 13.7 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game.
His best game of the tournament came against Villanova in the Final Four when he put up 21 points, two rebounds, one assist and one block to lift the Jayhawks to the title game. He made six of eight shots from the floor and six of seven from three-point range.
It was a continuation of what had been a career year for Agbaji, who entered Monday's game averaging 18.9 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game.
In addition to winning the Most Outstanding Player award, Agbaji was voted first-team All-American, Associated Press and coaches' Big 12 Player of the Year and Big 12 tournament MVP.
With the NCAA tournament now officially over, Agbaji is expected to declare for the 2022 NBA draft. Through the first three seasons of his college career, he was projected to be a second-round pick. Now he's likely going to be a solid first-round selection.
While Jabari Smith, Chet Holmgren and Paolo Banchero will likely be the top three selections, Agbaji could land somewhere in the middle of the first round.
2022 National Championship Odds: Kansas Favored to Beat UNC in Men's CBB Title Game
Apr 3, 2022
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - APRIL 02: David McCormack #33 of the Kansas Jayhawks celebrates with his teammates after defeating the Villanova Wildcats in the semifinal game of the 2022 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament Final Four at Caesars Superdome on April 02, 2022 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Jamie Schwaberow/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)
North Carolina has been an underdog for nearly the entire NCAA tournament, and nothing is changing heading into the national championship game.
The Tar Heels are a four-point underdog to Kansas at DraftKings Sportsbook, marking the fourth time in six tournament games the oddsmakers have pegged them to lose. The No. 8 seed has defeated Baylor, UCLA and rival Duke already in this tournament as underdogs.
Caleb Love scored North Carolina's final six points in an 81-77 nail-biter over Duke on Saturday, marking the second time in a month the Tar Heels have ruined coach Mike Krzyzewski's retirement party. North Carolina went into Durham and defeated Duke during the legendary coach's final home game and ruined any chance he had of going out on top thanks to a 47-point second half.
Love finished with a game-high 28 points, while Armando Bacot had 11 points and 21 rebounds. North Carolina is the fourth No. 8 seed to reach the national title game, joining Villanova in 1985, Butler in 2011 and Kentucky in 2014.
Kansas, the lone No. 1 seed to reach the Final Four, looked every bit like a powerhouse in an 81-65 win over Villanova. David McCormack scored a game-high 25 points, and Ochai Agbaji added 21, leading the way for a Jayhawks team that opened the game with a 10-0 run and never trailed.
"Everybody has that (winning it all) mindset," guard Christian Braun told reporters. "That's why everybody is saying 'One more,' and that's before (going through) the tunnel (to the locker room after the semifinal win). On the court, that's what everybody's saying, 'One more.' So everybody has the same mindset."
Kansas and North Carolina have gone head-to-head six times in NCAA tournament history, with the Jayhawks coming out on top four times. Kansas most recently defeated North Carolina in the second round in 2013.
Ochai Agbaji, Kansas Offense Unleashing Its Peak to Reach 2022 Title Game
David Kenyon
Apr 3, 2022
Kansas' Ochai Agbaji (30) celebrates with Jalen Wilson (10), Remy Martin (11) and K.J. Adams (24) after their win against Villanova in a college basketball game in the semifinal round of the Men's Final Four NCAA tournament, Saturday, April 2, 2022, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Through the first 140 minutes of March Madness, the Kansas Jayhawks' dangerous offense wasn't all that impressive.
After cruising past the No. 16 Texas Southern Tigers, Kansas held off the No. 9 Creighton Bluejays 79-72. The fourth-seeded Providence Friars held a late second-half lead in the Sweet 16 before the Jayhawks recovered to win 66-61, and the No. 10 Miami Hurricanes jumped out to a six-point halftime edge in the Elite Eight.
Kansas had played at a much higher level throughout the season. While not as simple as one scorer underperforming, the Jayhawks' best player wasn't making his regular impact.
All-American guard Ochai Agbaji entered the 2022 men's NCAA tournament averaging 19.7 points. He'd shot 40.5 percent from the perimeter, knocking down 2.8 triples per contest.
