After missing all five of their first-period 3-point attempts and heading into the locker room trailing 35-29, the Jayhawks needed to step up if they were to topple Miami. They did it by winning the second act 47-15!
“We can’t do better in the second half”rejoices Bill Self, the coach of Kansas, for ESPN. “The guys deserved it. I am so proud of them and for our program. »
The Hurricanes were suffocated and unable to play the transition. Kameron McGusty, outplayed by the Kansas defense, had just four points following the break while down to 14 following 20 minutes.
“We had opportunities to score in the first half, with open shots”concedes Ochai Agbaji, Kansas’ leading scorer with 18 points. “It was just a matter of skill for us. In the second half, we had to defend better and the attack would follow. »
It was indeed the case. To start the second half, David McCormack scores five points in a row, before baskets from Jalen Wilson and Agbaji. Christian Braun continues with a dunk and an award-winning first basket and Kansas finds itself in front following going 14-5. They have taken control and won’t let go.
“We focused too much on the score and more on the game”regrets Jim Larranaga, the coach of Miami. “Looking at the scoreboard and seeing that we were behind, it generated anxiety. Instead of calming down and executing our systems, we rushed. »
This victory of 26 points (76-50) is the widest, at this stage of the competition, in Elite Eight, for 30 years and it allows Kansas to qualify for the Final Four for the first time since 2018. university will play Villanova, winner of Houston, in the semi-finals to hope then to win a national title awaited since 2008.
