NCAA MEN’S TOURNAMENT

Kentucky boots out Wichita State (35-1)

The potential game-winning shot by Wichita State Shockers guard Fred VanVleet (23) was off the mark as he was defended by Kentucky Wildcats guard Aaron Harrison (2) and Willie Cauley-Stein during the third round of the NCAA Tournament in St. Louis on Sunday, March 23, 2014. The Kentucky Wildcats defeated the Wichita State Shockers, 78-76. (Mark Cornelison/Lexington Herald-Leader/MCT)
The potential game-winning shot by Wichita State Shockers guard Fred VanVleet (23) was off the mark as he was defended by Kentucky Wildcats guard Aaron Harrison (2) and Willie Cauley-Stein during the third round of the NCAA Tournament in St. Louis on Sunday, March 23, 2014. The Kentucky Wildcats defeated the Wichita State Shockers, 78-76. (Mark Cornelison/Lexington Herald-Leader/MCT)

ST. LOUIS - Wichita State Coach Gregg Marshall walked slowly through the line for postgame handshakes, congratulating every player from Kentucky on advancing to the Sweet 16.

When he shook hands with John Calipari, the Wildcats’ coach whispered, “Marvelous season.”

Marvelous, indeed. Just not quite perfect.

The top-seeded Shockers were beaten by a team stocked with NBA prospects, the end coming when Fred VanVleet’s three-pointer bounced off the rim and the buzzer sounded on a 78-76 loss to the Wildcats in the third round of the NCAA Tournament.

Cleanthony Early scored 31 points and Ron Baker had 20 for the Shockers (35-1), who hadn’t lost since last year’s Final Four while taking an entire city - and state - on quite a ride.

“It really has been a magic-carpet ride, and to have it end, it’s something that we’re going to have to get used to,” Marshall said with a drained voice. “But I still think in retrospect, we’ll still look back on it and be so proud.”

Andrew Harrison had 20 points, Aaron Harrison had 19 and Julius Randle contributed 13 points and 10 rebounds for the No. 8 seed Wildcats (26-10), who advanced to face Louisville on Friday in the Midwest Regional semifinals, at long last playing like the preseason No. 1 team in the country.

“I’ve been doing this so long. I’ve been in wars,” Calipari said. “You all understand this was an Elite Eight game. The winner of this should have gone to the Final Four.”

The game matched the bluest of the blue-bloods, the most successful program in Division I history with eight national championships, against a gritty bunch upstarts from Wichita State that was trying to become the first team to finish off a perfect season since Indiana in 1976.

The game went back and forth the entire way, Kentucky finally taking a 73-71 lead when James Young knocked down a three-pointer with less than 2 minutes to go. Early answered with a basket for Wichita State, and Andrew Harrison made two free throws for Kentucky. Baker banked in a three for the Shockers, and Randle made two more foul shots for the Wildcats.

“Both teams were making plays,” Marshall said. “Back and forth, back and forth.”

Early’s two free throws with 9.8 seconds left got the Shockers within 77-76, and they got their chance to add another chapter to their miraculous story when Andrew Harrison missed the second of two free throws and Early pulled down the rebound.

VanVleet raced up court and called timeout with 3.2 seconds left.

Marshall drew up a play that had Tekele Cotton inbounding the ball to VanVleet, and after a couple dribbles he took a shot from the top of the key. But it was wide the entire way, clanking off the rim and sending the Wildcats pouring onto the court to celebrate.

“We just felt so good beating a great team,” said Andrew Harrison, who considered sitting the game out after hurting his elbow in a second-round victory over Kansas State.

Kentucky was successful early using its superior size, not only in the paint but also on the perimeter, where the 6-6 Harrison twins dwarfed the 5-11 VanVleet. But after the Wildcats took a 19-15 lead midway through the half, Wichita State ramped up its trademark defense, forcing a series of turnovers and getting right back in the game.

VanVleet was the catalyst. On one sequence late in the half, he stripped Aaron Harrison and hit Early in transition, and he was fouled slamming over 7-foot Willie Cauley-Stein. Early made the free throw as the Shockers built a 37-31 lead at the half.

KENTUCKY (26-10) Young 5-9 0-0 13, Randle 4-9 5-6 13, Johnson 1-2 1-2 3, Aa. Harrison 6-13 3-4 19, An. Harrison 6-9 7-9 20, Polson 0-1 0-0 0, Cauley-Stein 2-3 0-1 4, Poythress 3-4 0-0 6. Totals 27-50 16-22 78.

WICHITA ST. (35-1) Early 12-17 3-3 31, Coleby 0-1 0-0 0, VanVleet 1-6 2-2 4, Baker 7-12 2-2 20, Cotton 1-4 2-2 5, Lufile 3-4 0-1 6, Wessel 0-0 0-2 0, Carter 2-3 1-2 5, Wiggins 1-2 2-4 5. Totals 27-49 12-18 76.

