March Madness @ MindSay 
college basketball
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - For the third straight time under Bill Self and the 26th time in school history, the University of Kansas men's basketball team is headed to the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 after defeating Dayton, 60-43, Sunday afternoon at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome.
In his return home, Minnesota native and hometown hero Cole Aldrich posted the first official triple-double in Kansas Basketball history with 13 points, 20 rebounds and 10 blocked shots.
But as was the case all weekend for KU, it was both the inside play of Aldrich and the outside play of Chicagoan Sherron Collins that propelled the Jayhawks back to the Sweet 16. The duo combined for 38 of Kansas' points against the Flyers two days after teaming for 55 against North Dakota State.
Kansas improved to 27-7 overall while Dayton ended its tournament run with an overall mark of 27-8.
Aldrich's impressive statline also marked his 20th double-double of the season. Collins, who was Kansas' offensive catalyst in the first half finished with 25 points, seven rebounds, two assists, a steal and no turnovers. Only three other Jayhawks scored.
Dayton was led by Mickey Perry and Chris Wright with 10 points apiece. Wright also added nine rebounds and three blocked shots.
After Dayton scored the first bucket of the contest, Kansas went on an 11-0 run, jumpstarted by the inside play of Aldrich who scored the Jayhawks' first six points.
Focused on defending full court in an attempt to wear Kansas down, Dayton was unable to get into a flow offensively early on and missed 11 straight shots as Kansas built a 21-11 lead.
The Flyers started to find their rhythm offensively and were able to close the gap to two points with KU leading 23-21 with 5:09 left in the first half, but could not get over the hump and the Jayhawks led 29-23 at the break. Collins had 14 points by halftime to lead all-scorers.
In the second half, Kansas was able to extend its lead back to double figures when it led 40-30 at the 12:42 mark. As Dayton continued to struggle from the field, Kansas was able to take control of the game and was never really threatened the rest of the way.
KU, which shot just 36.4 percent from the field in the first half, rallied to shoot 43.4 percent (23-of-53) from the field for the game, while Dayton shot a dismal 22.2 percent (16-of-72). Kansas outrebounded the Flyers 50-43.
According to a note provided by CBS, Aldrich's triple-double was the first in an NCAA Tournament game since Dwyane Wade in 2003, and the first that included blocked shots since Shaquille O'Neal in 1992.
In Kansas history, it has been documented that Wilt Chamberlain posted triple-doubles, but it was in an era before specialty stats like blocked shots, assists and steals were officially kept.
- Sherron Collins (25) and Cole Aldrich (13) combined for 38 of KU's 60 points. The duo has scored 93 of 144 KU's points in the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament.
- Cole Aldrich scored KU's first six points before Sherron Collins scored the Jayhawks' next eight and Mario Little scored the following five. Collins then scored the next six points for KU. The three combined for 28 of KU's 29 first half points as Tyshawn Taylor made a free throw.
- Sherron Collins led Kansas in scoring for the ninth straight game.
- Collins recorded 20-plus points for the 13th time this season and seventh time in the last nine games.
- Collins' 25 points matched his fifth most this season. His season and career high came two days ago in the first round with 32 vs. North Dakota State.
- Collins matched a career rebounding high with seven (had seven vs. Missouri-Kansas City last season). His previous season high was five on six occasions.
- Cole Aldrich recorded the first official triple-double and third known triple double in Kansas basketball history as Wilt Chamberlain recorded two in the 1957 season although blocks were not officially an NCAA stat.
Chamberlain had 39 points, 22 rebounds and 14 blocks vs. Marquette and 40 points, 13 rebounds and 12 blocks vs. Colorado that year.
- Aldrich's 10 blocks were a school record (eight by Greg Ostertag twice and Rick Suttle once).
- Aldrich matched a career high in rebounds with 20. He also had 20 at Oklahoma this season.
- Aldrich recorded his 20th double-double of the year, as well as his eighth in the last 10 games. He had nine points and 11 rebounds (and four blocks) at halftime.
- Aldrich registered double-figure rebound totals for the 22nd game this year and eighth time in the last nine games.
- Aldrich moved into third place on the KU season blocked shots list as he passed Scot Pollard, who had 84 in 1996. Aldrich entered the game with 80 blocks and had 10 today.
#3 KU will face #2 Michigan State on Friday night.
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – Sherron Collins scored a career-high 32 points to lead the University of Kansas to an 84-74 victory over North Dakota State, Friday, at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in the first round of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.
