NCAA Tournament: Kansas Advances To Sweet 16 With 73-59 Win Over Illinois

Illinois hung around, but any chance of an upset faded as the Kansas Jayhawks took the game over midway through the second half. To their credit, the Fightin’ Illini hung tough with No. 1 seed Kansas, trailing by only four at the half and hanging around for much of the game before falling to the Jayhawks, 73-59. Markieff Morris was too much in the end as Illinois had no answer for the talented forward.

Morris finished with a double-double, scoring a game-high 24 points and grabbing 12 rebounds. His twin brother, Marcus Morris, also had a double-double, finishing with 17 points and a game-high 13 rebounds. Tyshawn Taylor finished in double-figures, as well, with 12 points.

No. 9 Illinois is hanging with No. 1 Kansas in the game that will decide the second-to-last Sweet Sixteen spot in the 2011 NCAA Tournament. The Jayhawks took a 33-29 lead into halftime in San Antonio, with a Friday matchup against Richmond on the line.

Markieff Morris and Marcus Morris have combined for 15 points and 10 rebounds, with Tyshawn Taylor adding in seven. Mike Davis leads the Illini with seven points and three boards, and Mike Tisdale has added four offensive boards for Illinois.

Sure, Kansas and Illinois are both very talented teams at the top of the Southwest Region of the 2011 NCAA Tournament Bracket. But, come on, the storyline is Bill Self’s Jayhawks meeting the program he left in 2003, only to have his successor, Bruce Weber, stage a faux funeral for him! Kansas vs. Illinois is one of the last Third Round games on the 2011 NCAA Tournament schedule, tipping off from Tulsa at 8:40 p.m. Eastern on TNT with Marv Albert and Steve Kerr on the call.

Kansas’ problem all year has been focus. When the Jayhawks are on, they are nearly unbeatable; when they’re not — and it’s often — they can play ugly basketball at their opponents’ level. That was also the story of Kansas’ win against Boston in the second round: Kansas led by just four after a lethargic first 20 minutes, then found its afterburners and dusted the Terriers in the second half en route to a 19-point win. The key to Kansas routs like that is balance, and having four players in double figures — Marcus and Markieff Morris, Tyshawn Taylor, and Brady Morningstar — certainly helps stabilize Kansas on its more erratic days.