Three-and-a-half games into the Big Dance, however, Agbaji had fallen well short of that production. He finished 5-of-14 from the floor opposite both Texas Southern and Creighton, netting 26 points combined. He ended 2-of-8 against Providence with five points. He entered the break with a passive six-point showing as the Jayhawks trailed Miami.
And, most glaringly, he'd totaled only two triples—less than his per-game average in pre-Madness action.
This reality was not reason to slap the "overrated" label on Agbaji or Kansas. Cold streaks happen, even to excellent teams. KU, nonetheless, kept finding ways to win despite the shaky stretch. In particular, the offense-driven Jayhawks were able to lean on their defense and strong rebounding.
For the Big 12 champions to upend Miami and truly remain a title contender, though, they needed the regular-season version of the offense to show up again.
The last 60 minutes have looked familiar.
Not coincidentally, Kansas has excelled.
Agbaji sparked the Jayhawks' second-half dominance of Miami, scoring 12 more points to close the 76-50 win. Then on Saturday to begin the Final Four, he buried 6-of-7 triples en route to dropping a tournament-best 21 points on the Villanova Wildcats.
After outscoring Miami 47-15 in the second half last Sunday, Kansas jumped out to an 19-8 edge on Villanova behind Agbaji's four quick trifectas on Saturday. The Jayhawks led by as many as 19 points and never allowed the Wildcats to close the gap within seven.
And now, Kansas is a victory away from a national title.
This story isn't all about Agbaji, either. Given his below-standard play, the Jayhawks desperately needed their depth to shoulder a heavier share of scoring duties—and it clearly has.
Arizona State transfer Remy Martin picked up the slack for Agbaji early on. Finally healthy, he racked up 58 points in the first three NCAA tourney games and added nine against Miami.
Veteran big David McCormack, maligned at various points throughout the year, scored 15 points on 6-of-7 shooting opposite Miami. Saturday, he torched Nova for a game-high 25 points with a 10-of-12 mark and grabbed nine rebounds.
Wing players Christian Braun and Jalen Wilson—the main complements to Agbaji—have both notched four 10-point showings during this five-game run to the championship.
For good measure, Dajaun Harris hit three triples against Villanova and dished four assists in each of the last two games. Altogether, the Jayhawks drained 13 of 24 attempts from beyond the arc to topple Villanova in their national semifinal.
Kansas was already tough enough to beat with Agbaji, Braun, Wilson and an occasional surge from McCormack, Harris, Martin or even Mitch Lightfoot.
The last 60 minutes of regulation have included no fewer than five of them producing.
Perhaps the perfectly timed surge doesn't continue Monday night when Kansas takes aim at the program's first national title since 2008. As much as we like to predict the results—and predict we will—these outcomes are random.
However, the Jayhawks are entering the championship brandishing the peak version of their offense. And after an unremarkable start to March Madness, they could hardly ask for a better outlook.
No. 1 Kansas Beats No. 2 Villanova in Final Four to Advance to 2022 NCAA Championship
Apr 3, 2022
Kansas forward David McCormack (33) shoots over Villanova's Jermaine Samuels during the second half of a college basketball game in the semifinal round of the Men's Final Four NCAA tournament, Saturday, April 2, 2022, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
The Kansas Jayhawks will play for the 10th national championship in school history after their 81-65victory over the Villanova Wildcats in the 2022 NCAA men's basketball tournament Saturday night.
Kansas has been arguably the most dominant team in the tournament thus far. It blew out Miami 76-50 in the Elite Eight to secure the program's 16th appearance in the Final Four. The Jayhawks have now won 10 straight games overall dating back to March 3.
Villanova cruised into the Final Four by winning its first four tournament games by an average of 11 points. Head coach Jay Wright's crew had won nine straight games and 14 of their last 15 overall dating back to Feb. 5.
The Jayhawks stormed out of the gate in the first half. They led by as many as 19 points before Villanova cut the deficit down to 38-29 with 1:24 remaining before halftime.
