V-RECAP | Elite Eight | Saturday, March 29
Marquette shocks Kentucky, earns trip to Final Four

WEST REGION: (2) Kansas 78, (1) Arizona 75
Kansas has battled adversity all season long. Remember when the Jayhawks were 3-3? This team has had its depth questioned ever since super soph Wayne Simien was lost for the season with a shoulder injury.

	Roy Williams

Well, coach Roy Williams has found all the answers, doing a masterful job in guiding his team back to the Final Four, his fourth trip with the Jayhawks (1991, 1993, 2002 and 2003).

Kansas senior guard Kirk Hinrich came through Saturday night with an outstanding performance and a big block on the defensive end on the next-to-last shot by Jason Gardner.

Hinrich, coming off a 1-of-9 shooting performance against Duke (two points), scored 28 against the Wildcats. He came through from long range and after penetrating in transition.

This was a game of great runs. Kansas built up a double-digit lead in the first half, only to see Arizona close the first half with a 13-0 run (the halftime score was 38-35 Kansas). The Jayhawks then went up 56-42 in the second half only to have the Wildcats' senior tandem of Gardner and Luke Walton lead a furious comeback.

In the end, Hinrich made enough big plays, and late baskets by sophomore guard Keith Langford and senior big man Nick Collison enabled the Jayhawks to upset the Wildcats.

Think about it -- how many people had Arizona and Kentucky in the Final Four in their brackets? Surprise, surprise, baby! The two best teams during the regular season were stopped short of a journey to New Orleans.

These teams had played in the regular season, with the Wildcats winning 91-74 on Jan. 25 at Kansas' Allen Field House. But the Jayhawks returned the favor Saturday.

Kansas almost was upset in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, given all it could handle by Utah State. In fact, the Aggies had a shot to tie the game at the end.

Williams is a battler, a scrapper, and he gets so much from his veterans, Hinrich and Collison. Langford has developed as a solid third option, and junior forward Jeff Graves has contributed nicely when he stays out of foul trouble. Sophomore guard Aaron Miles will need to avoid foul trouble in the Final Four vs. Marquette (he picked up his fourth foul with 10:55 left Saturday).

Arizona enjoyed a great season. It's sad to see the great careers of Walton and Gardner come to an end in such a tough fashion.

Give Kansas credit for pulling out a great win. Next stop, New Orleans. Roy Williams is now two wins away from getting that elusive first national title.