ESPN Men's Basketball

TULSA, Okla. -- Bruce Weber had the famous mock funeral for Bill Self eight years ago at Illinois.

Sunday night, Self and the Kansas Jayhawks got to perform a two-for-one burial. First they did away with No. 9 seed Illinois 73-59. Then they interred the year-old demon named Northern Iowa.

Ever since being shocked by the Panthers last March in the round of 32 as the overall No. 1 seed, Kansas has carried the burden of that underachievement. The Jayhawks had been reminded of it by fans, media and even their own coaching staff, which put copies of the Sports Illustrated cover celebrating Northern Iowa’s upset in every player’s locker last week.

Now, after this victory over stubborn Illinois on Sunday night, this group of players has broken through. The Northern Iowa loss is 6 feet under at last.

“It definitely takes a lot of pressure off our shoulders [to] know we’ve gotten past the first weekend now,” said Marcus Morris, whose 17 points and 12 rebounds made him only the second-most-productive Morris on the night.

“I just feel like now that we’ve gotten past this weekend, we got over the hump,” said twin brother Markieff Morris, who went off for 24 points and 12 rebounds. “We’re ready for next weekend.”

Next weekend, the No. 1 seed Jayhawks walk into a shattered bracket in San Antonio. Their Friday Sweet 16 opponent will be No. 12 seed Richmond. If they win that, their Sunday opponent will be either No. 10 seed Florida State or No. 11 seed VCU.

By seeding, Kansas is set up to play zero teams in the top half of the tournament until it reaches Houston and the Final Four. That is what’s called a free pass.

Then again, you can find plenty of grandparents and bracketologists ready to caution that there’s really no such thing as a free pass.

“Any seed this time of year, they’ve got to be playing good to advance this far in the tournament,” said guard Tyrel Reed. “You can’t take anyone lightly and have to respect your opponent every time out.”

That, actually, is one lasting lesson Kansas can take with it from the Northern Iowa loss. But at least now the Jayhawks don’t have to hear about it constantly. That’s dead and buried.

TULSA, Okla. -- Arizona is living on Tulsa time.

Texas died on it Sunday.

Tulsa time, as calculated by veteran official Richard Cartmell, is a very brisk five seconds. Or less. Judging from replays of his inbounds count that changed the course of the Arizona-Texas NCAA tournament game at the BOK Center, it was just four waves of the arm that pre-empted Longhorns guard Cory Joseph's desperate attempt to call a timeout.

“I had five seconds before the kid turned and signaled a timeout,” explained Cartmell, part of a crew that included Jim Burr, who seems to attract controversy this month the way Arizona star Derrick Williams attracts double-teams.

The result of Cartmell’s count was a violation that gave Arizona one last chance, down by two points. Williams took it from there, as he often has, scoring an acrobatic layup and subsequent free throw with 9.6 seconds left to snatch a 70-69 victory from the bewildered Longhorns.

Arizona had to weather a final drive by Texas guard J'Covan Brown and an ensuing melee of a rebound. For the second straight game, the final seconds -- and the officials' interpretation of those final seconds -- went the Wildcats' way. They won two games here by a total of three points, with plenty of controversy along for the ride.

There was no call on a Williams shot block of Memphis' Wesley Witherspoon on Friday when Witherspoon went up with the potential tying layup, even though replays showed plenty of contact on the play. And now there is this ending, which featured a final 20 seconds rife with whistles (and non-whistles) that had both sides fuming.

The four key plays were these:

1. Trailing 69-67, Williams got the ball on the block and attempted a post move on Texas' Tristan Thompson (and others helping on the play). Williams faced up into the tall Texas bodies and attempted a shot that ended up coming off the left-hander’s right hand. It missed everything, backboard included.

“Obviously, I thought I got fouled,” Williams said. “I’m not going to miss the rim by 10 feet. I think he hit my elbow.”

Arizona coach Sean Miller angrily agreed. After Jordan Hamilton rebounded the air ball and called a fateful timeout (more on that later), Miller tore into the officials. At the end of the timeout, as the players returned to the court, Miller walked to the baseline, glared for a long time at Cartmell and yelled at least twice, “That was a foul!”

