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Michigan defeats Kansas, 87-85
- 6:37 p.m., March 29, 2013
- Cowboys Stadium, Arlington, TX
FINAL: Michigan rallies from 14-point second-half deficit in 87-85 overtime win over KU
By Matt Tait.
The Kansas University men's basketball team seemed headed to the Elite Eight all night on Friday at Cowboys Stadium.
But then Michigan guard Trey Burke got hot and the Wolverines picked up an improbable, come-from-behind, 87-85, overtime victory over the top-seeded Jayhawks.
Kansas scored its first 20 points in the paint and led by as many as 10 during the first half. However, despite playing most of the way in complete control of the game, the Jayhawks (31-6) never were able to pull away.
KU shot 19-of-28 (67.9 percent) in the first half yet led by just six at the break, thanks to the first-half play of Michigan's Mitch McGary (11) and Nik Stauskas (9). KU held UM stud point guard and potential player-of-the-year, Trey Burke, to no points (0-of-4 shooting), five assists and three turnovers in the first 20 minutes. All of that with starting point guard Elijah Johnson playing just three minutes after picking up three first-half fouls, including a Flagrant 1 on a blow below the belt in the game's opening minutes.
The Wolverines capitalized on their momentum early in the second half, pulling to within two — 46-44 at the 15:48 mark — but KU responded with a 15-6 run to open up a 61-50 lead with 11 minutes to play. McLemore scored 10 points during the stretch and Elijah Johnson and Perry Ellis supported KU's superstar.
KU bumped its largest lead of the game to 14 — 68-54 on a three-pointer from Johnson — with 6:50 left, but Michigan staged a furious rally in the game's final few minutes and sent the game to overtime.
From there, UM (29-7) controlled most of the overtime, where several KU miscues and a last-second three-point miss from Naadir Tharpe on an ill-advised pass from Johnson pushed the Wolverines into the next round.
After missing his first five shots, Ben McLemore broke out of his shooting slump for 20 points on 8-of-15 shooting, but disappeared late. Travis Releford scored 16, Jeff Withey added 12 points and 8 rebounds, Kevin Young added 12 points, and Elijah Johnson finished with 13 points but also five turnovers.
Burke finished with 23 points (all in the second half) and McGary added 25 to lead Michigan.
Friday's loss was the final KU game in the careers of Young, Withey, Releford and Johnson.
Here’s a quick look back at some of Friday night's action:
• The game turned when: KU blew a 14-point lead with 6:50 left and a 10-point lead with less than three minutes to play. The biggest blow during that stretch was a missed one-and-one attempt at the free throw line by Elijah Johnson that could've put KU up four or five, but, instead, gave Michigan, and a red-hot Burke, a chance to tie the game in the final seconds.
• Offensive highlights: ••• At the 8:48 mark of the first half, Ben McLemore finally knocked in a long-range shot. The three-pointer from the corner put KU up 25-17 and snapped an 0-for-5 start to the game for the red-shirt freshman. ••• With KU leading 51-46 in the second half and Michigan point guard Trey Burke heating up, the Jayhawks benefited from back-to-back Burke miscues to open up a 10-point lead. The first came at the 13:53 mark, when Burke drove the lane, had the ball poked away and saw Ben McLemore race out for the hammer dunk. On the next possession, a Burke miss led to a transition layup and foul by Elijah Johnson, who hit the free throw to put Kansas ahead 56-46. ••• With KU leading 70-62, Elijah Johnson broke down the defense and dished to Kevin Young down low. Young quickly flipped the ball to Withey for the uncontested, monster slam and KU went up 72-62 with 2:52 to play. •••
• Defensive highlights: ••• At the 18:15 mark of the first half, Ben McLemore swatted a layup attempt by Glenn Robinson III in transition. It looked as if Robinson had a clear path to the bucket when he caught the pass from Trey Burke, but McLemore skied to erase the shot. ••• With just under 10 minutes to play in the first half, KU reserve Jamari Traylor pinned a shot by Michigan's Jordan Morgan to the glass, further flexing KU's muscles inside.
• Key stat: Points in the paint. No question. All week, the talk was about KU's strength inside against Michigan's strength on the perimeter. After scoring its first 20 points of the game in the paint, KU finished with 60 points in the paint, good for 70.5 percent of its total. Michigan, meanwhile, scored 40 down low.
• Up next: The loss ended the Jayhawks' season at 31-6. Michigan advanced to play the winner of tonight's Florida-Florida Gulf Coast match-up.
Eric TheCapn
There is a reason I've been a broken record about that guy all season. Dumb moves, all the time. Why did Self have so much faith in him when Tharpe was a true point guard. Huge mistake letting him start all year and play at all this game.
90shawk
Ej's bonehead turnovers and decisions down the stretch, and Bill's stubbornness leaving him in while it's happening. The cause is obvious
Diegohawk
self took mclemore out when he had it going and when he reinserted him he was cold as ice and we didn't go to him once.