Kansas made nearly as many three-pointers (seven) in the first half as Villanova had field goals (10). Ochai Agbaji was a perfect 4-of-4 from behind the arc in the first 20 minutes.
Offensive rebounding was the biggest factor keeping Villanova within shouting distance. It had nine offensive rebounds in the first half, helping to offset a 33.3 percent field-goal percentage.
Collin Gillespie and Caleb Daniels combined for 19 of the Wildcats' 29 points in the opening half.
McCormack's size inside proved to be a crucial difference-maker in the win. His 25 points marked his second-highest point total in a game in four seasons with the Jayhawks.
Kansas shot 53.7 percent from the field, 54.2 percent from three, and had a 35-28 rebounding advantage. Villanova eventually found a rhythm on offense, finishing 13-of-31 from behind the arc, but it wasn't enough to overcome the Jayhawks' onslaught.
Notable Game Stats
David McCormack (KU): 25 points (10-of-12 FG), 9 rebounds
McCormack, Ogbaji Have Jayhawks on Brink of History
It would be hard to find an offense playing better than Kansas' right now. Saturday marked the team's third time in five tournament games shooting at least 50 percent from the field.
McCormack and Agbaji were unstoppable for the Big 12 champs. Since being held to five points against Providence, Agbaji has hit a groove. The senior guard at one point made eight consecutive three-pointers dating back to the Elite Eight win over Miami.
Kansas leads Villanova by 11 at the break behind the nearly flawless play of Ochai Agbaji and David McCormack.
The duo combined for 25 points on 9-10 FG and 4-4 3-PT in the opening half. The rest of their Kansas teammates have 15 points on 6-21 FG and 3-10 3-PT. pic.twitter.com/sB3xf8jSbt
With Agbaji taking care of business behind the arc, McCormack was more than happy to hold his own in the paint. The 6'10" forward had no problem taking advantage of Villanova's undersized frontcourt.
David McCormack has been a beast so far tonight. Scoring in the post, running the floor and finishing. No one utilizes his big men quite like Bill Self, and McCormack has been taking advantage of Dixon or whoever he has on the switch.
Villanova certainly didn't go away quietly in this game. The second half is when the offense came alive, putting the pressure on Kansas to respond.
Two of the biggest plays saw McCormack use his size to halt the Wildcats' momentum. He grabbed an offensive rebound off Dajuan Harris Jr.'s' missed three and got a layup to extend the lead back to 10 at 52-42.
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) April 2, 2022
Three minutes later, Jalen Wilson blocked a jumper from Gillespie. McCormack got the ball on the other end of the court and slammed it home to put the Jayhawks up 62-50.
Coming out of a timeout after that possession, McCormack was taken off the floor for a brief rest. Villanova's next two possessions resulted in two offensive rebounds and five points to get within seven at 62-55.
Christian Braun, who ranked second on the Jayhawks in scoring during the regular season, eventually got hot. He made two crucial buckets on back-to-back possessions, including his only three to make it a 71-59 game with 3:58 left to play.
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) April 2, 2022
The Jayhawks have scored at least 76 points in four of their five tournament wins thus far. They dropped 81against Villanova on a night when three of their five starters were struggling to get in rhythm.
If the offense continues to play at this level, Kansas will be cutting down the nets on Monday and celebrating the fourth national title in school history.
Cold Start Sends Wildcats Home
Things could not have started worse for the Wildcats on Saturday night. They only had one shot attempt and committed three turnovers on their first four possessions to find themselves in a 10-0 hole.
Midway through the first half, McCormack and Agbaji had matched or exceeded Villanova's point total.
Ochai Agbaji: 12 points David McCormack: 11 points
Wright's team came into the game unable to match the size Kansas had inside, especially with McCormack, so the strategy had to be win with speed and shooting.
It took a long time—too long, ultimately—before Villanova was able to play up to its usual standard. The Wildcats failed to hit the 30-point mark in a half for the third consecutive half dating back to the Elite Eight.
Villanova scored at least 30 points in every half in each of its first three tournament games.