2. The five-count, against desperate full-court denial defense from the Wildcats. It seems unlikely that such a broadside from a coach would have an effect on a veteran like Cartmell, but what followed mere moments later could be construed as the mother of all make-up calls. It certainly was the most impactful five-count of March.

ESPN’s “SportsCenter” put a clock on the count and timed it at 4.76 seconds. Whether an official should be charbroiled over .24 seconds is a matter of personal taste (and quite likely team allegiance). But the de facto clock in that situation is supposed to be the ref’s arm, with one gesture for each second. And video of that shows at best an abbreviated fifth gesture.

“I was a little surprised,” Williams said of the call. “I thought he had called time.”

Said Texas coach Rick Barnes, without having seen replays of the call: “I just hope it was a legit five-second count. I can live with some of the other things because it’s a tough game to officiate. But counts, there’s no reason not to get them right. … Every time.”

3. On Williams’ move for the winning points, his drive to the basket was impeded by childhood friend and former AAU teammate Hamilton, who slid in between the basket and the onrushing Arizona power forward.

Hamilton was called for a blocking foul. He said he felt no contact on the play, although both he and Williams went to the floor.

Williams only added to his growing late-game legend by flipping the ball in off the glass. Without looking.

“I was looking down so I could catch myself from a hard fall,” Williams said. “I was surprised it went in, actually. I didn’t know it went in until MoMo [Jones] picked me up.”

After it went in, a guy who had made just 3 of 9 free throws in the second half calmly swished the and-one for the go-ahead point.

4. On Texas’ final possession, Brown drove the ball at the Arizona defense. After repeatedly hurting the Wildcats by driving to his left, this time he went right. There was some contact on the drive as three defenders converged on Brown, but nothing violent.

“Every player’s going to think he got fouled in that situation,” Brown said. “But it’s hard for the refs to call it when the game’s on the line. But things happen.”

Brown’s shot was off the mark and teammate Gary Johnson soared for the offensive rebound. There was all kinds of contact then, but the officials conferred before leaving the court and determined that any foul that might have occurred came after the final buzzer.

And with that, Jim Burr & Co. mercifully got out of Tulsa.

It’s unfortunate that recapping an excellent game like this begins with a recitation of controversial officiating calls. Unfortunate but necessary.

The endgame issues obscure the outstanding coaching job by Miller, who clearly had the superior game plan early as underdog Arizona raced to an 11-point halftime lead. Even with his second-leading scorer Jones playing a miserable game (scoreless on six missed shots) and Texas limiting Williams’ effectiveness, Miller found other Wildcats to step up.

Freshman Jordin Mayes, who is averaging fewer than five points per game and until Sunday had not scored in double digits since Dec. 1, lit up Texas for 16 stunning points. In two games in Tulsa, Mayes made 8 of 9 shots, including all five 3-point attempts. Forward Solomon Hill (averaging 7.8 points and 4.5 rebounds) attacked the interior for 16 points and eight rebounds. Guard Brendon Lavender, who had scored a total of seven points in his previous eight games, hit two big 3s and finished with eight improbable points.

“We’ve got a 10-man rotation,” Williams said. “The first five don’t always get it done.”

The endgame issues also overshadowed a determined comeback by the Longhorns, who gradually pried control of the game away from Arizona. Texas did that with a strong second half from Hamilton (who finished with 18) and Brown (who made all 13 of his free throws on his way to a game-high 23 points).

Texas led for a total of seven minutes, but it appeared to have the game in hand when Hamilton brought his hands together in what proved to be a fatal decision with 14.5 seconds left. His timeout call after gathering in Williams’ air ball was a curious one -- he wasn’t pressured at the moment by any Wildcats, and the smart play would have been to hold the ball until he was fouled.

But the timeout call set up the inbounds call. And that set up the Arizona escape that happened just in time. Tulsa time.

TULSA, Okla. -- Thoughts on Kansas' 73-59 win over Illinois:

Overview: The Northern Iowa loss is now dead. Top-seeded Kansas got past the ghost of its shocking round-of-32 upset loss last year by beating stubborn Illinois at the same point in this tournament. The No. 9 seed Illini hung in the game most of the way but could not handle the inside strength of the Jayhawks.

