Stories for March 18, 2010

Goins helps Tennessee beat San Diego State 62-59

Melvin Goins made his fourth 3-pointer with 19 seconds left after San Diego State cut the deficit to one point, and Tennessee held off the Aztecs 62-59 on Thursday night to advance to the second round of the NCAA tournament's Midwest Regional.

Northern Iowa ends 20-year NCAA drought on late 3

Using a grind-it-out defense and a clutch shot by Ali Farokhmanesh, Northern Iowa is moving on in the NCAA tournament for the first time in two decades.

Pondexter lifts Washington over Marquette 80-78

Quincy Pondexter drove for a tiebreaking bank shot with 1.7 seconds left, and 11th-seeded Washington extended its remarkable late-season run into the NCAA tournament with an 80-78 victory over Marquette in the first round of the East Regional on Thursday night.

Ohio stuns Georgetown in tournament opener

Who knew that all this time Ohio used the regular season as a warm-up act? The Bobcats' time to shine is March.

Bledsoe's eight 3s lead Kentucky past ETSU 100-71

To call this one a yawner would be understating things. Kentucky's blowout of East Tennessee State in the first round of the NCAA tournament was so thorough that fans were sleeping in the stands — and not even the collective laughs of conscious spectators could awaken some of those caught snoozing on large video boards.

FINAL: Marcus Morris scores career high in Jayhawks' 90-74 victory over Lehigh

The sophomore forward contributed 26 points on 12-for-15 shooting, as the Jayhawks overcame a sluggish start to put away the Mountain Hawks in the second half.

Butler surges past UTEP 77-59 in second half

When Shelvin Mack made a steal and quickly hit a 3-pointer in the opening minute of the second half, he had a good feeling Butler could shake its opening-game jitters.

Saint Mary's earns first NCAA win since 1959

Richmond was on the wrong side of an NCAA tournament upset this time, and Saint Mary's is moving on for the first time in more than 50 years.

Murray State stuns Vanderbilt in NCAA opener

Murray State coach Billy Kennedy went with his gut and drew up a play his team had never run before, with Isacc Miles the go-to guy at the end. Third option Danero Thomas became the hero instead.

Udoh leads Baylor past Sam Houston State 68-59

Ekpe Udoh did everything Baylor needed to stave off upset-minded Sam Houston State and end a 60-year drought in the NCAA tournament.

K-State routs North Texas 82-62 in West Regional

Kansas State went over the scouting report and stretched, sat down, then stretched again. As the game before theirs ran into overtime, then a second, the Wildcats weren't sure what to do, the nervousness building with each passing minute.

Villanova tops Robert Morris 73-70 in OT

Scottie Reynolds and No. 2 seed Villanova nearly had their NCAA tournament run end in the biggest of upsets.

Old Dominion edges Notre Dame 51-50

As Carleton Scott's 3-pointer sailed toward the hoop and rattled around the rim, Old Dominion's Keyon Carter was already bracing for the possibility of a tie game. Then the shot popped out, giving the Monarchs the NCAA tournament's first upset.

Fredette, BYU outlast Florida 99-92 in double OT

Jimmer Fredette and BYU survived a thrilling reminder that March Madness is back.

Lawrence orthopedic surgeon recalls 27 years of service to KU athletes

Care given to athletes on voluntary basis make Ken Wertzberger a team MVP

Ken Wertzberger, a Lawrence orthopedic surgeon, recently was honored for 27 years of service to Kansas University athletes. He volunteered at the university from 1979 to 2006, and during that time operated on more than 400 athletes.

KU men's basketball team fourth most valuable, according to Forbes study

KU trails only North Carolina, Kentucky and Louisville among men's basketball teams that generate the most value in magazine's rankings.

KU fans stand tall as NCAA play begins

They say television adds 15 pounds, but the screen also manages to shave six or more inches from KU players, coaches and anyone else wearing crimson and blue on the sidelines at Ford Center.