Cole Aldrich added 23 points and 13 rebounds as Kansas improved to 26-7 overall, while North Dakota State ended its season with a 26-7 record.
North Dakota State was advertised as a team that could shoot the long-ball and the Bison did not disappoint as they opened the game with three-straight treys to grab the game’s first lead.
Collins was up to the challenge though as he pumped in 17 first half points and the Jayhawks led 43-34 at intermission. Of its 37 points, the Bison got 21 from 3-point land with Summit League Player of the Year Ben Woodside leading the way with 16 points.
Kansas shot 55.9 percent (19-of-34) from the field in the opening half while holding NDSU to 43.3 percent (13-of-30). Kansas turned the ball over just twice in the first half, while NDSU had five miscues including four from Woodside.
The game was tied at 25 with 7:21 left on the first half clock, but Kansas went on a 16-7 run to close the period.
Kansas opened the second half with a trio of dunks – two from Aldrich and one from Tyshawn Taylor – followed by a Brady Morningstar 3-pointer and was able to extend its lead to as many as 11.
The Bison kept themselves in the game with long-range shooting and the playmaking of Woodside, but could get no closer than three as Kansas eventually won by 10.
Collins finished with eight assists and four rebounds to go with his career-high 32 points. Aldrich added two blocked shots to his 20th career double-double.
Woodside finished with 37 points for NDSU – the second highest total against KU this season. Brett Winkelman posted a double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds. Michael Tveidt added 11 points.
For the game, Kansas shot 50.0 percent (32-of-64) from the floor and 80.0 percent (16-of-20) from the charity stripe. North Dakota State shot 41.9 percent (26-of-62) from the field including 10-of-24 from 3-point land. The Bison also shot 80 percent (12-of-15) from the line. KU won the battle of the boards 39-34. The teams protected the ball well as Kansas turned the ball over only five times, and the Bison nine times.
The Kansas win…
- Was KU’s fifth straight victory in a dome and improved KU to 6-1 in the big venues in the Bill Self era.
- Improved KU to 26-7 on the season.
- KU has won 10 of its last 11 NCAA Tournament games in the last three years.
- Gave KU its 24th NCAA Tournament first-round win in the last 26 years dating back to 1978.
- Improved KU to 83-36 all-time in the NCAA Tournament.
- Improved KU to 7-3 as the tournament’s number three seed.
- Improved KU to 2-2 in neutral site games this year and 8-6 in all games away from Allen Fieldhouse this year.
- Made the Jayhawks 13-4 in the NCAA Tournament in the Bill Self era.
- Gave KU its seventh win in its last nine games this season.
Team
- Kansas had a season-low five turnovers (10 on four previous occasions).
- Kansas shot 80 percent from the free throw line (16 of 20) marking the 11th time this year the Jayhawks shot at least 80 percent from the charity stripe this year.
- Kansas used a pair of 7-0 runs in the first half. The first turned a 17-14 NDSU lead into a 21-17 Kansas advantage, while the second turned a 27-27 tie into a 34-27 KU lead. The last run started a 16-7 run to end the half and gave KU a 43-34 halftime lead.
- After trailing at halftime in each of its previous three games, KU led at the break 43-34.
- KU’s first three baskets of the second half were dunks (two by Cole Aldrich and one by Tyshawn Taylor).
- KU’s bench scored just two points in the game (Markieff Morris) for the fewest by the reserves this season.
Individual
- Sherron Collins recorded a career scoring high with 32 points (previous high was 26 three times this year).
- Collins became the first Jayhawk to score at least 30 points since Mario Chalmers had 30 vs. Texas on March 16, 2008.
- Collins scored 13 of KU’s first 18 points.
- Collins scored in double figures for the 31st time in 33 games this year.
- Collins recorded eight assists to match his third-most in a game this season (had 11 vs. New Mexico State and nine vs. Tennessee).
- Cole Aldrich moved into a tie for seventh place on the KU season rebounding list with Bill Bridges (353 in 1961). He entered the game with 340 and grabbed 13 on Friday for 353 on the season.
- Aldrich recorded his 19th double-double of the season and 20th of his career.
- Aldrich recorded eight dunks in the game (out of nine field goals made).
- Marcus Morris handed out four assists to match his second most this season (had six vs. Syracuse and four at Kansas State). Morris also had eight points and seven rebounds.
- Morris’ seven rebounds matched his most in the last six games (seven vs. Missouri).
