KU advances by beating Seton Hall 83-79 in second-round contest

No. 1 seed Kansas survived a tough few days in the Air Capital, advancing to the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 by winning a pair of games that coach Bill Self classified as too-close-for-comfort.

“If Thursday was like going to the dentist,” Self said of KU's 76-60 first-round victory over No. 16 seed Penn at Intrust Bank Arena, “then this was like having surgery.”

He was speaking after the Jayhawks’ 83-79 second-round victory over No. 8 seed Seton Hall on Saturday night in front of an arena packed with almost all Jayhawk fans.

“That was good at times, painful at times,” Self stated. “We did enough to get a 13-point lead. How we finished the game was most disappointing, but we made enough free throws and plays down the stretch to get a great win.

“This time of year you shouldn’t get hung up on how good you play or how poorly you play. You should get hung up whether you win or not,” Self added after a game that assured KU a spot in round three on Friday in Omaha, Neb.

The Jayhawks (29-7) will play the winner of Sunday’s game between No. 4 seed Auburn and No. 5 Clemson at CenturyLink Center.

KU led by 13 points with 12 minutes to play Saturday, then hung on despite Seton Hall reducing the deficit to three points during the final moments.

“It was a grind the whole game,” said Self, whose Jayhawks were led by Malik Newman — who scored 28 points, 18 in the final half — as well as Svi Mykhailiuk (16) and Lagerald Vick (13).

Sophomore center Udoka Azubuike, however, was designated most outstanding player of the game by Self for his 10 points and seven rebounds in 22 minutes.

The sophomore big man, who has been battling a sprained ACL that limited him to 3 minutes against Penn, did his best in trying to slow 6-10 Angel Delgado, who scored 24 points and grabbed 23 rebounds.

The 23 boards were most ever against KU in an NCAA Tournament game.

“If Udoka wasn’t able to come back from his injury, we don’t win,” Self said. “I thought Delgado was obviously the best player in the game. Malik for us and Delgado for them. Carrington (Khadeen, who had five threes and 28 points) was pretty good, too. Our inability to keep Carrington in front of us certainly made the game a lot more intersting. But he (Delgado) was a man. He was great.”

Of Azubuike, Self noted: “If his mind wasn’t right to get healthy so fast, we wouldn’t have been able to win that game.”

KU, which led 31-26 at halftime, hit 50 percent overall — 9 of 21 threes and 18 of 26 free throws. Seton Hall (22-12) of the Big East hit 45.3 percent of its shots and was 10 of 24 from three and 11 of 16 from the line.

Delgado hit 10 of 17 shots.

“My mind-set … I knew coming in the game my team needed me,” Azubuike said after hitting 4 of 5 shots and 2 of 4 free throws with two assists, two blocks and two steals.

“Coach asked me if I was good to go. I said, ‘I’m ready whenever you want me in.’ I feel good,” Azubuike added of his condition after the game.

Self said Azubuike would rest until Tuesday, then begin practicing hard for the Sweet 16 and should be 100 percent for that contest against either Auburn or Clemson.

“I feel good to be back with the team. As soon as I stepped and cut I was good to go,” Azubuike said.

Of Delgado, Azubuike added: “From the jump, we knew he was really good at rebounding the ball and he’s a force in the paint. Today he proved it. He came out and rebounded the ball well.”

KU’s Devonté Graham had nine assists and eight points in 39 minutes. Azubuike’s shoulder crashed into Graham’s face near halfcourt late in the first half. Graham passed concussion protocol, was OK and stayed in the game.

The Jayhawks, who led by five at halftime courtesy of a half-closing 11-2 run, opened the final half 9-4 and grabbed a 40-30 lead at 17:02. Azubuike scored five points in the run, including two on a pair of dunks.

Up 40-34, KU stretched the lead to 12 points at 46-34 at the 14:31 mark following two free throws by Garrett, and buckets by Newman and Vick. The lead soared to 13 at 52-39 with 12:00 left.

Seton Hall inched within eight points at 60-52 at 8:31, and 61-54 at 5:42 on a Delgado rebound and stickback bucket. The Pirates crept within 63-59 at 4:01 on a three by Myles Powell.

Newman responded with a three at 3:37 to make it 66-59 KU. Powell’s answer of a three made it 66-62 KU at 3:20. Newman hit two free throws and KU led, 68-62, at 3:08. A huge Mykhailiuk three gave KU some breathing room, 71-63, at 1:10.

It was 71-66 when Graham (nine assists) went to the line and had the first of two free throws hit the back of the rim and drop in. He made the second, and KU led 73-66 with 53.4 seconds left. Carrington answered at :45, and KU led 73-68.

Newman went to the line and hit two free throws to make it 75-68 KU at with 36 seconds left. Carrington answered with a three at :29.4, and KU led just 75-71. Mitch Lightfoot dunked with 23.9 seconds left to make it 77-71, but Carrington hit a deep three to make it 77-74 KU with 16.1 seconds remaining. Newman immediately responded with two free throws and KU led, 79-74. Carrington cut it to three at 79-76 with 9.8 seconds left. KU’s Newman hit two charities, and KU led, 81-76.

The Jayhawks used a half-ending 11-2run to lead by five after 20 minutes. KU had trailed 24-20 at 4:41 as result of an 18-5 Seton Hall surge that erased KU’s early 15-6 advantage.

The 6-foot-10 Delgado scored 12 points and grabbed 12 boards while playing 18 minutes in the first half.

KU was led by Newman’s 10 points. He hit a pair of threes to conclude the Jayhawks' scoring in the first half. Mykhailiuk had four points and Azubuike one in therun to close the first half.

Lightfoot had a basket, took a charge and blocked a shot in the first 3:29 as KU led, 7-6. Azubuike checked in for the first time at 16:09 after 6-10 Delgado had scored his second inside bucket.

KU trailed 6-5 at 16:44, but went on a 10-0 run to grab a 15-6 advantage at 11:34. Lightfoot, Vick, Azubuike, Mykhailiuk and Silvio De Sousa scored in that run.

Seton Hall temporarily silenced the crowd courtesy of its 18-5 run that built a 24-20 lead. Delgado scored eight points, while Powell and Carrington each hit a three in the dominant run.

However, KU had the last laugh of the half, rolling in the final moments.

KU was just 3 of 12 from three the first half, while Seton Hall was an equally chilly 2 of 10. Overall, KU hit 41.9 percent to Seton Hall’s 32.3 in the half. The two teams each grabbed 21 rebounds.

This story was originally published March 17, 2018 at 8:50 PM with the headline "KU advances by beating Seton Hall 83-79 in second-round contest."