NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Thirteen was a lucky number for both the Kentucky Wildcats and Kansas Jayhawks as they both won Saturday to advance to the NCAA championship game. Kentucky managed to win after blowing a 13-point lead, and Kansas advanced despite a 13-point deficit.
Kansas trailed by 13 in the first half before storming back to beat Ohio State 64-to-62. The Jayhawks scored the game's first basket and didn't lead again until Travis Relaford hit two free throws with 2:48 to play. Tyshawn Taylor added a pair of foul shots with 8.1 seconds left to put Kansas up 64-61.
Thomas Robinson finished with 19 points and eight rebounds to help the Jayhawks set up their second meeting with Kentucky this season. The Wildcats outshot the Jayhawks 51 percent to 34 percent in beating Kansas 75-to-65 at Madison Square Garden on November 15, the second game of the season for both teams.
Downtown Lawrence Saturday night, after KU beat OSU. Photo taken from rooftop of Tellers. (Photo by J. Schafer)
The Jayhawks will go for their fourth NCAA crown, and first since Bill Self's Kansas team beat Calipari's Memphis squad four years ago.