Lehigh not backing down

Lehigh forward Zahir Carrington didn’t come to Oklahoma City to roll over for top-ranked and top-seeded Kansas University.

Hutchinson running back chooses Jayhawks

Hutchinson High senior Josh Smith, one of the most prolific running backs in Kansas during the past four years, has decided to play football at Kansas University, his coach, Randy Dreiling, told Rivals.com Wednesday night.

Lehigh graduate in Lawrence has ‘fingers crossed’ for tonight

An unfamiliar fight song echoes from Mel and Phyllis Klein’s northwest Lawrence home.

Speedy Collins in no hurry

The moment Sherron Collins slipped into a Kansas University uniform as a freshman, he was the quickest cat on the floor.

Texas ‘ready to go’

Longhorns hope to put late collapse behind

The University of Texas men’s basketball team was a popular preseason choice to advance to this year’s Final Four in Indianapolis. Four months later, the Longhorns aren’t a sure-fire bet to escape the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Oklahoma State a mixed bag

Cowboys have standout in Anderson, but they’ve been inconsistent

Like most teams entering this week’s NCAA Tournament as middle-of-the pack seeds, the Oklahoma State men’s basketball team has been a mixed bag of sorts this season, alternating flashes of brilliance (victories over top-10 opponents Kansas University and Kansas State, for instance) with bouts of mediocrity.

Format favors Tigers

Mizzou’s defense tough for tourney teams

The 75-60 loss to Nebraska in the opening round of the Big 12 tournament by no means was a resume builder for the Missouri basketball team.

Aggies reveling in renaissance

Turgeon has Texas A&M in fifth straight NCAA Tournament

Mark Turgeon, third-year coach of the Texas A&M Aggies, recently put the program’s renaissance in perspective.

Baylor tired of L’s

Defensive turnaround gives Bears new outlook

Ekpe Udoh wants everyone to know this isn’t the Baylor of old. He’s seen that team. And this year’s team is nothing like it.

Frankly, K-State solid contender

Thanks to coach Martin, Wildcats have shot to reach Final Four

The coach calls the players all sorts of unprintable names and the players call him but one name: Frank. Sometimes they put a “shut up” in front of Frank.

Lehigh basketball notebook

Counting the Big 12 tournament championship game, the Kansas Jayhawks and Kansas State Wildcats met three times this season, with the Jayhawks winning all three games.

Recruit changes mind, won't play for KU women

Overland Park Aquinas High girls basketball standout Dashawn Harden reportedly has changed her mind about her commitment to Kansas University.

KU softball falls to Long Beach State, 4-3

Long Beach State overcame a 3-0 first-inning deficit and edged Kansas, 4-3, in college softball Wednesday afternoon.

KU reliever Bochy honored

Kansas University junior relief pitcher Brett Bochy was named on Wednesday to this week’s National All-Star Lineup by the College Baseball Foundation.

Late rally sinks KU baseball, 5-3

Despite three hits from left fielder Jimmy Waters, the No. 19-ranked Kansas University baseball team fell, 5-3, at Tulane on Wednesday at Turchin Stadium.

Prognosis looks good for McCray to recover fully

Danielle McCray’s college basketball career may have ended on a sad note, but the future looks bright for the former Kansas University standout.

Wildcats a loose group

The loosest bunch in all of sports? The Kansas State basketball team. Hands down.

Gary Bedore’s KU hoops notebook

Kansas University freshman guard C.J. Henry hasn’t received many phone calls or texts from acquaintances wanting tickets to tonight’s Kansas University-Lehigh game in Ford Center.

Out of the blocks

Can Aldrich, KU swat Lehigh?

Cole Aldrich, who is storming toward Kansas University’s career blocks record in just three seasons at the tradition-rich school, can only imagine how many rejections Wilt Chamberlain had as a Jayhawk.

Jayhawks have what it takes

No less an authority than Darnell Jackson says Kansas can win it all

Darnell Jackson, who definitely knows what it takes to win an NCAA basketball championship, likes the postseason potential of the 2009-10 Kansas Jayhawks.

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