- Brady Morningstar scored eight points, his second most in the last six games (nine vs. Texas).
#3 KU will face #11 Dayton, who upset #6 West Virginia, on Sunday afternoon.
In Spring 2007, I played in a Sunday night pickup basketball game against a team that had Chase Budinger, Nic Wise, and Jordan Hill, the three of which just led the University of Arizona to an opening-round win in the NCAA men's basketball tournament. Budinger and Hill will be first-round NBA draft picks as soon as this year. Knowing these players' prominence and public personas, my primary objective in the game was to not hurt or touch any of them.
For a while I was guarding Budinger, who drained two wing jumpshots from at least 25 feet; I had halfheartedly contested the shots. On a fast break, Budinger ran the lane and dunked from outside the circle; I made sure to get at least four feet out of the way. I'd seen many people dunk, and I myself have done that deed, but this level of athleticism didn't compare; he had leapt, yes, like a wildcat, with his hips at the level of my face. It's the difference between dunking with your hand one inch above the rim and dunking with your hand a foot-and-a-half above the rim.
Nic Wise didn't have the obvious NBA body of Hill and Budinger, but he could definitely shoot well, but preferred ballhandling. He could cut the lane and get up a shot faster than anyone I'd seen in person. The stats say he scored 29 in the tourney game.
The experience of being on the other team was comical and awe-inspiring. Budinger, Hill, and Wise were more like superheroes than regular guys shooting and playing ball. The ball moved so crisply, spun so beautifully in the air, and the rim never seemed so low. The court never seemed so short.
For a moment I was guarding Jordan Hill, whose skill game was very raw at the time. At 6'10'' and athletic, he very well could have dunked every time he got the ball, but was missing short post shots which he'd probably been doing drills on. One other guy didn't get so lucky -- he got "teabagged" with Hill jumping right over him for a dunk.
I didn't get on fanboy status with any of the guys, but the game was fun and they had a decent time. Funny how the athletes lived such a different life, with their own facilities and food, and probably athletic department-hired tutors. But everyone played their part -- I was a graduate student who could fashion myself however I wished. The greenskeepers kept the main street looking good, the cops looked for suspicious people, and the undergraduates partied. Just a sublime equation. A wonder that anyone learns or discovers anything in such places.
The University of Arizona in Tucson is quite a magical place. This is only one of many memories that I have about it.
LAWRENCE, Kan. – Led by 21 points and seven assists by Sherron Collins, Kansas defeated Texas, 83-73, Saturday afternoon on Senior Day in front of 16,300 fans at Allen Fieldhouse to earn the 2009 Big 12 Championship outright, the Jayhawks’ fifth consecutive conference title. With the win, Kansas improved to 25-6 (14-2 in the Big 12), while Texas fell to 20-10 (9-7).
During a key two-possession stretch late in the second half, it was Collins’ passing, not scoring, that shut the door on any hopes Texas had of getting a rare victory in the Fieldhouse. With KU leading 73-71, Collins took the ball on a fast break and found an open Brady Morningstar, who hit a huge three to put the Jayhawks up five. On the ensuing possession, Collins came up with a steal, drove the length of the floor again and dished to Tyshawn Taylor for a thunderous slam to make the score 76-71 in favor of Kansas. Texas would not get any closer the rest of the contest.
Amidst a series of “one more year” chants by the KU faithful, Collins calmly sank five free throws in the game’s final minutes to put the final nail in the Longhorns’ coffin. Seniors Brennan Bechard and Matt Kleinmann, who had checked in with just seconds earlier, checked back out to a huge ovation with 14 seconds to go in the game.
Marcus Morris then proceeded to dribble out the final seconds of KU’s fifth consecutive league title as the KU fans roared in approval.
After trailing 44-37 at halftime, Kansas outscored Texas 19-12 to even the score at 56 apiece after Taylor put in a layup at the 11:37 mark.
Texas would score the next five points to take a 61-56 lead, but the Jayhawks would storm right back. Cole Aldrich scored a two-point bucket, Markieff Morris hit two free throws, and Markieff followed a Collins miss with a dunk to give KU the lead right back, 62-61. It would continue to go back and forth as Texas’ Damion James made two free throws to give Texas a 63-62 lead. Taylor fired back by banking in a three-pointer to put KU back up 65-63. James knotted it back up at 65 with two more free throws. Aldrich followed with four consecutive free throws to put the Jayhawks up 69-65, and Texas would not lead again.
