March Madness 2022: Top seed Kansas opens 50th NCAA with 83-56 win over TSU

High-seeded Kansas opened its fiftieth NCAA Match the best way it has so many instances up to now, with a lopsided victory.

Remy Martin had 15 factors and Christian Braun 14 to tempo 5 Jayhawks scoring in double figures in an 83-56 victory over Texas Southern on Thursday night time.

“It was a superb workforce win, actually one which I am glad we obtained, particularly on this loopy event and this loopy day,” stated Kansas coach Invoice Self after one of many final of video games to complete on a wild opening tourney day when a No. 11 seed, two No. 12s and a No. 15 gained video games.

Southwestern Athletic Convention champion Texas Southern (19-13), the No. 16 seed which gained a First 4 sport two nights earlier, had its solely lead towards the Large 12 champs after Bryson Etienne made its first shot of the sport.

As soon as the Jayhawks lastly obtained on the board on a tying layup by Dajuan Harris after lacking their first three photographs, they obtained on a roll. They made their subsequent six photographs, and shortly after that had a stretch of seven makes in a row. There have been a number of spotlight dunks all through the sport, and Kansas made 11 3-pointers.

“The primary 4 minutes, all people was just a little nervous, little tight. We loosened up just a little bit and began taking part in properly,” Braun stated.

“We did a whole lot of actually good issues within the first half,” Self stated. “I believed we shared it, defended, rebounded the ball fairly properly, and after we type calmed our nerves down just a little bit, we have been very environment friendly first half.”

Kansas (29-6) performs its second-round Midwest Regional sport Saturday towards ninth-seeded Creighton, which opened with a 72-69 extra time victory over San Diego State and can attempt to get to the Candy 16 for the second yr in a row.

John Walker III had 13 factors for the Tigers.

Large 12 participant of the yr Ochai Agbagi had a comparatively quiet night time with 11 factors for Kansas, however he had a brief scoring outburst within the first half and his final factors have been a spotlight play, scoring on an alley-oop move from Harris, who completed with 12 factors. Jalen Wilson had 11 factors.

The Jayhawks led 47-19 after scoring 5 factors within the closing 4 seconds of the primary half. It was their largest halftime lead in an NCAA Match sport since they led by 29 over Marquette within the 2003 nationwide semifinals.

“I didn’t assume we performed properly there within the first half, however I believed within the second half we performed, continued to combat and made some performs and appeared extra resembling the kind of workforce that we had more often than not all year long,” Tigers coach Johnny Jones stated. “Sadly, we ran right into a workforce that’s very environment friendly, coached extraordinarily properly.

After Texas Southern obtained a putback layup from Joirdon Karl Nicholas with 15 seconds left within the half, Self referred to as timeout.

Joseph Yesufu handed to true freshman Zach Clemence, who break up via two defenders for a layup whereas being fouled with 4 seconds left. Clemence missed the free throw, however Jalen Coleman-Lands obtained the rebound and hit a half-ending 3-pointer from the precise nook.

Agbaji had all seven of his first-half factors by making three photographs in row in a span of lower than two minutes. He had a jumper, 3-pointer after which a layup that made it 14-7 earlier than Braun’s 3-pointer for the primary double-digit lead with 12:43 left within the half.

The Jayhawks later had an 18-2 run by which Martin scored 9 factors, together with a steal and breakaway dunk.

“I didn’t know Remy may dunk a basketball, in order that was a giant second,” Self stated. “The move that he gave David in transition was fairly particular.”

Martin had ignited that spurt with an emphatic bounce move to David McCormack for a thunderous one-handed slam dunk and a 21-12 lead.

“Scoring isn’t what I got here right here for. Got here right here to vary tempo and assist my teammates,” Martin stated. “If I’ve an open look, I’m there to take it. If not, discover these guys.”

BIG PICTURE

Texas Southern: It was the second consecutive March and the third NCAA Match look in a row by which the Tigers gained a First 4 sport earlier than falling within the subsequent sport — they beat Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 76-67 on Tuesday. Texas Southern has made six of the final 9 NCAA tourneys.

Kansas: The Jayhawks are of their document thirty second NCAA tourney in a row. The three-time nationwide champions are 110-48 general in NCAA video games and have gained their final 15 tourney openers since shedding to Bradley in 2006. Additionally they fell to Bucknell of their 2005 opener, however these are the one first-round losses of their 32 straight appearances.

UP NEXT

Kansas and Creighton have performed within the NCAA Match solely as soon as, when the Jayhawks gained 55-54 in 1974. Their solely assembly since was one other one-point victory for Kansas on Dec. 8, 2020.