Down go the champs

By Tom Keegan     Mar 28, 2009

Nick Krug
Kansas players, from left, Tyrone Appleton, Mario Little and Marcus Morris can't watch the final moments of the Jayhawks' loss to Michigan State during the second half Friday, March 27, 2009 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

? In the end, a two-deep Kansas basketball team proved too shallow to advance to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament.

Defeating the Jayhawks for the second time this season Friday night, 67-62, in Lucas Oil Stadium, Michigan State advanced to the Midwest Regional final.

Kansas junior point guard Sherron Collins, who missed the front end of a one-and-one free throw situation with 19.9 seconds left, led the Jayhawks with 20 points, and sophomore center Cole Aldrich added 17 points, 14 rebounds and four blocked shots.

No Kansas player other than Collins and Aldrich scored in double figures in any of the three NCAA Tournament games.

Michigan State, which had trailed by as many as 13 points in the first half, outscored Kansas 12-2 in the final 3:03 of the game to advance to a Sunday game against top-seeded Louisville.

Center Goran Suton led the Spartans with 20 points, nine rebounds and five steals, but it was point guard Kalin Lucas who took over the game down the stretch.

Lucas broke a tie with 48 seconds when he made a runner in the lane, was fouled by Collins and sank the free throw. Lucas scored seven of his 18 points in the final 48 seconds.

Lucas put an end to a Kansas season in which the Jayhawks (27-8) exceeded expectations by winning the Big 12 regular season with a 12-2 record.

Kansas, which played three freshmen, three sophomores and two juniors, committed 19 turnovers in its final game of the season.

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32539Down go the champs