Utah State hangs tough and nearly earns the upset over the second-seeded Jayhawks.
March 20, 2003
Box Score
By OWEN CANFIELD
AP Sports Writer
OKLAHOMA CITY - Apparently, it takes Kansas a while to get going in the
NCAA tournament.
One year after surviving a scare against 16th-seeded Holy Cross, Kansas held
on to beat No. 15 seed Utah State 64-61 Thursday night at the West Regional.
The second-seeded Jayhawks (28-7) questioned their seeding after winning the
Big 12 regular-season title, but got more than just a tuneup from Utah State
(24-9).
They found a way to win, though - Utah State missed two 3-point tries in the
final 10 seconds - and will play 10th-seeded Arizona State in the second round
Saturday. The Sun Devils beat No. 7 seed Memphis 84-71.
Keith Langford scored 22 points and Nick Collison had 18 for the Jayhawks.
Desmond Penigar had 25 points for Utah State.
After a Kansas turnover, Utah State called timeout with 10.3 seconds
remaining. Penigar missed a 3-pointer from the top of the key and, after a
scramble, Cardell Butler missed another 3 as the buzzer sounded.
The Aggies, after falling behind by 13 in the first half, closed within four
at halftime and twice got within a point in the second half.
Langford had two baskets in a 6-0 run that gave Kansas a 42-35 lead after
Utah State cut it to 36-35 on a 3-pointer by Toraino Johnson. The Aggies lost
two baskets on charging calls during the Kansas run, and had a 3-pointer roll
around the rim and out.
Trailing 42-35, the Aggies scored six straight to again get within a point.
But Collison scored inside on a pass from Jeff Graves, then assisted on a
basket by Langford that pushed the lead to 46-41.
Utah State got within two points five times in the final 10½ minutes, the
final time at 55-53 on a drive by Mark Brown with 3:53 left.
That's when Langford converted a three-point play, Collison scored inside
and Kirk Hinrich hit a layup off a turnover, giving Kansas a 62-53 lead with
2:35 left.
Utah State didn't go away. Brown made a 3-pointer to make it 62-58, then
Penigar hit one with 47.2 seconds left to make it 64-61.
Kansas turned it over on its final possession, setting up the final flurry.
The Jayhawks appeared to have things in hand after a 13-5 run made the score
26-13 with 7:23 left before halftime. Langford scored six of the points, and
Collison put the exclamation point on the spurt with a dunk off a missed free
throw.
But Utah State's zone defense slowed the Jayhawks in the closing minutes of
the half. The Aggies, who had a 20-15 rebounding edge in the half, outscored
Kansas 13-4 in the final 5:41 to get to 34-30 at halftime.
