There was a reason Kansas was seeded No. 1 and Portland State No. 16. The Jayhawks dunked over the Vikings, shot over the Vikings and never let them in the game en route to an 85-61 win in the first round of the NCAA Tournament today, reports the AP. The Jayhawks led 13-3 five minutes into the game and extended the lead to 20 before halftime.
Brandon Rush led Kansas (32-3) with 18 points and Darrell Arthur had 17 as the Jayhawks avoided first round loss that has plagued it in the past, at least when it didn't earn a top seed. Kansas didn't let up on the defensive end either, holding the Vikings (23-10) to 38% shooting from the field and forcing 16 turnovers. The Jayhawks hit 54% of their shots and made 12 of 25 3-pointers. (More NCAA stories.)