The Kansas Jayhawks, after facing their largest halftime deficit ever in a NCAA tournament game (h/t Marv Albert), have whittled the lead to nine points 55-46, though the Jayhawks have been as close as two in this hotly contested second half.
Bill Self's team has played a much more energetic game in the second half, pounding the ball inside, hitting key jumpers when available and generating turnovers off of a much better defensive effort than was exhibited prior to halftime.
Kansas exploded with a 12-0 run early in the half, culminated by Shaka Smart's first technical foul of the season at the 15:43 mark as Kansas cut the lead to four. His Rams looked discombobulated on the floor, but, as they have done all season, the Rams have shaken off the rattled and ragged play to extend the lead to nine points again with tenacious defense and long range marksmanship.
A Kansas run was inevitable. Now let's see if VCU withstood the body blow and can become just the third double digit seed to make the Final Four (2006 George Mason and 19986 LSU).