» By TRENT SINGER – tsinger@my.apsu.edu
As the 2012 NCAA tournament came to its ultimate end, the Kentucky Wildcats defeated the Kansas Jayhawks, 67-59, in New Orleans on Monday, April 2.
Kentucky sophomore Doron Lamb ended the game with 22 points, while freshman Anthony Davis contributed six points and 16 rebounds.
Despite 19 points from senior Tyshawn Taylor and 18 points from junior Thomas Robinson, the Jayhawks struggled throughout the game against Kentucky’s defense inside the paint.
In the first half, the Wildcats showed their dominance by grabbing 19 defensive rebounds, while the Jayhawks came away with 10.
Kentucky ended the half with the three top scorers, as Lamb scored 12 points, freshman Michael Kidd-Gilchrist scored 11 points, and freshman Marquis Teague scored nine points.
Despite heading into halftime scoreless, Davis led all players in rebounds with nine, while contributing three blocks during the period.
Kansas struggled to score against Kentucky’s stifling defense, shooting 33 percent from the field in the first half.
Robinson and Taylor each scored eight points during the period for the Jayhawks.
On the other hand, Kentucky managed to end the half shooting 53 percent as the team ended the half with a 14-point lead, 41-27.
In the second half, the Wildcats continued to dominate on both sides of the ball.
Davis scored his first field goal of the game with just over five minutes remaining, but Kansas began to show life against Kentucky’s defense.
Shortly following Davis’s field goal, Tyshawn Taylor made his first three-pointer of the tournament, following it up with a three-point play that cut the Kentucky lead to nine points.
After trailing by as many as 18 points in the first half, the Jayhawks were able to cut the deficit to five points with 1:37 remaining in the game, trailing Kentucky 57-62.
However, the Wildcats responded by consistent free-throw shooting to close the game and ultimately win the title, 67-59.
The victory shows the Wildcats’ return as an elite basketball program and is the university’s eighth all-time national title. TAS