Texas’ Dexter Pittman scored a fast-break layup to cut the score to 69-67, and Taylor responded with a nice move for a layup that pushed it back to 71-67 in favor of Kansas. Justin Mason scored a layup for Texas, Aldrich hit a jumper at the top of the key for the Jayhawks, and Abrams converted two free throws to make the score 73-71, right before Collins took over the game.
Kansas ended the first half on a 7-0 run to cut the Texas lead to 44-37 at the half. With Texas up 44-30, Kansas head coach Bill Self called a much-needed timeout, and his Jayhawks responded. Immediately after the timeout, Marcus Morris cut hit a layup to cut the lead to 12, and Sherron Collins followed that on the ensuing Texas possession with a steal, fast break and dish to Travis Releford for another layup to make the score 44-34 in favor of Texas and force Rick Barnes to call a timeout.
Dexter Pittman appeared to have an easy dunk after the timeout but Cole Aldrich stuffed the attempt to keep the lead at 10. With just seconds to go in the half, Tyrel Reed hit a huge three, and Texas was unable to get down the floor for an attempt so Kansas headed into the locker room to a huge ovation only down seven.
Cole Aldrich recorded his 18th double-double of the season for the Jayhawks with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Tyshawn Taylor pitched in 11 points and five assists.
Texas’ Damion James played lights out in the first half, scoring 20 points on 8-of-10 shooting, including 2-for-2 from beyond the arc. James would cool off in the second half, finishing the game with 26 points.
Kansas held A.J. Abrams in check throughout the night, as he would end up with just 10 points.
KU is back in action next week as it holds the No. 1 seed in the 2009 Big 12 Tournament. With a first-round bye, the Jayhawks will face the winner of No. 8 Nebraska and No. 9 Baylor in the second round Thursday at 11:30 a.m. CST, on ESPN2.
KU has won 41 straight games at home. KU is now 16-6 all-time against the Longhorns. KU has won 9 of the 13 Big 12 Conference Titles.
With the victory, Kansas improved to 24-5 and 13-1 in the Big 12 and takes a one-game lead in the conference race into the final week of the regular season. A win in either of its final two games and Kansas would lay claim to its fifth straight and ninth overall Big 12 regular-season title. Missouri dropped to 24-5 and 11-3 in Big 12 play.
Collins led Kansas with 25 points to post his fourth straight game of 22-plus points. The 25 was one off his career-high of 26 points, last set at Oklahoma last Monday. Aldrich scored 19 points and pulled down 14 rebounds to record his fourth straight and 17th overall double-double of the season.
Behind a raucous home crowd Kansas raced to an 11-5 lead and forced a Missouri timeout 4:44 into the game. At the timeout, every Jayhawk starter had scored at least one point.
Missouri coach Mike Anderson’s first timeout failed to help the Tigers though, as KU continued to extend the lead to 16 at 21-5. Missouri called another timeout with 12:14 remaining in the first half to stop the 14-0 Kansas run. Missouri answered with a 5-0 run of its own, but two Tyrel Reed three-pointers would push the Kansas lead to 21 at 33-12 with 6:26 remaining in the half.
Kansas freshman Tyshawn Taylor nailed a three-point bucket with just a few seconds remaining in the first half to give Kansas its largest lead of the half at 45-19.
In the first half, Missouri was 0-for-9 from three point land and shot just 20.5 percent on 8-for-39 shooting. Kansas, on the other hand, was red-hot, shooting 18-for-32 (56.3 percent), including 5-for-7 (71.4 percent) from beyond the arc. KU outscored the Tigers 11-0 on the fast break in the opening half.
A Collins three early in the second half pushed KU’s lead to 50-23, but Missouri answered with its longest unanswered run of the game to close the gap to 50-31 with 16:46 remaining. Missouri would never threaten Kansas in the second half.
In the latter stages of the game, Kansas extended the lead and kept the crowd into the game behind two perfectly executed alley-oops from Taylor to Aldrich.
DeMarre Carroll and Leo Lyons led Missouri with 16 and 20 points, respectively.
For the game, Kansas shot 55.9 percent (33-for-59) from the field and 57.1 percent (8-for-14) from three point range. Missouri warmed up in the second half, but still only shot 35.7 (25-for-70) percent from the field over the course of the game. KU outrebounded the Tigers 46-32, the fourth-straight game that has occurred.
Up next for the Jayhawks is a trip to Texas Tech on Wednesday night. Tip is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. and the game will be televised on ESPN2.
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