LAWRENCE, Kan. — Perry Ellis had 27 points and 13 rebounds, Devonte Graham hit the go-ahead free throw in the third overtime and top-ranked Kansas outlasted Buddy Hield and second-ranked Oklahoma 109-106 on Monday night in an early showdown of
LAWRENCE, Kan. — Perry Ellis had 27 points and 13 rebounds, Devonte Graham hit the go-ahead free throw in the third overtime and top-ranked Kansas outlasted Buddy Hield and second-ranked Oklahoma 109-106 on Monday night in an early showdown of Final Four contenders
Wayne Selden Jr. had 21 points and Graham finished with 20 for the Jayhawks (13-1, 2-0 Big 12), who had chances to win the game in regulation and each of the first two overtimes before finally getting it done.
Hield had a career-high 46 points for Oklahoma (12-1, 1-1), but he made two crucial turnovers in the final extra session, then missed a potential tying 3-pointer at the buzzer as the Jayhawks celebrated.
Jordan Woodard hit six 3-pointers and had 27 points for the Sooners, who were trying to extend their best start in 28 years. Ryan Spangler finished with 14 points and 18 rebounds.
It was a fitting conclusion for the first 1 vs. 2 matchup in two years, and the first pitting teams from the same conference since Ohio State and Michigan State of the Big Ten met on Feb. 25, 2007.
Woodard’s final 3-pointer gave the Sooners a 106-104 lead, and they still led 106-105 when Hield was stripped by Frank Mason with 17 seconds left. Graham took a pass in transition and was fouled at the other end, converting both free throws to give Kansas the lead.
After the Sooners called a timeout, Hield threw the ball away on the ensuing inbounds pass, and Mason added two more free throws with 8.6 seconds left for the final margin.
Hield finished 13 of 23 from the field, hitting eight 3-pointers. His 46 points matched Wayman Tisdale for the sixth-highest scoring game in school history.
The Jayhawks looked like they would end it in regulation after Hield made two free throws with 21.3 seconds left to tie the game 77-all. But after Mason charged the lane with 6 seconds left and missed the shot, Kansas forward Landen Lucas was called for a foul on the rebound.
Khadeem Lattin went to the line at the other end with 2 seconds left, but the 52-percent foul shooter clanked the front end of a 1-and-1 off the iron to force overtime.
The teams traded baskets in the extra session, and Ellis hit a 3-pointer from the wing to tie the game 86-all with 1:15 left. Both teams squandered chances to take the lead, and Selden’s open 3-pointer from the right wing at the buzzer came up short to force a second overtime.
Kansas also had the final shot in the second overtime after Isaiah Cousins missed at the rim and Spangler couldn’t get his tip to go. Mason again drove the left side of the lane, but this time he pulled up for a short jumper that was never close, and the game was headed to a third OT.
The game shaped up as one between the brilliance of Hield and balance of Kansas.
The Jayhawks controlled most of the first half, hitting seven 3-pointers and twice taking an 11-point lead. But every time things got comfortable, Hield put everyone back on edge.
The senior answered with two foul shots when Kansas took a 24-16 lead, then provided a long jumper a couple of minutes later. But it was his 3-pointer when the Jayhawks had established a 32-21 lead late in the first half that once more changed the complexion of the game.
After trading baskets, the Sooners closed the half with an 18-3 charge.
Woodard hit consecutive 3s and scored nine points during the run, but it was Hield who scored the final three from the foul line. The first two came after coach Bill Self bolted off the Kansas bench to protest a foul and was hit with a technical foul with 3.9 seconds remaining.
The Sooners slowly stretched their 44-40 halftime lead to 10 early in the second half, only for the Jayhawks to storm back before a frenzied, sold-out crowd packed inside the old fieldhouse.
It turned out both teams were only getting started.
VIRGINIA TECH 70,
No. 4 VIRGINIA 68
BLACKSBURG, Va. – Zach LeDay of Virginia Tech scored 18 of his 22 points in the second half and blocked London Perrantes’ attempt to tie the game in the final seconds.
The Hokies (10-5, 2-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) got 16 points from Justin Bibbs and 13 from Seth Allen in ending a seven-game losing streak against their in-state rivals.
Perrantes hit six 3-pointers in the second half and led Virginia (12-2, 1-1) with 22 points, but LeDay swatted his driving layup in the final seconds, preserving Virginia Tech’s slim margin.
Anthony Gill added 17 points for Virginia, which outrebounded the Hokies and shot better, but had 16 turnovers that led to 26 points for Virginia Tech.
No. 6 N. CAROLINA 106,
FLORIDA STATE 90
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Brice Johnson had career-highs of 39 points and 23 rebounds to lead North Carolina.
It was the first 20-20 game for a Tar Heel since Tyler Zeller had 20 points and 22 rebounds against Ohio in the 2012 NCAA Tournament.
Marcus Paige added 30 points for the Tar Heels (14-2, 3-0 Atlantic Coast Conference), who have won seven straight. It was North Carolina’s first win on the road.
Xavier Rathan-Mayes led Florida State with a season-high 30 points while Dwayne Bacon added 18 and Malik Beasley 15. After winning six straight, the Seminoles (10-4, 0-2) have lost two in a row.
No. 17 W. VIRGINIA 95,
TEXAS CHRISTIAN 87
FORT WORTH, Texas – Jaysean Paige scored seven of his 20 points in the late game-clinching run for foul-plagued West Virginia, which won its sixth straight.
Paige led six players in double figures for the Mountaineers (13-1, 2-0 Big 12). They had two players foul out and Paige was among four others who finished the game with four fouls.
Tarik Phillip made a 3-pointer with 5:40 left to make it 75-74, starting a 14-2 run in less than 3 minutes that put WVU ahead to stay.
Phillip finished with 18 points, while Jonathan Holton had 15 for the Mountaineers. Daxter Miles Jr. had 14 points, while Devin Williams and Jevon Carter scored 13 each.
Chauncey Collins led TCU (8-6, 0-2) with 20 points, including four 3-pointers.