The key adjustment that gave the Wildcats a glimmer of hope was Wright switching to a smaller lineup of perimeter shooters. McCormack lives in the paint on both ends of the court, so the numbers game worked for Villanova.
Jay Wright going small early in the second half has changed the complexion of this one. McCormack checking back in after a quick breather to counter Dixon. Looks tired.
After Kansas opened the second half on an 8-3 run, Villanova rattled off eight consecutive points. Daniels and Brandon Slater made threes on back-to-back possessions to cap off the run.
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) April 2, 2022
The last time Villanova would get within single digits came at the 4:29 mark when Jermaine Samuels' free throw made it a 68-59 score.
Kansas would score the next seven points to put the game out of reach.
Villanova's bench was missing in action Saturday. Bryan Antoine scored the only points for the reserves (three). The Jayhawks bench only had five points, but they did have two players attempt at least one shot.
The story for Villanova all season was the offense. If it was scoring points in bunches, this team was hard to beat. If the defense had to step up, things got dicey.
The Wildcats had an off night with the ball, and it wound up being their undoing.
What's Next?
Kansas will play the winner of North Carolina-Duke in the national championship game on Monday at 9 p.m. ET on TBS.
Kansas' Bill Self Calls Elite 8 'The Hardest Game in the Tournament to Not Win'
Mar 26, 2022
Kansas head coach Bill Self reacts during the second half of a college basketball game against Providence in the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA tournament Friday, March 25, 2022, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
The No. 1 Kansas Jayhawks are back in the Elite Eight for the first time since the 2017-18 season, and head coach Bill Self knows his team's matchup against the No. 10 Miami Hurricanes will be a difficult one.
"It's the hardest game in the tournament to not win. You can talk about first round, you can talk about whatever, it's the hardest game. The national championship finals, at least you're playing for it all. But this one, every goal of every team is road to the Final Four. It's not road to the national championship. It's road to the Final Four."
Self, who has been head coach of the Jayhawks since 2003, owns a 3-5 record in the Elite Eight.
The Jayhawks reached the Elite Eight by defeating Texas Southern, Creighton and Providence behind solid performances from Remy Martin, Jalen Wilson and Ochai Agbaji. Martin, in particular, has been impressive over the last two games, scoring 20 points against Creighton and 23 against Providence, which led the Jayhawks.
Miami, meanwhile, has been one of the most impressive and gritty team's in the nation, defeating USC, Auburn and Iowa State en route to the Elite Eight. It has been quite the turnaround for the Hurricanes, who finished 10-17 last season.
Self also addressed the Jayhawks' mindset entering Sunday's game against Miami, telling reporters he hopes his team get rights after it:
"I think, first of all, I don't want them to think 'get through.' I want them to think 'attack it.' 'Get through' is a defensive deal hoping to hang on to something. I want them to play like they're going to take it. So that's the mindset. And this team has had—there's no guarantee that anybody is going to play good the next day. What happens today, even though you want to practice well, doesn't guarantee success tomorrow. But the mindset of having a team that has some swagger about them, that likes the big moments, I think, gives me and them quite a bit of confidence."
Kansas last reached the Final Four in 2018, defeating the Duke Blue Devils. However, they fell to Villanova, the eventual champion, in the next round. Before that, the Jayhawks fell in the Elite Eight in both 2016 and 2017.
Kansas hasn't won the NCAA title since 2008, Self's fifth season as head coach of the Jayhawks. Given the way Miami has played as of late, there's no guarantee Self's squad reaches the next round.
No. 10 Miami Beats Iowa State, Advances to Face No. 1 Kansas in Elite Eight
Mar 26, 2022
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - MARCH 25: Sam Waardenburg #21 of the Miami Hurricanes dunks the ball against George Conditt IV #4 of the Iowa State Cyclones during the second half in the Sweet Sixteen round game of the 2022 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at United Center on March 25, 2022 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
The 10th-seeded Miami Hurricanes defeated the 11th-seeded Iowa State Cyclones 70-56 in the Sweet 16 on Friday at United Center to earn a berth in the Elite Eight for the first time in school history.
