Kansas wins OT thriller over Duke to reach 15th Final Four

Sophomore guard Malik Newman scored 12 of his 32 points in overtime as Kansas defeated No. 2 seed Duke 85-81 in a classic Midwest Regional final Sunday at CenturyLink Center in Omaha, Neb.

The showdown between teams representing two storied programs lived up to its billing.

Junior guard Lagerald Vick added 14 points as top-seeded Kansas (31-7) heads to the Final Four for its 15th time and first time since 2012 after losing regional finals in each of the past two years. Senior guards Devonte’ Graham and Svi Mykhailiuk both had 11 points.

“There is a lot of players out there that deserve the best of the best, and nobody more than Svia (Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk) and Devonte’ (Graham),” Kansas head coach Bill Self told CBS Sports afterward. “We’ve come up short each and every year. But they get to experience what the very best of the best is, and I’m so happy for them.”

Kansas will face Villanova, which won the East Region title earlier in the day by defeating Texas Tech in Saturday’s Final Four in San Antonio.

Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski, with a four-freshman starting lineup plus senior holdover Grayson Allen from the 2015 national championship team, was denied a record-setting 13th trip to the Final Four as a head coach.

Freshman guard Trevon Duval scored 20 points, fellow frosh starter Gary Trent Jr. had 17 points, freshman forward Marvin Bagley III supplied 16 points and Allen finished with 12 for second-seeded Duke (29-8).

Sophomore 7-foot center Udoka Azubuike, whose dunk gave Kansas a 69-68 lead, fouled out on Allen’s drive with 1:59 to play in regulation. Allen made both foul shots before a Kansas turnover.

Allen sank two more free throws at the 1:25 mark. Newman missed a long 3 for Kansas but Mykhailiuk’s 3 tied it with 25.7 seconds to play. Allen’s leaner rattled out, sending the game to overtime tied at 69.

“Just enjoy it,” Self said to CBS afterward when asked what his message to his players was in overtime. “You know, we made great plays down the stretch and to tie it up. We felt good the whole game. We thought we got the ball where it needed to go. Overall, it was an unbelievable tough, tough team win. I called my team soft. There’s nothing soft about them. Unbelievable.”

Newman, who hit two 3-pointers in the opening 90 seconds of the second half, finished with five 3s.

After Vick drained a 3 to give the Jayhawks a 44-39, the Blue Devils called timeout with 16:25 to play.

Duke freshman forward Wendell Carter Jr. picked up his fourth foul on Kansas’ next possession as the Jayhawks built a seven-point edge. Azubuike of

Kansas as hit with his fourth foul with 11:43 to play.

Duke tied it at 57-57 before Kansas scored five straight. The Jayhawks then had turnovers on two of their next three possessions.

Trent’s 3-pointer after Duke nearly turned it over sent the Blue Devils in front at 64-62. Newman answered with a 3, setting up a frantic finish.

Duke led 36-33 at halftime despite 3-for-15 shooting on 3-pointers.

Duval scored 13 first-half points, eclipsing his total from all except one game in the past two months. Trent, a backcourt classmate, posted nine points in the first half.

Kansas, which led for only 90 seconds of the first half, was stung by 10 first-half turnovers, negating some of its 24-18 rebounding advantage.

Carter Jr. was saddled with three fouls by the 4:25 mark of the first half.