| #2 | Ohio State (31-7) | 68 |
| #2 | Kansas (31-6) | 72 |
The NCAA tournament may be known for its penchant for vaulting the "Davids" of the sport into the spotlight, but it’s two Goliaths that will battle for a spot in Monday’s title game. Premier big men Jared Sullinger and Thomas Robinson square off as the Kansas Jayhawks face the Buckeyes of Ohio State.
The Jayhawks were able to utilize a 7-0 run early on to take the lead, but the Buckeyes nullified that advantage thanks to a 9-2 spurt of their own. Both teams played at a breakneck pace in the first half, with the scoreboard showing Bill Self’s squad owning a 41-40 lead as the teams headed to the locker room.
However, the second half was a different tale, as the scoring slowed down thanks to defensive dexterity from both clubs. Around the 13-minute mark, the Jayhawks unleashed a blitzkrieg of jumpers, leaving the Scarlet and Gray in the dust with a 13-point lead. The Buckeyes would claw their way back but could not inflict major retaliation, succumbing to the Jayhawks by a count of 72-68.
Unselfish play spurred the Jayhawks to victory, as five players scored in double-digits with Tyshawn Taylor and Robinson leading the way with 15 each. Robinson also added 10 boards, while Elijah Johnson helped the cause with 13 points, five rebounds and six assists. If this was Sullinger’s last collegiate game, he certainly didn’t go quietly into the night, posting 15 points, 10 rebounds and two assists.
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