Axodys

Collison goes to work on the block. They need to keep getting him the ball there.

54-50 Maryland after a couple empty trips for both teams.

BP thinks Collison is a huge advantage with Baxter out and I agree for once. Actually, I think even with Baxter in the game Collison could probably work him.

Blake gets a steal tries to take it inside to pass, but gets it rejected.

Billy continues to bemoan the lack of out of bounds defense by both teams. I’m kind of surprised actually. In my limited college basketball experience it seems like scoring off out of bounds plays is nowhere near as frequent as what you see at the high school level.

56-50 13:03 Wilcox picks up another foul so now he’s at 3 fouls as well. Langford hits a free throw and Baxter checks in.

56-52

Blake misses a jumper, but Wilcox scores an amazing put back.

KU turnover and Baxter ends up with a layup off a long pass. The Maryland lead is now 60-52.

Blake starts things off with a quick dime to Wilcox for a dunk. After some more fast paced scoring we’re at 39-48.

Baxter scored zero points in the first half, but quickly gets his first two in this half. Now he just picked up his third foul against Aaron Miles from Portland Oregon’s Jefferson High. Gary Williams opts to stay with Baxter for a while more.

Blake just picked up his third foul. KU just victimized the Terps for a quick score on an out of bounds play.

Hinrich just picked up a charge against Baxter for his third foul. Then at the other end Gooden just picked up his third.

The score is 50-43 Maryland leads with just over 17 minutes to go in the half. Holden just came in for Baxter.

KU pounds it into Collison and he converts to bring it to 5 points. Wilcox tries to duplicate the feat at the other end, but fails to convert.

Collison turns the ball over on a travel.

Dixon pulls for three. Clang! The ball trickles out of bounds off Kansas. Dixon scores on a drive.

Boschee comes down and hits a big three to bring KU within 4 points of the Terps.

15:27 remaining as we go to commercial.

1:00 to go. Dixon drives and finds Wilcox with a sweet dish. Gooden foulds Wilcox and the high riser hits his foul shots to complete the 3 point play.

KU gets a couple opportunities at the line, but misses the first and then the second.

Blake brings the ball up under pressure. Randle puts up a surprisingly long shot and misses badly. Blake picks up a cheap one in the scramble for the rebound.

44-37 Blake has the ball and tries to pass inside, but theirs too much mustard and he turns it over.

KU ball with 4.2 seconds .7 seconds after the ball is tipped. They throw the ball into Boschi, but he misses and the score at the half is 44-37.

Bonnie Bernstein talks to Gary Williams. He’s confident in the two back up posts when Baxter is out. They’ve been doing it all year when LB gets in foul trouble.

Okay time for food.

Hmm. What will I fix for dinner during halftime? Good question.

42 percent shooting for Maryland to 39 for Kansas so far.

2:37 to go. Collison hits a tough turn around in the lane.

KU is still in the zone and Dixon just hit a 3.

Hinrich cruises down the court and nails a running layup. 39-36 Maryland. Blake misses a 3, but the Terp glasseaters are there and get the put back.

Somebody for KU just travelled. The Jayhawks finally follow Billy’s advice and fall back into man. 41-36 with 1:10 to go as we go to commercial.

Kansas goes zone, Maryland gets a look from three, but misses. An offensive put back that is goal tended gives the Terps a two point lead.

Langford comes down and knots it at 28-28. Nicholas just nailed a three for Maryland. 31-28 with 4:50 to go.

Turnover and fast break for the Terps. Blake is fouled. Hits both free throws to give Maryland a 5 point lead.

Langford score 2 for KU at around 4:15.

Dixon gets the ball around the block on the other end and Langford falls on him for a foul. Dixon just missed the first free throw a rarity since he’s a 90% free throw shooter. He gets the second.

34-30 Maryland 3:26 to go.

After an empty KU trip Dixon comes down and gets fouled on a 3 pointer only makes two of the free throws.

Kansas comes down and pounds it inside. 36-32 Maryland.

I’m impressed with how well Maryland has been able to battle back from their initial deficit, especially without the help of Lonnie Baxter.

7:44 to go in this half. We have a conference with the two coaches and the officials. Not sure what’s going on. Ahh, there’s a leak in the roof. That’s not cool. Looks like they worked things out.

Baxter is back in the game. Maryland goes to their full court trap and Kansas isn’t able to score once they break it. Juan Dixon comes down and nails a shot to give the Terapins their first lead.

Drew Gooden is fouled by Dixon and makes 1-2. We’re tied at 26-26 with 6:30 remaining.

A couple empty posessions for both team. Maryland has the ball as we go to time out.

Back from the break. iVision is kind of cool. I’d like to see more of it.

Dixon hits a 3 from the left baseline. Kansas pushes it up court and draws a foul inside against Randle.

18-15 KU with 11:26.

KU misses multiple shots. Langford should have scored and then an offensive rebounding frenzy began. Kansas ends up with the ball on a jump ball situation, but fails to score.

Wilcox turns the ball over, leading Mouton to far on a pass to the right baseline.

20-15 on a KU layup. Mouton scores and then Kansas comes down and scores on a jumper. 22-17.

Wilcox scores inside. 22-19. Hinrich misses a three and the Terps end up with the rebound. Collison just went out with his second foul.

9:30 to go in the half.

Billy and Jim comment on how much effort Maryland coach, Gary William puts into a game.

Nicholas just subbed in for Blake.

Tahj Holden hits his two free throws to make it a one point game.

Miles scores after a series of turnovers to put it at three.

Mouton misses and Hinrich rebounds. Boschi shoots and misses a deep three, but Gooden grabs the offensive rebound and is fouled. Misses the first free throw. Drew nails the second to put the score at 25-21.

A couple no score possessions end with an interior foul situation. Holden’s shooting two more free throws. Brings the score back within 2 at 25-23.

4-13 off a Chris Wilcox dunk on the inbound play. Kansas fails to score and Dixon misses another three and KU gets the rebound once again.

Blake just took a charge against Hinrich and we’re just under 15 minutes. Still a 9 point lead for the Jayhawks.

Chris Wilcox gets the ball on the interior and is fouled. Makes 1 of 2.

13-5 Kansas gets nothing in the half court and Juan Dixon comes down and hits a 3 pointer from the corner. 13-8 now KU just turned the ball over again.

KU has been to 11 Final Fours.

Juan Dixon misses a three from the right baseline off the baseline. KU rebounds brings it up court and turns it over to Dixon who scores a layup. Collison comes down and scores .

15-10 12:35

Simian hits a 15 footer from the right and then Dixon answers with a 3. Packer wonders if Langford can hang with Dixon.

Hinrich comes down and draws a foul using a spin move. Misses first free throw but hits the second.

My analysis: There’s plenty of time for Maryland to get things turned around, but they need to get better looks and quit settling for 3 pointers. Time to make Kansas play defense in the half court for a little bit longer than they have so far. Of course I’m not sure how well that will fit into Maryland’s personality. They like to play up tempo afterall.

Back from commercial. Juan Dixon misses a three from a couple feet back. Kansas rebounds and has no problem fast breaking.

Apparently Roy Williams wants to win a championship “as much as he wants to breathe”. At least that’s the word from Jim Nance.

Score is now 13-2 with another time out taking us to commercial.