Miami entered having won five of its last six games, including wins over the USC Trojans in the first round and second-seeded Auburn Tigers in the second round of the NCAA tournament.
The Hurricanes' win over the Tigers was stunning as Auburn was picked as one of the teams that could win the title. Miami outscored Auburn 46-29 in the second half of that matchup and continued that momentum into the Sweet 16.
Hurricanes' Offense Prevails Against Defensive-Minded Cyclones
The Iowa State defense had impressed through much of the NCAA tournament. And while it played well on Friday against Miami, it wasn't enough to stop an offense that has averaged 74.7 points per game this season, according to Sports Reference.
Miami made 26 of 56 shots from the floor and nine of 26 shots from deep in the win.
Hurricanes guards Jordan Miller and Kameron McGusty were particularly effective against the Cyclones, combining for 43 points, 13 rebounds and three assists in the win.
This should come as little surprise, though, as McGusty entered averaging 17.5 points per game, which leads the team, and Miller entered averaging 10.1 points per game.
After finishing 10-17 last season, head coach Jim Larranaga has completely revamped his team's offense this year. In addition to McGusty and Miller, Isaiah Wong and Charlie Moore averaged double digits this season.
While McGusty and Miller had solid performances against the Cyclones, Sam Waardenburg also had one of his better games of the tournament, finishing with 13 points, eight rebounds and five assists.
Waardenburg's play down the stretch helped Miami close things out in a tough second half against a Cyclones team that wouldn't be silenced until the final whistle.
Miami's offense is still going to have to be much better in the next round. As the competition gets tougher, players like Wong and Moore need to have better performances than they did on Friday night.
Cyclones' Offensive Struggles On Full Display In Loss
Iowa State has been one of the most impressive teams in college basketball this season. After finishing the 2020-21 campaign with a 2-22 record, the team finishes 22-13 this year under first-year head coach TJ Otzelberger.
But while Otzelberger molded the Cyclones into one of the best defensive teams in college basketball, his squad's offense has been subpar all season.
Iowa State's offensive struggles were on full display against Miami, too, as the team made just 25 of 68 shots from the floor and 4 of 22 shots from deep.
The Cyclones' top scorers were Tyrese Hunter and Gabe Kalscheur, who both finished with 13 points. In comparison, the Hurricanes' leading scorer was McGusty, and he finished with 27 points.
Iowa State averaged 65.9 points per game this season, which is somewhat low, so it's not necessarily surprising that it struggled to score on Friday.
Moving into next season, Otzelberger will likely be looking for more offensive production out of his team and players to pair with Izaiah Brockington and Tyrese Hunter.
What's Next?
Miami will face the No. 1 seed Kansas Jayhawks in the Elite Eight on Saturday.
No. 1 Kansas Tops No. 4 Providence, Advances to 1st Elite Eight Since 2018
Mar 26, 2022
CHICAGO, IL - MARCH 25: Ochai Agbaji #30 of the Kansas Jayhawks reacts against the Providence Friars during the Sweet 16 round of the 2022 NCAA Mens Basketball Tournament held at United Center on March 25, 2022 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Isaiah Vazquez/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)
The top-seeded Kansas Jayhawks avoided becoming the third No. 1 seed to be eliminated in the Sweet 16 by defeating the fourth-seeded Providence Friars 66-61 on Friday at the United Center in Chicago.
Kansas earned a spot in the Sweet 16 by beating Texas Southern and Creighton. The Jayhawks were coming off a hard-fought battle against Creighton, and that momentum carried over against the Friars.
Before Friday, the Jayhawks hadn't reached the Elite Eight since they did so in back-to-back seasons between 2016-17 and 2017-18. They haven't won the title since the 2007-08 season, but with teams like Gonzaga, Arizona, Kentucky and Baylor already eliminated, anything can happen. After all, it is March Madness.
Providence had an unimpressive first half against Kansas, struggling to shoot both from the floor and three-point range. However, it began to turn things around in the second half.
After trailing 26-17 at intermission, the Friars stormed back and held a brief 48-47 lead with about six minutes to go in the game, putting more pressure on the Jayhawks than they had all night.
