Kansas Avenges Loss to Texas

The Kansas Jayhawks considered their only loss over the last two months a bit of a fluke because they did so many things wrong. Given another chance against the Texas Longhorns, the Jayhawks showed why they think they’re the best team in the Big 12.

Handling with ease the big-game pressure that rattled them in Austin two weeks ago, No. 17 Kansas was terrific outside and played great defense to beat the eighth-ranked Longhorns, 80-68, Sunday at Dallas in the final of the conference tournament.

The Jayhawks (25-7) roll into the NCAA tournament having won 15 of 16 games and giddy over avenging an 80-55 loss on Feb. 25. When the rematch was set following the semifinals, several young Kansas players said they were eager to show Texas (27-6) how much they’ve grown up in only a few weeks.

Freshman Mario Chalmers scored 15 points for the Jayhawks, and senior Jeff Hawkins made his first four three-point shots and finished with 13 points.

P.J. Tucker, the conference’s player of the year, kept the Longhorns in it with 16 points and eight rebounds, and Kenton Paulino had 19 points, including five three-pointers.

No. 20 Iowa 67, No. 7 Ohio State 60 -- Jeff Horner scored 14 of his 16 points in the second half and had 10 assists as the Hawkeyes (25-8) beat the Buckeyes (25-5), 67-60, in the Big Ten tournament championship game at Indianapolis.

Jamar Butler scored 19 points and J.J. Sullinger had 15 for the top-seeded Buckeyes, who fell short in their quest to win the regular season and tournament titles.

Ohio State’s Terence Dials, the conference player of the year, had 10 points and nine rebounds despite playing only 22 minutes because of foul trouble.

No. 16 Florida 49, South Carolina 47 -- Joakim Noah scored with 11 seconds left then blocked a shot at the other end, and the Gators (27-6) held off the Gamecocks (18-15) at Nashville for a second straight Southeastern Conference tournament championship in a sloppy game.

The Gamecocks were the lowest-seeded team ever to play in this championship.

Corey Brewer finished with 16 points for Florida, and Taurean Green had 10 and Noah eight.

Renaldo Balkman, Tarence Kinsey and Tre Kelley each had 12 points for South Carolina.

Northwestern State 95, Sam Houston State 87 -- The Demons (25-7) won the Southland Conference tournament championship over the Bearkats (22-9) at Natchitoches, La., and earned their first trip to the NCAA tournament in five years.

Northwestern State, seeded 14th, faces third-seeded Iowa in the first round.

Clifton Lee led the Demons with 22 points.