TULSA, Okla. _ Kansas is two victories in its home-away-from home from a Final Four berth.
The Jayhawks (30-4), the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament's Midwest Regional, polished off No. 9 seed Michigan State, 90-70, on Sunday at BOK Center and in the process assured a spot in Thursday's Sweet 16 contest against No. 4 seed Purdue at the Sprint Center.
Josh Jackson scored 23 points against the team he rooted for as a child, Frank Mason added 20 points, Devonte Graham 18 and Landen Lucas 10 with 11 rebounds, for the Jayhawks, who won their 30th game for the 14th time in school history, eighth time in the 14-year Bill Self era.
Miles Bridges, who is one of Jackson's best friends, had 22 points and eight boards for MSU.
For the game, KU hit 53.1 percent of its shots and 8 of 20 3s. MSU hit 43.9 percent and was 8 of 23 from 3.
Mason, Svi Mykhailiuk and Jackson scored nine points apiece, while Lucas had nine rebounds and four points as the Jayhawks led, 40-35, at halftime.
KU had led by as many as 11 with (40-29) with 1:37 left in the half, following a 13-2 run that busted a 27-27 tie with 5:02 left in the half.
The Jayhawks had a huge 13-4 second half run that increased a narrow 54-53 lead at 12:14 to 67-57 at 8:06. Jackson had a bucket and foul shot to open the run, followed by a three by Jackson. Dwight Coleby, who had important minutes with Lucas in some foul trouble, hit an inside shot off a rebound, Jackson a deep shot, Coleby a free throw and Lagerald Vick an inside shot as KU led, 67-57.
KU survived a mistake by Vick, who slammed at 7:27 off a lob from Graham to give the Jayhawks a 69-59 lead. However, he barked as a Spartan player following the dunk and was called for a technical. Cassius Winston hit two free throws and Matt McQuiad hit a 3 to cut KU's lead to 69-64 at 7:11.
However, KU went on a 8-1 run to build the lead to at that time a game-high 12 points, 77-65, at 5:45. Lucas had a bucket to open that run and make it 71-64. Then after a Bridges free throw, Mason scored, Jackson hit two free throws and Jackson scored another bucket. KU grabbed a 13-point lead at 4:41 on a three by Graham to make it 80-67.
KU ended the game on an amazing 36-17 run to win going way.
In that key 13-2 first-half run, Mykhailiuk had four points, including a slam dunk off a lob from Graham. Jackson had three points, Graham and Mason two.
MSU's Joshua Langford hit a 3 and Bridges two free throws following a Lagerald Vick foul from the corner with 2.4 ticks left in the half.
Bridges, who had 13 points the first half, scored five points as the Spartans led, 9-6, at 15:29. The Jayhawks led 17-12 at 11:51 following a 3 by Mykhailiuk and two from Graham. However, the Spartans rolled 8-2 and led, 20-19, at 9:41. The Jayhawks went on their 13-2 run right after a controversial play in which Nick Ward scored on a bucket that appeared to possibly be charge. Ward missed the ensuing free throw after officials went to the monitor.
KU in the second half led by eight, 45-37 and 48-40 at 17:40. The Jayhawks led, 54-48, at 14:01, however, MSU's Matt McQuaid hit a 3 and Alvin Ellis a two to cut it to one, 54-53, KU calling time at 12:14. Jackson immediately followed with a bucket and foul shot to increase the lead to four, 57-53, at 12:00.
