MIDWEST REGIONAL : Kansas’ Inside Job Results in Victory

For the first time in 139 games, Kansas did not make a three-point basket.

The Jayhawks, however, made 61% of their shots and scored 35 of their 42 baskets on layups, dunks or other inside shots in a 100-67 victory over Howard in the first round of the NCAA Midwest Regional.

Kansas (27-4), which missed six three-point attempts against Howard, had made at least one three-point basket in every game since March 5, 1988.

“We don’t worry about streaks,” said Kansas guard Rex Walters, who scored 10 points. “We’ve got some guys inside who can get the ball in the hole. We wanted to pound the ball inside.”

Seventeen of Kansas’ 21 field goals in the first half came within the shadow of the rim.

“Tonight it worked when we threw it inside,” Kansas Coach Roy Williams said. “Guys were not double- and triple-teamed. I thought it was a workmanlike effort on our part. We had a few more players and our players were a little bigger.”

Greg Ostertag Kansas with 16 points. Adonis Jordan had 15 and Eric Pauley had 12.

Kansas, making its 22nd NCAA tournament appearance, never trailed but needed a 15-0 run midway through the second half to put the game out of reach.

Howard (17-14), champion of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, scored the first four points of the second half to pull to 46-34 but never got closer. The Jayhawks, ahead 60-46 with 12:32 to play, scored the next 15 points, increasing the lead to 75-46 with 7:40 left.

Julius McNeil scored all 12 of his points in the second half for Howard, and Tommy Brown added 10.

Texas El Paso 55, Evansville 50--Johnny Melvin scored the go-ahead basket and Eddie Rivera added a short jump shot to lead the Miners.

Melvin scored on a spinning move around 7-foot-1 center Sascha Hupmann with 2:50 to play, putting UTEP (26-6) ahead, 51-50, after the Miners had trailed by as many as nine points midway through the second half.

Evansville (24-6) trailed, 53-50, with five seconds left when Hupmann missed a short jump shot.

Maxey was fouled after grabbing the rebound and he made both free throws for the final margin.

Maxey scored 23 points for UTEP. David Van Dyke added 12.

Hupmann scored 17 points for Evansville.

Evansville, which did not have a field goal in the final 8:43 of the first half, was able to close to 29-27 at halftime by making five of six free throws.

UTEP made 23 of 54 shots.

Cincinnati 85, Delaware 47--Nick Van Exel scored 18 points and the Bearcats (26-4) forced 33 turnovers in the rout over the Blue Hens (27-4).

Delaware, which had a 20-game winning streak ended, made only 17 of 43 shots.

Jeff Scott made a free throw that gave Cincinnati a 28-17 first-half lead and started a 9-0 run. Scott also made a 12-foot shot and finished the run with a tip-in for a 36-17 lead with 1:18 to play.

Anthony Wright scored 15 points for Delaware, which was making its first tournament appearance.

Michigan State 61, Southwest Missouri State 54--Mark Montgomery scored five points during a 7-0 run that helped Michigan State (22-7) secure the victory over the Bears (23-8).

Dwayne Stephens, who led Michigan State with 17 points, scored with 3:22 to play, breaking a 50-50 tie that gave the Spartans the lead for good. Montgomery, the Big Ten leader in assists the last two years, made three free throws and a basket to put Michigan State ahead, 57-50.

Jackie Crawford scored 16 points for Southwest Missouri State, which won the Missouri Valley Conference tournament.