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Stumble It!The University of Kansas men's basketball team defeated the University of Texas, 84-74, to steal the tournament championship from the Longhorns for the third straight season.
The Jayhawk trio of Darrell Arthur, Brandon Rush and Mario Chalmers combined for 65 of Kansas' 84 points to give Kansas its sixth Big 12 championship in the tournaments 12 year history. The Big 12 Conference selected Rush and Chalmers to the All-Tournament team roster. Rush was selected as the tournament's most outstanding player after scoring 47 points and shooting 11 of 17 from behind the arc over the past two games.
Chalmers scored scored a career high 30 points and was an outstanding eight of 12 from three point range. Chalmers' 30 points are the most by any Kansas player this season.
"I mean, tonight everybody stepped up," Chalmers said. "We were talking about it yesterday, that we were going to need a big game from everybody and I think everybody continued to step up today."
Texas was led by first team All-American (Sports Illustrated) and All-Tournament selection D.J. Augustin. Augustin scored 20 points and dished out nine assists in the Longhorn loss.
Unlike Kansas' previous two games, the Jayhawks had no problem finding the sweet touch early on. After scoring just 56 points combined in the first half against Nebraska and Texas A&M, Kansas broke out in the first half against Texas shooting 63 percent from the field and nine of 13 from behind the arc scoring 45 points.
However the Jayhawks were not the only team with a hot hand early on. Augustin connected on all four of his three point attempts in the first half and chipped in 18 of Texas' 46 first half points.
The 91 point first-half shoot-out put on by the two teams started with a three point field goal by Chalmers.
After taking the first lead of the game, Kansas went cold and Texas used an 8-0 run to jump ahead.
Trailing, 8-3, Kansas answered with a strong, 18-5, run of its own to move ahead 21-13.
The eight point Kansas lead however, wasn't enough to demoralize a talented Texas Longhorn team that responded with a 14-0 run to regain the lead.
With just 35 seconds remaining in the first half Damion James made a two point jumper to put Texas up 46-45. Kansas had a chance to steal the lead going into the locker room, but a Sherron Collins lay up and a Rush three point attempt both came up short.
Texas came out the gates strong in the second half, holding the Jayhawks scoreless over the first three minutes and expanding their one point lead to four.
The Jayhawks responded, like they did all game long, by rattling off a 19-7 run of their own to take an eight point lead. Texas fought back as the teams continued to exchange the lead throughout most of the contest.
"All we did was match each other," Coach Bill Self said. "It wasn't a 10-point-game. That game, if we played three more minutes they may have gone on another 11-0 run because it was a game of runs."
The Longhorns led the game, 71-70, with just 4:08 remaining, but Kansas got a big shot from Arthur to take the lead. Texas was never able to reclaim the lead as the Jayhawks rose to the occassion down the stretch.
Mario Chalmers hit a three pointer to put the Jayhawks ahead, 75-71, with just 1:52 remaining. Kansas then made nine of its 10 free throws in the final 1:26 to pull away from the Longhorns and secure the victory.
Earlier this season in Austin, the Jayhawks struggled on the glass late in the game. They allowed Damion James, to pull down all of his 13 rebounds in the second half. In Sunday's contest the Jayhawks held James to six rebounds and cleaned the glass, out-rebounding Texas 42-29.
With the win over Texas the Jayhawks are now 31-3 on the season. Aside from their one point loss in Stillwater to the Oklahoma State Cowboys, Kansas has avenged every loss on the season.
The victory improves Kansas' record in the Big 12 Tournament under Self to 12-3 and 3-0 in the championship round.
Road to San Antonio Revealed
Kansas will set out on their path towards San Antonio and the final four Thursday when they travel to Omaha, Neb., as the number one seed in the midwest regional. The Jayhawks will face the Portland State Vikings, winners of the Big Sky conference, in the first round of the NCAA tournament. The Jayhawks along with North Carolina, Memphis and UCLA will be the number one seeds heading into the big dance.
Last year, the Jayhawks were also awarded a one-seed and defeated Niagara University, 107-67, in the first round of play. Since the field of play was expanded to 64 in 1985 no 16-seed has ever defeated a one-seed in the NCAA tournament.
The Jayhawks are the highest seeded team coming out of a Big 12 conference that received six bids to the tournament. Kansas is entering the tournament on a roll for the third straight season. Kansas started the tournament with a five game winning streak in 2006 before a startling first round loss to Bradley. Last year, they came in winners of their last 11 contests and made it all the way to the Elite Eight before falling to the two-seeded UCLA Bruins.
The Jayhawks are currently riding a seven game win streak that includes victories over three tournament bound teams.
Kansas will try to extend their win streak to eight when they begin first round play on Thursday at the Qwest Center in Omaha.