However, Kansas fought off the push thanks to players like Remy Martin, Ochai Agbaji and David McCormack. Martin, in particular, was instrumental in Friday's win, finishing with 23 points, seven rebounds and three assists.
This kind of resiliency is nothing new for the Jayhawks, who have been solid defensively throughout this tournament. Christian Braun even told reporters Thursday that when the defense plays well, everything else falls into place, and that's exactly what happened Friday.
"It is a big focus of ours, focus on defense, because we know when we get out and we get stops, we get out in transition, we can run. And that's when we’re at our best," Braun said, according to Glenn Kinley of KSNT. "When we get our stops that's when we're at our best."
If the Jayhawks are going to make it past the Elite Eight, though, they're going to have to prevent the type of comeback that Providence mounted. If they can ratchet up the defense even further, they should be in good shape against either team they face in the next round.
Early Shooting Struggles Cost Friars
Providence got off to a slow start offensively. And while some of that has to do with the shutdown defense Kansas played, the Friars didn't help themselves by missing shots.
Through the first nine-plus minutes of the first half, Providence scored just six points, and the offense didn't get rolling until about five minutes before halftime. The Friars' 17 first-half points were their lowest of any half during the NCAA tournament.
And while the Friars shot better in the second half, they still finished shooting just 33.8 percent from the floor and 17.4 percent from deep. To put those numbers in perspective, Providence shot 43.8 percent from the floor and 35.0 percent from deep this season.
Ed Cooley's team had also been known for its grit in getting to the free-throw line, but it was limited to 16 attempts from the charity stripe against Kansas. The Friars entered averaging 21 free-throw attempts per game, which further highlights how disciplined the Jayhawks defense was Friday.
While Providence is heading home with a disappointing loss, this year's tournament was still its best since the 1996-97 season when it reached the Elite Eight, and that's something to be proud of.
What's Next?
The Jayhawks will move on to face No. 10 Miami or No. 11 Iowa State.
No. 1 Kansas Survives No. 9 Creighton's Upset Bid to Advance to Men's Sweet 16
Mar 19, 2022
Creighton guard Trey Alexander (23) defends as Kansas guard Remy Martin (11) works to the basket in the first half of a second-round game in the NCAA college basketball tournament in Fort Worth, Texas, Saturday, March, 19, 2022. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
The Kansas Jayhawks are in the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2018 after their 79-72victory over the Creighton Bluejays in the 2022 NCAA men's basketball tournament on Saturday.
Kansas has now won seven consecutive games since its March 3 loss at TCU. Head coach Bill Self's team cruised to an 83-56 win over Texas Southern in the round of 64 on Thursday.
The Jayhawks had lost in the second round in each of their previous two tournament appearances dating back to 2019.
Creighton advanced to the round of 32 with a come-from-behind overtime victory against San Diego State on Thursday. Head coach Greg McDermott's squad entered this matchup with eight wins in its final 11 games between the regular season and Big East tournament.
KeyShawn Feazell's layup with 1:47 remaining capped off a quick five-point run that allowed Creighton to close the deficit to 73-72.
Creighton got the ball back after a missed layup by David McCormack, but Feazell lost possession when Ochai Agbaji was able to get a steal and an easy layup of his own to put Kansas back up by three in the final minute.
The Jayhawks closed the game on a 6-0 run to hang on for the victory in a hard-fought matchup.
Remy Martin was the hero of the win for Kansas. He scored a season-high 20 points off the bench. Agbaji finished with 15 points, but it came on just 5-of-14 shooting.
Creighton's Arthur Kaluma led all players with 24 points. The Bluejays' starting five scored all 72 points in the loss.
Arthur Kaluma (CU): 24 points (4-of-10 3PT), 12 rebounds
Alex O'Connell (CU): 16 points (3-of-9 FG), 3 assists
Jayhawks Hold On Despite Ugly Performance
On a day when neither team put its best foot forward, the Jayhawks were able to make enough plays on both ends of the court to advance.