Turning point: Illinois was down just five, 56-51, with less than six minutes remaining. That's when Kansas reeled off 10 straight points to get the game under control.

Key player: Let's go with two -- the usual two for Kansas. Twins Marcus and Markieff Morris combined for 41 points and 25 rebounds, punishing the slender Illini in the paint.

Key stat: Illinois coach Bruce Weber said his team needed another stellar game from point guard Demetri McCamey, and he could not deliver. Although the senior did have seven assists -- the Illini had been 15-0 this season when he reached that number -- he couldn't score against the Kansas guards. The Illini's leading scorer had just six points on 2-of-9 shooting.

Miscellaneous: Illinois did not play Jereme Richmond, who missed his second game for a violation of athletic department rules. ... KU coach Bill Self got the victory over his successor, Weber, who famously had a mock funeral for Self to help everyone at Illinois get over his departure to Kansas eight years ago.

What's next: Kansas' primrose path toward Houston next encounters 12th-seeded Richmond in San Antonio. It's possible that the Jayhawks will not face a team seeded better than ninth until the Final Four, if they keep winning.

TULSA, Okla. -- Thoughts on Arizona's 70-69 win over Texas:

Overview: Arizona advances after leading virtually all game, losing the lead in the final minute, and then pulling out the victory in a wild series of plays in the final 30 seconds. Derrick Williams' three-point play with 9.6 seconds left provided the winning points, and Texas' last chance ended with a missed J'Covan Brown drive and a melee for the rebound.

Turning Point: When Jordan Hamilton called timeout after grabbing a rebound with 14 seconds left and Texas up two, instead of holding the ball and waiting to be fouled. The Longhorns were called for a controversial five-second call on the ensuing inbounds, and Arizona got a chance to steal the game from there.

Key player: Arizona All-American Williams was frustrated for much of the game by the big and physical Texas front line, but he scored the Wildcats' final five points and finished with 17 points and eight rebounds.

Key stat: Brown, Hamilton and Gary Johnson scored 55 of Texas' 69 points, while center Tristan Thompson and the rest of the Longhorns struggled. Thompson finished with three points and six rebounds.

Miscellaneous: Arizona got contributions from just about everybody, most notably Solomon Hill (16 points and eight rebounds) and Jordin Mayes (16 points, 4-for-4 from 3-point range). They helped offset terrible games from point guard Lamont Jones and forward Jamelle Horne (both scoreless).

What's next: Arizona advances to play Duke in Anaheim in the West Regional. Texas goes home after another unsatisfying NCAA tournament.

TULSA, Okla. -- This has become the Bill Self Subregional.

The Kansas coach is everywhere or, more accurately, his past is everywhere.

He’s an Oklahoma native and Oklahoma State alum whose first two head-coaching jobs were in this city, at Oral Roberts and Tulsa. Then he went to Illinois, where he succeeded Lon Kruger and preceded Bruce Weber.

Kruger played Weber Friday for the right to face Self Sunday. Weber won, which pits Self and Kansas against Weber and Illinois. And that means the subject of the mock funeral Weber held for Self early in his Illinois tenure -- in an effort to get players and fans alike to quit talking about the departed coach -- came up Saturday.

This also marks the second straight year that Self has faced an underdog that defeated UNLV to get to the Jayhawks. Last year it was Northern Iowa, and you know how that turned out -- also in a game played in Oklahoma.

But despite all the Self connections, that’s only half the matchup here. And the potential exists for two excellent games at the BOK Center Sunday night.

No. 5 seed Arizona (28-7) vs. No. 4 seed Texas (28-7), 6:10 p.m. ET (TNT)

What to watch: Can the Wildcats’ efficient offense produce against the Longhorns’ relentless defense? Arizona shoots 51.6 percent from two-point range and 39.6 percent from 3. Texas allows opponents to shoot only 42 percent and 28.7 percent, respectively. Whoever gets the advantage in that strength-on-strength matchup will probably win the game.

