University of Kansas

SportsBeat KC podcast: Kansas Jayhawks are Final Four bound after near perfect 2nd half

Coach Bill Self and the Kansas Jayhawks raised the NCAA Midwest Regional championship trophy after defeating Miami 76-50 on Sunday at the United Center in Chicago.
Coach Bill Self and the Kansas Jayhawks raised the NCAA Midwest Regional championship trophy after defeating Miami 76-50 on Sunday at the United Center in Chicago. rsugg@kcstar.com

Next stop for Kansas, the Final Four.

The Jayhawks ran away from Miami (Florida) 76-60 on Sunday to capture the Midwest Regional championship and advance to the Final Four for the 16th time in program history. Villanova awaits in the semifinal Saturday in New Orleans.

On today’s SportsBeat KC podcast, beat writers Gary Bedore and Jesse Newell break down the Kansas effort, when they outscored the Hurricanes by 32 points in the second half. Remy Martin was voted the region’s most outstanding player but several had a hand in helping the Jayhawks overcome a six-point halftime deficit.

We look back on the game and look ahead to a weekend that also includes a Duke-North Carolina semifinal.

Story links:

Bill Self feels late father’s presence during Final Four run

An unexpected halftime talk by Bill Self sparked Kansas’ second half turnaround

First look at men’s Final Four: College basketball’s blues will play in New Orleans

Rolling to the Big East: Kansas Jayhawks surge in second half

This story was originally published March 28, 2022 at 2:12 PM.

Blair Kerkhoff
The Kansas City Star
Blair Kerkhoff has covered sports for The Kansas City Star since 1989. He was elected to the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in 2023.
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