Kansas hasn't shot the ball well in two of its past three games (40.9 percent vs. Creighton). Texas Tech held it to a 43.1 percent field-goal percentage in the Big 12 title game. The total included a 5-of-22 mark from three-point range.
Saturday was yet another day in which the team's shooting from behind the arc was erratic, at least early. Martin, the fifth-year senior who transferred to Kansas after spending four years at Arizona State, was the one saving grace with his best game of the season.
This is the NCAA Tournament game that might make the Remy Martin experience all worth it for Kansas. On a day where Ochai and Braun are 3/13, Martin and his shot-making have just totally kept Kansas afloat.
Martin did the bulk of his damage in the first half, scoring 16 points on 6-of-9 shooting. His season high in scoring was 17 points on Nov. 26 in a 74-73 loss to Dayton.
Remy Martin is one point away from his season high in points, and it's halftime. We just watched a half where everybody else struggled to go get their own shot, and Remy made it look effortless. Considering the athleticism disparity, he should be able to get his all second half.
The Jayhawks needed all of Martin's contributions in the first half because they only had a 39-38 lead at the intermission.
Agbaji and Christian Braun finally started to get going in the second half when the Jayhawks pulled away. Kansas' two leading scorers during the regular season combined for eight points in the first half. They matched that total less than nine minutes into the second half.
Another bench player who made a key contribution to the win was Jalen Coleman-Lands. The senior guard only had five points, but he made them count with three coming on a key three-pointer midway through the second half to give Kansas a 66-57 lead.
Self and his staff now have six days off to study what was off with this game and how to improve for the Sweet 16. They were at least able to play well enough to advance.
2-Point Shooting Woes End Creighton's Season
Perhaps the most surprising part of this game was how well Creighton shot the ball from three-point range. The team finished the regular season tied for 330th out of 358 Division I programs with a 30.3 percent success rate behind the arc.
The trend continued in the first round against San Diego State when it finished 2-of-14 on three-point attempts.
Whatever the Bluejays did to work on their long-range shooting between Thursday and Saturday paid off. They scored half of their points on three-pointersagainst Kansas (12-of-28 from deep).
Kaluma seemed to evolve into a star over the course of this game. The freshman from Uganda set a career high in scoring and tied his career high in three-pointers made (four).
Hell of a showing from Creighton freshman + Uganda’s own Arthur Kaluma: 24 PTS, 12 REBS, 3 AST, 4-of-10 from 3P while playing all 40 minutes in the biggest game of his young collegiate career. Never afraid of the moment. Eventually going to play in the NBA for a long, long time. pic.twitter.com/oXPw7MmMz4
It turns out the biggest problem for Creighton on Saturday was when it attempted shots inside the three-point line. The team was just 9-of-31 on two-point attempts against Kansas.
The Bluejays made just two two-point field goals in the final seven minutes. Feazell was the only player who made at least half of his two-pointers (2-of-4).
Some of the credit for those offensive issues goes to the Jayhawks defense. Creighton didn't have anyone who could match David McCormack's size (6'10", 250 lbs). Kansas as a team had seven blocks.
McCormack's second block of the game came when Trey Alexander tried driving to the basket but was denied to keep the score 75-72 with 33 seconds remaining.
Those missed opportunities in the paint and from mid-range are ultimately what prevented Creighton from being able to pull off the upset.
Despite the difficult ending to the season, the future does look very bright for the Bluejays.
As long as Arthur Kaluma is back next year, I am so ready to invest in Creighton as a 2023 title contender. Nembhard and Alexander, Kaluma and Kalbrenner inside. McDermott will find another Hawkins-y transfer. This team rules.
The Big East isn't a particularly deep conference right now. Villanova is the most reliable team from season to season, but the door is open for someone to take the No. 2 spot in 2022-23.
If Creighton returns its key players next season, there's no reason to think this team won't be a championship contender after the development from Kaluma, Ryan Kalkbrenner and Ryan Nembhard over the course of this year.
What's Next?
Kansas will play the Richmond-Providence winner in the Sweet 16 on March 25.
