Kansas Jayhawks hold on against Ohio State Buckeyes 64-62 to advance into the NCAA Final
In the second semi-final of the NCAA basketball tournament Kansas Jayhawks pulled off an upset over the Ohio State Buckeyes as they manage edge out a 64-62 win and set up a date with the Kentucky Wildcats in the grand finale.
Since the start of the season, Kansas have been taken as an underdog and an undervalued, underperforming team but they have silenced all their critics as they are one of the last two teams remaining in the tournament.
Jayhawks had lost most of their experienced players from last season and everyone had wondered if this team could win a Championship. Throughout the season, Kansas has been hanging by the skin of their neck and on the night, they
toughed out another win and perhaps the most important of them all.
They still have to face Kentucky in the final but the Jayhawks believe in taking it one step at a time.
At the start of the first half, Ohio State built up a 13 point lead behind impressive shooting from William Buford, who had been struggling through the season but came up big in the early stages of the semi-finals. Buckeyes went
on to close the half with a definitive advantage 34-25. This was only two points more than Kansas`s season low.
Basketball as we all know is a game of two halves and as dominant the Buckeyes looked at the end of the first half, their second half performance was completely the opposite of it. Ohio State started the second half by missing
on their first 10 attempts on the rim and things were starting to change.
Buckeyes poor start to the second half enabled the Jayhawks to go on a 13-4 run. This change of events resulted in the scores being tied up at 38 apiece, setting up a finale which could lead up to the expectations of a semi-final.
The last few minutes of the game could not have been more closely contested as both teams were looking to grab the lead. In the final 1:37 minutes, Releford came up big from the charity line as he gave the Jayhawks a one point
advantage 60-59. Kansas went on the steal the ball on the next possession and Johnson made an easy lay up to give the Jayhawks a 3 point advantage.
In the last seconds of the game, Kansas`s Tyshawn Taylor made two clutch free throws which helped the Jayhawks hold the Buckeyes off 64-62.
In an underperforming season, Kansas has had several comeback wins but this was perhaps the most significant of them. The most surprising statistic of the game was that the Jayhawks had only led for 3:48 minutes in the entire game,
not that you need to lead throughout a game to win but in comeback victory in the final four, it looks more spectacular.
Thomas Robinson had 19 points and 8 rebounds for the Jayhawks to help the hold the Buckeyes off.
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