Kansas Survives Cal Baptist Scare

0:00On March 21st, Kansas edged out Cal Baptist in the first round of the NCAA Tournament to move on to the round of 32. Bill Self's J-Hawks hadn't played in almost a week since their Big 12 semi-final exit, but they shook off the rest for a hard fought win. They controlled most of the game, building a 26-point lead in the second half before things got tense late. The Lancers mounted a furious comeback, slicing the gap to just six points with a minute left. Kansas held on thanks to strong play from key guys like Darren Peterson, who led the way, and Paul Ambia, who stepped up big as a physical presence. Inside, when others struggled to score. Coach Self had high praise afterward for his standouts. He called Peterson the best player on the floor, and Ambia a close second, noting how the big man delivered when stars like Florey and Bryson weren't, clicking offensively. Self broke down the late scare, pointing to breakdowns and ball-screen defense against Cal Baptist's Dominic Daniels Jr., who drove hard and made.

1:02Tough plays. He admitted the J-Hawks got passive on offense, failing to run clean sets out of timeouts and letting the game slip closer than it should have. With the victory, Self noshed his 58 NCAA Tournament win, and Kansas keeps his season rolling into the next round, ready to build on this. Gritty opener.