At 4:37 PM (ET) on March 27th, the Kansas Jayhawks defeated the Miami Hurricanes in the NCAA’s Elite Eight by a score of 76-50. Kansas will now be making its 16th NCAA Final Four appearance in program history. Kansas will now move on to face Villanova in the Final Four.
First Half Recap
The Miami Hurricanes and the Kansas Jayhawks were in a heavily competitive game in the first half, with Miami ending the half leading over the first seeded Jayhawks. Miami’s senior guard, Kameron McGusty, led all scorers in the first half with 14 points on 5 for 10 shooting. Fellow Hurricanes guard Isaiah Wong was the second leading scorer Isaiah Wong at the half with 8 points. For Kansas, the second half’s leading scorers were David McCormack with 7 points and Ochai Agbaji with 6 points.
The Hurricanes took a 6 point lead into the half after shooting 44.4% from the field compared to Kansas’ 39.3%. The Hurricanes also shot 40% from deep in the first half, while Kansas failed to make more than a single three-point shot, going 1 for 6 from deep in the first half. Miami went into halftime with a 35-29 lead. All signs pointed toward a competitive second with a chance for Miami to continue their Cinderella run.
Second Half Recap
In the second half, the Kansas Jayhawks showed why they are one of the best programs in the nation. They played stifling defense and electric offense. After giving up 35 points in the first half, the reinvigorated Jayhawks held Miami to only four made shots the entire second half. The Hurricanes, after their high energy first half, were crushed by Kansas’ defense, shooting 4/25 (16.0%) from the field and 0 for 12 (0.0%) from deep, while Kansas’s offense only got hotter.
Kansas spent the second half going on a massive run. The Jayhawks went on a 47 to 15 run over the course of the entire second half, shooting 47.6% from the field and 50.0% from deep. The Jayhawks’ leading scorer was Ochai Agbaji finished the game with 18 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists, while David McCormack finished with 15 points and 4 rebounds. The final score was Kansas over Miami, 76 to 50.
Kansas Continue Hunt for NCAA Championship
For Kansas, this means a 16th NCAA Final Four appearance in school history. For Miami, this Cinderella story has to come to an end, but not before legendary Miami Coach Jim Larrañaga’s first Elite Eight appearance as the Head Coach of the Miami Hurricanes and the first NCAA Elite Eight appearance in school history.