Who to watch: Arizona forward Derrick Williams against Texas’ Tristan Thompson. Williams is the guy who makes Arizona go, an All-American who has cranked his play up even higher -- through four postseason games he is averaging 22 points and 8.5 rebounds. Williams also had the spectacular blocked shot that clinched the game against Memphis on Friday -- but Thompson is the guy who swats shots in bunches. The freshman rejected a career-high seven of them against Oakland, and he’s likely to get the first defensive call against Williams.

Why to watch: Arizona has been must-see TV its past two games, winning one (Memphis) and losing one (Washington in the Pac-10 tournament final) at the very end. Texas has at times looked like the best team in the nation, including for about 30 minutes against Oakland on Friday. And there will be plenty of future NBA players on the floor, whenever they decide to turn pro.

What they’re saying: “I’m coming back next year. I’ve already signed up for summer classes.” -- Texas’ Thompson, who projects as a lottery pick but delivered that news in the Longhorns locker room Saturday. Now we’ll wait and see whether he really means it.

“He’s not going to like this, but he took a lot of shots. That’s just his game. Any kind of shot is a good shot for him.” -- Williams on former AAU teammate Jordan Hamilton, volume-shooting forward for Texas.

“It’s overwhelming as a coach that’s getting ready to play against Texas to watch him offensive rebound. … He might be the nation’s best offensive rebounder.” -- Arizona coach Sean Miller on Thompson.

Of note: Both schools have demonstrated impressive recruiting reach. Arizona has two players from New York and one from St. Louis in its probable starting lineup, plus a pair of Californians. Texas starts one Texan, Gary Johnson, but otherwise fills out its first five with two Canadians, a Turk and a Californian.

No. 9 seed Illinois (20-13) vs. No. 1 seed Kansas (33-2), 8:40 p.m. ET (TNT)

What to watch: Last year at this stage, the top-seeded Jayhawks felt the pressure and played tightly against underdog Northern Iowa in a shocking loss. Self said he wants this year’s team to relax and enjoy the NCAA experience, but acknowledged that he thought Kansas was again tight for a half against Boston University on Friday. Illinois, meanwhile, should be afforded the chance to play with a relaxed attitude. The seasoned Illini are significant underdogs with nothing to lose, and a victory would redeem what has been a disappointing season. Kansas has the better team, but also the greater pressure.

Who to watch: Illinois point guard Demetri McCamey. Leading his team in both scoring (14.9 points per game) and assists (6.1), he’s vital to the Illini’s chances. Especially his distributing. They’re 15-0 this year when McCamey dishes out seven or more assists. For Kansas, the focal point of Self’s pound-it-in offensive approach is the Morris twins, Marcus and Markieff. They’ll take their muscular physiques and all-court games up against an Illinois front line that has an abundance of length but not the same amount of girth.

Why to watch: After what happened last year to KU in the round of 32, miss this game at your peril. But also because Illinois, if it plays the way it did Friday against UNLV, could have a legitimate chance to win.

What they’re saying: “Last year we were kind of No. 1 the whole season, and everyone had us picked as the favorite. I don’t know if that was more of a burden to us than a good thing. We’re not trying to hold onto anything this year. We don’t have anything to hold onto.” -- Kansas guard Tyrel Reed, on the (slightly) lesser pressure on the Jayhawks this season.

“When he plays and plays well, we’re a top team in the country. We can compete with anybody.” -- Weber on McCamey

“I wouldn’t say he’s one of my best friends, but we have a cordial relationship.” -- Weber on Self.

“I have total respect for him as a coach. … But we’re not close. We don’t talk.” -- Self on Weber.

Of note: One of the things that makes Kansas so hard to cover is the shooting ability of its guards. If defenses distort themselves too much to collapse on the Morris twins inside, they risk leaving Reed, Brady Morningstar and Tyshawn Taylor (among others) open on the perimeter. And lately, that’s been a bad trade-off. In KU's past two games, the Big 12 title game against Texas and the NCAA opener against BU, the Reed-Morningstar-Taylor trio has made 12 of 25 3-point shots. ... Weber had no update on the status of swingman Jereme Richmond, who was suspended for the UNLV game for what the coach termed a violation of "athletic department team rules." Weber said the school will discuss Richmond's status privately Saturday and make an announcement on his status Sunday.

