This Coach Stage Is Full

The famed, haunting Kansas chant that echoed from the rafters of the Superdome deserved an addendum.

Rock, chalk, Jayhawk.

Cakewalk.

Kansas turned in one of the most dominant performances ever in the Final Four, beating Marquette, 94-61, Saturday at the Superdome to put Coach Roy Williams within a victory of his first NCAA title.

Williams appeared relaxed and jocular before the game. Afterward he was in a state of disbelief. The Jayhawks scored the second-most points in a Final Four first half in storming to a 59-30 lead, then opened the second half with a 14-2 run for a 41-point lead.

“I cannot remember any time my team has done that,” he said.

Marquette Coach Tom Crean and his visibly nervous players were similarly stunned.

“We were paralyzed a few times,” he said. “Our communication broke down from the very beginning. I don’t have a lot of answers.”

The anxiety was revealed during the first timeout. Foldout chairs were placed on the court for players, and by the time play resumed the floor under the chairs was a puddle of perspiration, forcing Crean to make like Mr. Clean and wipe the hardwood with a towel.

For Kansas (30-7), it was no sweat.

A 12-12 start became a 39-20 lead in little more than seven minutes and the final score was the fourth-largest margin of victory in a Final Four game.

Senior stars Kirk Hinrich (18 points) and Nick Collison (12 points, 15 rebounds) contributed, but unheralded forward Keith Langford was key, making 11 of 14 shots for 23 points.

The Jayhawks played at a breakneck pace, turning many of their 52 rebounds into fastbreak baskets.

Kansas ran even after Marquette baskets, four times responding with a basket of its own less than 10 seconds after the Golden Eagles scored.

“I hope it has a psychological impact,” Williams said. “If we make them work to score and we get it back and score while they are still feeling good about themselves, that’s a plus.”

Marquette All-American Dwyane Wade had 19 points but most were inconsequential. He also took a shot in the nose that served as a painful metaphor for the beating his team took and had to sit out several minutes of the second half.

Wade was not alone in his pain. Point guard Travis Diener was dreadful, making one of 11 shots and committing eight turnovers, forward Scott Merritt missed seven layups and freshman three-point specialist Steve Novak missed all five of his long-range shots.

Marquette (27-6) reached the Final Four by shooting 52.4%. That figure fell to 31.1% against Kansas.

The Jayhawks, meanwhile, played as if they had been here before -- which they had. Kansas lost to eventual champion Maryland in a semifinal last season, experience that provided a comfort level.

“Our goal was to win a national championship from day one this season,” Collison said. “We felt like we had enough talent to do it. We are definitely not surprised and I think we surprised [Marquette].”

The Golden Eagles carried a photo of the Superdome everywhere they went this season. But when they finally got here, it wasn’t a pretty picture.

“We didn’t get into the flow of our offense,” Wade said. “We didn’t listen to Travis when he was calling plays. We were out of position and had to force shots up.”

Marquette’s worst loss in 13 years -- that one also was at the hands of Kansas -- ingloriously ended its best season since the 1977 national championship run under Al McGuire.

“We didn’t meet our expectations here, but we had a great year,” Diener said. “This loss will be in our minds forever, but also making it to the Final Four will live with us forever.”

When Crean removed Wade and Diener with about two minutes left, he spoke to them for several moments before they took a seat. Although Wade, a junior, is expected to leave for the NBA, the coach was looking forward.

“He told us that when we get back to Milwaukee we have to use this memory as fuel and get better,” Diener said.

Kansas is proof a quick return to the Final Four is possible. Now comes the biggest hurdle, giving Williams a championship in his 15th season. The Jayhawks lost in the 1991 final to Duke.

“It’s everybody’s dream to play in a national championship game and to win it,” Collison said. “We are at that step where we have one game to play and we have a great chance to win. Coach told us not to read any papers or watch [sportscasts]. We just have to focus on who we play.”

The grin plastered on Williams’ face disappeared for a moment. There is one game to play. The biggest of all.

“Every coach has big-time dreams about every team he coaches,” he said. “We’ll work hard to see if those dreams can come true.”