#3 Kansas Edges Georgia Tech 71-66

Dec. 18, 2007

Box Score | Notes

<?xml:namespace prefix=”st1″ ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags”?>ATLANTA Jayhawk fans’ hearts were pounding as the No. 3 University of Kansas men’s basketball team upended Georgia Tech 71-66 in a thrilling final minute Tuesday night at Alexander Memorial Coliseum.<?xml:namespace prefix=”o” ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office”?>

The win moved KU to 11-0, while Georgia Tech dropped to 4-5.

Leading 67-59 with just over a minute remaining, things got tense for the Jayhawks when Yellow Jacket Matt Causey scored five straight points to cut the lead to three. With nine seconds left, Anthony Morrow cut the KU lead to one, 67-66, by draining two charity shots with nine seconds left.

But after being immediately fouled, Sherron Collins answered with a pair of free throws one second later to put the lead back at three, 69-66. Causey then lost control of the ball at midcourt on the ensuing possession, and Collins scooped up the loose ball and laid it in to put the game away.

Senior Russell Robinson had a season-high 17 points to lead KU. Mario Chalmers, Brandon Rush and Collins each added 11.

Darrell Arthur, whose minutes were limited due to early fouls, and Rush both grabbed six rebounds to lead Kansas.

Lewis Clinch pumped in a game-high 22 points for Georgia Tech.

Despite being outrebounded 34-29 overall and 11-6 on the offensive end, KU got a big boost from 13 second chance points compared to only four for Georgia Tech.

After Georgia Tech jumped to a 3-0 lead to open the game, Kansas gained its first lead at 4-3 at the 18:44 mark when Robinson stole the ball from Matt Causey and sank two free throws after Causey was called for an intentional foul.

The lead changed two more times and there were five ties in the first half before, with the score tied at 17 with 12:10 on the clock, the Jayhawks went on a 9-2 run. KU added a 7-2 run to end the first half with a 36-29 lead.

Kansas returns to Allen Fieldhouse Saturday to face Miami (Ohio) at noon on the Jayhawk Television Network.