KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Jalen Wilson had 25 points and 10 rebounds, Gradey Dick made a couple of crucial baskets during a second-half run that gave Kansas control, and the third-ranked Jayhawks went on to beat Iowa State 71-58 on Friday night to reach the 2023 Phillips 66 Big 12 Men's Basketball Championship title game.
Dick finished with 15 points for the top-seeded Jayhawks (27-6), who fell behind early in the second half before the defending champs rallied to reach Saturday night’s title game against seventh-ranked Texas or No. 22 TCU.
The Jayhawks were once again without Hall of Fame coach Bill Self, who is recovering after a hospital trip Wednesday night for what doctors with the University of Kansas Health System called “a standard procedure”.
Longtime assistant Norm Roberts, serving as the acting coach, said Self addressed the Jayhawks remotely during breakfast and was “doing a lot better.” It’s still unclear whether he will be available to coach next week, when they begin defense of the NCAA title they won with a stirring comeback win over North Carolina last April.
Jaren Holmes had 16 points to lead the No. 5 seed Cyclones (19-13). Robert Jones finished with 11.
Wilson got off to a hot start, hitting a trio of 3-pointers among his first four shots. The Cyclones weathered the barrage and were still within 29-25 late in the half, but Wilson’s basket in the closing minute and another turnover that led to a runout dunk by KJ Adams Jr. sent the regular-season champs to the locker room with a 33-25 lead.
Iowa State used a 10-2 run out of the locker room and another spurt moments later to take a 39-38 lead — its first of the game — with just under 15 minutes to go.
Yet the Jayhawks showed again the poise and precision that has made them so good come March.
Wilson answered Iowa State with a couple of free throws, starting the Jayhawks’ own 10-2 run to regain control. Backup big man Ernest Udeh Jr. threw down a thunderous dunk off a nifty assist from Dajuan Harris Jr., who also had 11 points.
Kansas will play for the fourth time in the last five championship games Saturday night at T-Mobile Center.