2008 NATIONAL CHAMPI
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The men's basketball team watches the "One Shining Moment" video after its 75-68 victory against Memphis Monday in San Antonio. The Jayhawks won in overtime after Mario Chalmers three-point shot tied the game with seconds left in regulation
First Round
KANSAS 85, PORTLAND STATE 61
Jon Goering/KANSAN
No Weary Eyes for Kansas
The early tip-off time didn't affect the Jayhawks at the Qwest Center in Omaha, Neb.
Despite the players waking up at 7 a.m. for the 11:25 a.m. start, Kansas looked fully awake against 16th-seeded Portland State in a 85-61 victory. The Jayhawks extended their seven-game winning streak by throttling the Vikings in every aspect of the game.
Brandon Rush led Kansas with 18 points. Russell Robinson and Mario Chalmers combined for six steals. Darrell Arthur nearly recorded a double-double with 18 points and seven rebounds.
"It's our first game of the tournament." Chalmers said. "We were just excited to get it started."
Case Keefer
Second Round KANSAS 75, UNLV 56 How Sweet It Is
Jon Goering/KANSAN
For 27 minutes, the UNLV Runnin' Rebels stuck right with Kansas. Then, Bill Self adjusted.
Clinging to an eight-point lead against the under-manned Rebels, Self attacked them by going small and checking four guards into the game. Kansas rolled to a 75-56 victory from there to reach its
UNLV coach Lon Kruger, who lost to Kansas' 1988 National Championship team in the tournament as the Kansas State coach, was determined to slow the game down but that wasn't going to happen with four quick Jayhawk guards. The guards, Brandon Rush, Mario Chalmers,
second straight Sweet Sixteen.
Russell Robinson and Sherron Collins, combined to score 62 of the Jayhawks' points.
"We take pride in games like this where the guards have to step up and make plays," Collins said. "That was the whole game plan."
Case Keefer
Sweet Sixteen KANSAS 72, VILLANOVA 57 Another Blowout
on Goering/KANSAN
Villanova was the final at-large team selected for the NCAA Tournament. But through two rounds, the Wildcats hadn't played like it.
Led by guard Scottie Reynolds, the Wildcats came back from an 18-point deficit in the first round against Clemson and destroyed Siena in the second round. There were no triumphs against the Javahawks in
Detroit at Ford Field, though.
Reynolds was only 4-for-13 from the field because of Russell Robinson's staunch defensive pressure. Brandon Rush led the charge offensively by hitting two three-pointers and scoring a team-high 16 points. Three games into the tournament, the Jayhawks were
beating opponents by an average of 19 points.
"Last year gave us a nice taste of what we want to do." Robinson said. "Guys are still hungry and ready to eat a big plate this time around."
Case Keefe
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