Bill Self has his first victory as Kansas University’s head basketball coach.
The Jayhawks were locked in a tight struggle with Tennessee-Chattanooga for much of the first half, but finished the half strong and kept the momentum for much of the second half of an 90-76 victory Friday at Allen Fieldhouse.
Juniors Keith Langford, Michael Lee, Aaron Miles and Wayne Simien, and freshman center David Padgett started for the Jayhawks in Self’s first regular-season game as KU’s head coach.
KU trailed 11-6 early before taking a 12-11 lead. The Mocs scored eight straight points, though, and led by as many as 10 points, 24-14.
The Jayhawks closed the half on a 28-6 run, though, including an 8-0 spurt that brought them within two points, 24-22.
KU regained the lead, 27-26, on a three-pointer by J.R. Giddens with just less than six minutes left in the first half, and took control with a three-pointer by Langford that was followed by a fast-break layup from Jeremy Case, giving KU a 36-30 lead.
The Jayhawks opened the second half on an 18-7 run, including seven points from Padgett, who was scoreless in the first half. KU has led by as many as 20 points, 82-62.
Langford led KU with 24 points and added four steals. Simien had 21 points and eight rebounds, and Miles added 12 points and eight assists.
Padgett finished with 13 points, 10 rebounds and six blocks, one short of Nick Collison’s single-game freshman record for blocks. Giddens and Lee each had five points for KU, and Bryant Nash had four points. Case, Jeff Hawkins and Moulaye Niang added two points each.
  Photo gallery: KU vs. UTC Hear Bill: KU-UTC postgame comments Get the stats: KU-UTC box score 6Sports video: KU-UTC highlights |
Jason Rogan led the Mocs with 22 points and eight boards. Ashley Champion added 20 points and five rebounds.
The Jayhawks were 35-of-66 shooting, including 5 of 20 from three-point range. The Mocs were 28-of-63 shooting, hit 7-of-22 three-point shots. KU hit 15 of 18 free throws, and Tennessee-Chattanooga was 13 of 19 from the charity stripe.
Tennessee-Chattanooga tied KU in the rebounding battle, 36-36, but turned the ball over seven more times, 23-16. The Jayhawks had twice as many assists, 22-11, and had eight more blocks, 9-1.
Lexington, KY ? Beware of an upset, cautioned USA Today.
Look for a stunner, warned the Louisville Courier-Journal.
Media members who thought Tennessee-Chattanooga had a fighting chance against Kansas had egg on their faces Thursday following the Jayhawks’ 102-73 win over the Moccasins in the first round of the NCAA Southeast Regional at Rupp Arena.
Now 26-7, Kansas barely worked up a sweat in advancing to Saturday’s second-round game against 21-11 Wake Forest, a 68-58 winner over College of Charleston.
“I think at this time of year, a lot is made about teams being underdogs,” shrugged KU coach Roy Williams.
His team silenced talk of an upset early.
Sean Pearson, who started in place of Patrick Richey (bruised tailbone, no points in 17 minutes), hit two three-pointers in the opening 1:05.
Richard Scott, followed with a free throw and bucket as KU jumped to a 9-0 lead.
“I think Sean was the ice-breaker,” said Scott, who hit 11 of 15 shots and scored a career-high 26 points. “Everybody was wondering how the game would go. After he made those three-pointers, we said, ‘We’ll take the game from here.”‘
Pearson’s six-point barrage forced UT-Chattanooga to scrap its game-plan.
“They were in a box and one for a minute. Sean took ’em out of that,” said Steve Woodberry, who was shadowed by one Moccasin while the remaining four played a zone.
Woodberry broke free for 11 points — six Jayhawks scored in double figures — as KU erupted for its highest point total in 70 NCAA Tournament games.
“We passed the ball well. That’s the old Kansas basketball,” Woodberry said.
Jacque Vaughn tied a career high with 11 assists, and Woodberry had nine. KU totaled a Southeast Regional-record 33 assists.
“I think my two threes…after I hit them, they had to come out on the perimeter. That opened it up inside and we took advantage,” Pearson said.
The Jayhawks took advantage inside even though 7-2 center Greg Ostertag picked up his third foul after just 65 shots and scored a career-high 26 points. “Everybody was wondering how the game would go. After he made those three-pointers, we said, ‘We’ll take the game from here.”‘
Pearson’s six-point barrage forced UT-Chattanooga to scrap its game-plan.
“They were in a box and one for a minute. Sean took ’em out of that,” said Steve Woodberry, who was shadowed by one Moccasin while the remaining four played a zone.
Woodberry broke free for 11 points — six Jayhawks scored in double figures — as KU erupted for its highest point total in 70 NCAA Tournament games.
“We passed the ball well. That’s the old Kansas basketball,” Woodberry said.
Jacque Vaughn tied a career high with 11 assists, and Woodberry had nine. KU totaled a Southeast Regional-record 33 assists.
“I think my two threes…after I hit them, they had to come out on the perimeter. That opened it up land, who entered averaging 20.7 points, scored five on 1-of-13 shooting.
“It happened again today. That guy (Woodberry guards) doesn’t get as many points as he normally does,” Williams said.
The Jayhawks forced just 11 turnovers, but outrebounded the Mocs, 53-41.
“I thought we were really focused,” Williams said.
And not just because two newspapers hinted KU might be sent home packing after the game.
“I think were were more focused when Greg got his third foul,” the coach noted. “Scot and B.J. knew they’d have to go in and do some things inside.”
The freshmen definitely provided a spark and helped KU reach the Round of 32.
“We get a chance to play again. That was the goal at the start,” Williams said.
