Kansas coasts to 20-point win over Richmond

San Antonio, TX (Sports Network) – Returning to the site of its last national championship, Kansas is now one victory away from a trip back to the Final Four.

Brady Morningstar scored 18 points and the Jayhawks rolled to a 77-57 win over Richmond in the Southwest Regional semifinals of the NCAA Tournament.

Marcus Morris added 13 points and seven rebounds for the top-seeded Jayhawks (35-2), who also received 12 points and 14 boards from Thomas Robinson.

Kansas will play Sunday against No. 11 seed VCU, which upended 10th-seeded Florida State, 72-71 in overtime. It’s the third time in the last five seasons Kansas has made it to the Elite Eight. Conversely, Richmond has never reached that plateau.

The Jayhawks are the lone No. 1 seed left in the tourney. Ohio State, the top seed in the East, was beaten, 62-60, by Kentucky Friday night. It’s the first time since 2000 only one No. 1 seed has reached the Elite Eight.

Justin Harper had 22 points and nine rebounds for the 12th-seeded Spiders (29-8), who upended fifth seed Vanderbilt in its first game before topping No. 13 seed Morehead State. Kevin Anderson scored 13 in defeat.

Playing in the building of their 2008 title game overtime win over Memphis, the Jayhawks powered to an early advantage at the Alamodome and kept the pressure on the Spiders. Bill Self’s team built a 24-point lead in the first half and remained in front by double-digits the rest of the contest.

“I thought we played very well and sound in the first half,” Self said. “They missed shots, which we benefited from. But for the most start, we took away easy points and layups. We also made some shots in the first half that got the lead out there pretty good. But second half we didn’t play as well. But it was still a really good win, and one that I’m glad that it’s behind us so we can look forward to the next one.”

Markieff Morris was limited to five points, but the Jayhawks didn’t need the extra offense as they limited Richmond to 33.8 percent shooting from the field. The Spiders went 4-of-26 from three-point range.

Morningstar played a big part in Kansas’ perimeter success as he ended 4-of-7 from three-point range.

A three from Darien Brothers gave Richmond a 5-4 edge, but the Jayhawks held the Spiders to six points over the next 13-plus minutes. During that span, Kansas used a suffocating defense and hit five three-pointers – two each from Morningstar and Josh Selby. Morningstar had 12 points during the push, ending it with a jumper inside five minutes remaining for a 35-11 bulge.

“I feel like a couple of us were open, me and Tyrel (Reed) hit some open shots, and when they started to fall, they did a good job penetrating and kicking it, and our shots were falling,” Morningstar said. “So I think that’s a key for us. If our bigs are in foul trouble or anything like that, my team gave me the ball and I was knocking them down.”

Richmond later came back with eight in a row to get within 37-22, but a pair of Marcus Morris free throws and a jumper from Robinson extended the difference back to 19 at halftime.

The Spiders struggled with a 9-of-31 effort through the opening 20 minutes, including a 3-of-14 showing from beyond the arc.

Harper’s jumper had Richmond within 47-32, but Marcus Morris stemmed the tide with a layup. That was the beginning of an 8-1 run, which was capped off by Elijah Johnson’s layup with 12 1/2 minutes left.

Back-to-back three-balls from Selby and Morningstar expanded the difference to 63-40 three minutes later.

“I never really controlled the game. I never really got my team settled down,” Anderson said. “Kansas is a great team. They move the ball well in offense, they were getting out in transition. They made a lot of shots, a lot of kick- outs, they made a lot of shots. But offensively, like I said, I just never really controlled the game and settled my team down.”

Game Notes

The Jayhawks will bring an 11-game winning streak into Sunday’s game…Richmond, which captured the Atlantic 10 Tournament, had won its previous nine contests. The Spiders have not had a 10-game winning streak since the 1934-35 season (20-0)…Richmond won its only previous meeting with Kansas, 69-68, on a Tony Dobbins last-second shot at Allen Fieldhouse on January 22, 2004…The 35 wins are tied for the second-most victories in Kansas history…Tyshawn Taylor had 10 assists for Kansas.

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