Halftime-Wichita St. 37-31. 3-Point Goals-Kentucky 8-18 (Aa. Harrison 4-7, Young 3-5, An. Harrison 1-3, Randle 0-1, Polson 0-1, Poythress 0-1), Wichita St. 10-21 (Early 4-6, Baker 4-6, Wiggins 1-2, Cotton 1-3, VanVleet 0-4). Fouled Out-None. Rebounds- Kentucky 32 (Randle 10), Wichita St. 23 (Early 7). Assists-Kentucky 11 (Randle 6), Wichita St. 14 (VanVleet 6). Total Fouls-Kentucky 15, Wichita St. 21. Attendance-19,676.

TENNESSEE 83, MERCER 63

RALEIGH, N.C. - Jarnell Stokes had 17 points and a career-high-tying 18 rebounds, and the Volunteers denied Mercer a second consecutive upset in the NCAA Tournament by routing the Bears.

Josh Richardson had a career-high 26 points and Antonio Barton had 18 for the 11th-seeded Vols (24-12), who outrebounded Mercer 41-19 and kept the SEC undefeated in the tournament.

They joined Florida and Kentucky in the round of 16 - the first time three SEC teams made it that far since 2007.

The 14th-seeded Bears (27-9) knocked off Duke in the signature upset of the tournament but couldn’t answer Tennessee’s size.

MERCER (27-9) Thomas 2-4 0-0 6, Gollon 2-5 2-2 7, Coursey 5-11 0-0 10, White Jr. 5-8 0-0 11, Hall 6-14 0-1 15, Leonard 0-0 0-0 0, Canevari 0-0 0-0 0, Nwamu 3-6 5-6 12, Hallice 0-1 0-0 0, Moten 0-3 0-0 0, Bryan 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 24-53 7-9 63.

TENNESSEE (24-12) Stokes 6-14 5-5 17, Maymon 1-2 4-4 6, Richardson 9-13 6-9 26, Barton 6-12 2-2 18, McRae 4-12 6-6 14, Moore 0-1 0-0 0, Ndiaye 1-1 0-0 2, Thompson 0-0 0-0 0, Davis 0-0 0-0 0, Reese 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 27-55 23-26 83.

Halftime-Tennessee 42-27. 3-Point Goals-Mercer 8-22 (Hall 3-9, Thomas 2-4, Gollon 1-1, White Jr. 1-3, Nwamu 1-3, Moten 0-2), Tennessee 6-22 (Barton 4-9, Richardson 2-6, Moore 0-1, McRae 0-6). Fouled Out- Gollon. Rebounds-Mercer 19 (Nwamu 4), Tennessee 41 (Stokes 18). Assists-Mercer 11 (Hall 6), Tennessee 15 (Stokes 5). Total Fouls-Mercer 21, Tennessee 14. Attendance-NA.

SUNDAY’S RESULTS EAST REGIONAL Iowa State 85, North Carolina 83 Virginia 78, Memphis 60 SOUTH REGIONAL Stanford 60, Kansas 57 UCLA 77, Stephen F. Austin 60 MIDWEST REGIONAL Kentucky 78, Wichita State 76 Tennessee 83, Mercer 63 WEST REGIONAL Baylor 85, Creighton 55 Arizona 84, Gonzaga 61 - Complete coverage, Page 4CHIGHLIGHTSSOUTH REGION STANFORD 60, KANSAS 57

ST. LOUIS - Dwight Powell had 15 points and seven rebounds and No. 10 seed Stanford upset No. 2 Kansas.

UCLA 77, STEPHEN F. AUSTIN 60

SAN DIEGO - Jordan Adams scored 19 points and UCLA reached the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2008.

EAST REGION VIRGINIA 78, MEMPHIS 60

RALEIGH, N.C. - Joe Harris scored 16 points and top-seeded Virginia shot 56 percent to beat Memphis.

IOWA STATE 85, NORTH CAROLINA 83

SAN ANTONIO - DeAndre Kane’s game-winning layup with 1.6 seconds left lifted Iowa State over North Carolina. WEST REGION ARIZONA 84, GONZAGA 61

SAN DIEGO - Arizona scored 31 points off Gonzaga’s 21 turnovers - 15 on steals - in a rout of the Bulldogs.

BAYLOR 85, CREIGHTON 55

SAN ANTONIO - Isaiah Austin and Brady Heslip each scored 17 points and Baylor shut down Doug McDermott and third-seeded Creighton.

SWEET 16 SCHEDULE

All times Central

THURSDAY’S GAMES SOUTH REGIONAL At FedEx Forum, Memphis Stanford vs. Dayton, 6:15 p.m. (CBS) Florida vs. UCLA* (CBS) WEST REGIONAL At The Honda Center, Anaheim, Calif.

Wisconsin vs. Baylor, 6:47 p.m. (TBS) Arizona vs. San Diego State* (TBS)FRIDAY’S GAMES EAST REGIONAL At Madison Square Garden, New York Iowa St. vs. Connecticut, 6:27 p.m. (TBS) Virginia vs. Michigan State* (TBS) MIDWEST REGIONAL At Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis Michigan vs. Tennessee, 6:15 p.m. (CBS) Louisville vs. Kentucky (CBS)30 minutes after conclusion of first game

Sports, Pages 13 on 03/24/2014

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