LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Perry Ellis enjoyed the best NCAA Tournament game of his career Thursday, helping Kansas advance into the South Region final.
Ellis’ game-high 27 points enabled the top-seeded Jayhawks to create second-half separation from No. 5 seed Maryland, leading to a 79-63 victory.
Ellis canned 10-of-17 shots, scoring 15 points in the second half and feasting on the Terrapins’ interior defense after center Diamond Stone drew his third foul 1:08 into the second half. Ellis, who scored 21 points in each of Kansas’ wins over Austin Peay and Connecticut, never scored more than 17 in an NCAA Tournament game before last week.
Guard Wayne Selden added 19 points, seven rebounds and six assists for the Jayhawks (33-4), who play second-seeded Villanova on Saturday for the regional title and a Final Four berth. Forward Landen Lucas contributed 14 points and 11 rebounds.
Guards Rasheed Sulaimon and Melo Trimble paced Maryland (27-9) with 18 and 17 points, respectively. It was a disappointing end to a much-ballyhooed season for the Terrapins, considered a national championship contender in October.
Maryland fell victim to Ellis’ shot-making and its inability to respond. It made only 34.8 percent from the field after halftime, going 3 for 13 on 3-pointers.
The game’s first half played out as many thought it would, becoming a half-court grinder between two physical sides giving space grudgingly.
With Sulaimon hitting all four of his shots, including a pair of 3-pointers, Maryland led for most of the half. A layup by Stone at the 9:02 mark gave the Terrapins the half’s largest lead at 20-14.
Maryland still possessed a five-point advantage when Kansas responded with eight straight points, grabbing a 29-26 edge when backup forward Jamari Traylor sank a jumper with 4:29 remaining.
Forward Jake Layman’s scoop shot gave the Terrapins a 32-29 advantage with 2:39 left, but the Jayhawks fought back to take a 36-34 halftime lead when Lucas converted a lob pass by Selden into a layup.
Kansas overcame 40.5 percent field-goal shooting in the half.
NOTES: Maryland is the only Big Ten Conference team with five players averaging double-figure scoring. … Kansas’ 27th straight trip to the NCAA Tournament is the nation’s longest active streak and ties the longest in tournament history (North Carolina, 1975-2001). … The Jayhawks recorded their 100th NCAA Tournament victory.