Gongs4ku
Wow, talk about leaving on a bad note. Poor Elijah. He played as if he had some sort of brain disease, and now that's how he'll be remembered.
John White in reply to Darshana Benhur
They never put Travis on him, kept EJ on him all game to get torched.
Bozeman
Sefl's fault. Johnson played dumb all year and Self just kept trusting. Sometimes you need to be the bad guy and bench a senior. Liability. I always knew all year that a tourney game would be lost by Johnson's wildness. It came true.
Lurkerhawk in reply to John White
Thanks Seniors. Loss stings but you guys gave one hell of a season. Ben - use this loss as pure motivation to get better at the next level. You're going to be special.
Pitthawk34
Pack EJ bags...its done baby...The worst loss in KS history...should have never happened. Tell self he had better play MC ahen he is hot. BS
Tron
That's cool that Elijah is a Jayhawk for life, and wish no ill will against him in the future, but as others have said, I'm glad his decision making is gone. Bad entry pass for a layup, picks up dribble and throws it away for a layup and a back court basically in succession. We deserved to lose the game the way we played the last 3 or 4 minutes.
Jumpinjayhawk
Michigan needs to send MVP trophy to EJ, if they win the championship, will EJ get a ring?
Bill Shaw in reply to Brian Powell
How many games did the team play this season where they didn't blow a lead during the game?
Dannyboy4hawks
Burke wouldn't have mattered if EJ hits that one and one with .20 seconds left...I mean, it would have been a 5 point lead....and burkes 3 though dramatic wouldn't have mattered in the end
Diegohawk
5 turnovers. the last pass was nearly his 6th. missed front end of 1and1 to seal it. he has a reason to feel bad. tough way to end your career.
Jayhawk2181 in reply to Colreader
+100... good year, was a bad ending, but about what we deserved with inconsistent play (and that cheap shot)
Darshana Benhur
This sucks! Im going to Miss Jeff Withey and Ben so much. In a way I wish ben would get hurt like Brandon so he comes back next year
John White in reply to Lindhawk
That wasn't Withey's fault, it was a bad defensive gameplan. Withey kept getting pulled away from the basket on the high pick and rolls.
Matt Lacey
It's a Big 10 and Big East year. 2 toughest conferences all season.
Time to go see if I can get my trainer to go out with me. See ya in September, folks.
Justin Daniel
I don't know why people think EJ played bad, Burke only had 10 more assists that his 0 assists 5 turnover line.
Rain in reply to John White
Agreed. Why keep EJ in the game? He gets lost, he start taking random threes, throwing the ball weird places.
Jeff Kilgore in reply to John White
Burke is player of the year for a reason. Plus, our guard play, shaky at times finally hurt us.
Kennethst
EJ single-handedly gave it away. How many turnovers in last 5 min? Wow. You have to work at being that bad. Same way he blew Oklahoma Stae game.
Lebo
E. Johnson that sexual assault you did will be your legacy at KU. Your turnovers gave them the game. Coach you should have benched him the rest of the game. Shockered by Michigan. Go SHOX!
Lindhawk
Difference. Jeff was supposed to dominate the middle. A freshman gets 25/14 in Jeff? That's a problem.
Steve Jacob
I am just so excited about my Wolverines! That have had so many close games, wins and losses and that experience paid off.
As for KU, you knew the downfall of them before the season started would be point guard.
Jeff Kilgore in reply to Brian Powell
Oh quit crying. We had a helluva year. You don't always win. We've had a great year.
John White in reply to Jeff Kilgore
We outplayed them most of the game a ton. It was all because of a meltdown at the end with turnovers and missed free throws.
Jeff Kilgore in reply to Aircapjay
Not a chance. Louisville will beat them like a drum if Syracuse doesn't.
John White in reply to Rain
No excuse for it. EJ had one good game all year and a ton of bad ones. He has to have something over Self, no other explanation.
Dave Cook in reply to Aircapjay
no way.. for 35 minutes they played like crap..screw it.. they will be done on sunday.
Rain
Round two and three: KU plays like crap, turns it on at the end, pulls out a win. This game, reverse that.
Brian Powell
F'n typical Kansas... All that work, go up FOURTEEN POINTS, and then just roll over.
We already had the choke reputation, and tonight we just added a layer of cement.
Jeff Kilgore
You know, it's not so much that we played bad, but that they played unbelievably well. Burke was unbelievable.
Lurkerhawk
this one hurts. we had this game and we played uncharacteristically the last few mins regulation.
Doublej25
That's the most horrible ending I've ever seen. WHY!!!??? He had him beat and didn't go to the hoop :( I can't believe it...
Greatjake in reply to Rock Chalk
bizarrooooo last play why go for the three when you are feet from the basket - ick
741hawk
I said it earlier in the year and I'll say it again, I really do think that EJ is on the take. How else do you explain the decisions he's made?
Jayhawkinaustin
Should we have won with a 14 point lead? Of course. But we lost playing the way we've played all year. We knew that at some point our guards could bite us badly.
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