Kansas Dodges Bullet, Survives Memphis 57-55

Cole Aldrich had 18 points, 11 rebounds and five blocked shots, and top-ranked Kansas dodged a bullet, beating Memphis, 57-55, in a rematch of the 2008 national championship game.

The contest, which was the second part of a doubleheader at the Scottrade Center and part of the Hall of Fame Showcase, went right down to the wire with Memphis’ Elliot Williams missing a potential winning three-point shot in the waning seconds.

Sherron Collins, who departed the game on a couple of occasions with what looked to be a cramp in his right thigh, added 12 points for the Jayhawks (2-0). Xavier Henry had 11 points and Marcus Morris 10 for Kansas.

Williams was the lone Memphis (1-1) player in double figures with 21 points, but the Tigers shot a woeful 34.5 percent for the game. That included a 6- for-25 effort from three-point range.

Henry’s layup extended Kansas’ lead to double-digits at 38-28 with nearly 14 minutes remaining, but the Tigers eventually came back under first-year head coach Josh Pastner.

After Aldrich hit two from the charity stripe, Doneal Mack hit a three-pointer with just over a minute remaining for a 54-52 margin. Collins was then credited with a basket when Will Coleman was called for goaltending with 29.8 seconds left.

Williams, though, hit a three-pointer essentially while falling away for a 56-55 difference with 16.7 seconds to go. Collins went 1-of-2 from the foul line with 15.3 ticks left, setting up the final play.

Williams dribbled on the right side, outside the arc and rose above the outstretched hand of Morris, but the ball clanked off the rim. Kansas secured the rebound as time expired.

Via Sports Network