TULSA, Okla. -- Better late than never, the Illinois team we thought we’d see this season showed up.

In force.

It’s been a disappointing slog of a season for the Illini, which began the year in the AP top 15 and ended it sliding close to the 68-team bubble. But with the season on the line Friday night against No. 8 seed UNLV, No. 9 seed Illinois played a spectacular game in a 73-62 victory.

“We’d been inconsistent,” coach Bruce Weber said. “But tonight we were definitely consistent, played at a high level.”

This is how high: Illinois shot 60 percent from the field, 54 percent from 3-point range, and got every shot it wanted thanks to a half-hearted UNLV defense. The final score was laughably deceptive, with a 13-2 closing run by UNLV making it look much closer than reality. Illinois led by 22 at halftime and was never threatened thereafter.

Now we’ll see whether the Illini can put together back-to-back stellar performances.

Illinois hasn’t won two straight games since early January. That doesn’t exactly engender confidence that this team is ready to take down No. 1 seed Kansas on Sunday in the round of 32, but there was plenty of optimism in the Illini locker room Friday night.

“It’s going to be a tough game, but they’re beatable,” said forward Mike Davis, who tore up the Runnin’ Rebels for 22 points and 10 rebounds.

The Illini can harbor optimism for a couple of reasons. One, they’ve played a rigorous schedule -- 18 games against teams in the NCAA tourney field, eight of them against teams with top-four tourney seeds. Two, they’ve come close to having a much better record than their current 20-13 -- they’re 1-8 in games decided by five points or fewer, or in overtime. Finish half of those games correctly, and Illinois is maybe a 5-seed.

But there’s no re-doing what’s already done. Instead, there is simply the chance to make good at the most important time of the year.

“It’s not what you do at the beginning of the year …” said guard Demetri McCamey. “It’s about what you do now. Everybody forgets about what you did at the beginning of the season or the Big Ten season if you go out and win in March.”

It’s been a long time since Illinois won in March. Since 2006, in terms of the NCAA tournament. For a team with four senior starters, getting at least one career Big Dance victory was a major incentive.

“Coming in, we just said we’re going to go as hard as we can,” Davis said. “If we lose and don’t play as hard as we can, I can’t live with that for the rest of my life.”

The one Illinois player who is living with regret right now is freshman swingman Jereme Richmond. One of the team’s top seven players, Richmond did not play Friday night for what Weber termed “a violation of athletic department team rules, nothing more than that.” Weber was non-committal when asked whether Richmond would play Sunday against the Jayhawks.

“It’s something we’ll talk about,” he said.

Friday night, there was finally something good to talk about with this Illinois basketball team. We’ll see how long the Illini can keep the positive vibes flowing.

TULSA, Okla. -- Thoughts on Illinois' 73-62 win over UNLV:

Turning point: From a 5-5 tie, Illinois went on a 24-9 run and was never again threatened.

Key player: Illini forward Mike Davis had 22 points and 10 rebounds, hitting an array of open jump shots from inside the arc and UNLV defenders had a difficult time locating him.

Key stat: Illinois shot 60 percent from the field and UNLV 39 percent. That's how you get a blowout.

Miscellaneous: UNLV observers thought this would be a problematic matchup, and they were right. Vegas was unable to get good 3-point looks, and its offense isn't very efficient without good perimeter play. ... Meanwhile, Illinois ran its offense crisply and got just about every conceivable shot it wanted. ... On-again, off-again senior guard Demetri McCamey had a big night for the Illini with 17 points and seven assists.

What's next: Illinois will take on No. 1 seed Kansas on Sunday. UNLV will fly home to regroup.

TULSA, Okla. -- Thoughts from Kansas' 72-53 win over Boston U.:

Overview: Kansas had the toughest opening-game struggle of any No. 1 seed, beating game Boston U. by 19 points. Duke won its opener by 42, Ohio State won its by 29 and Pittsburgh won its by 23. The Jayhawks led by just four at halftime before pulling away in the second half.

Turning point: The Jayhawks hit 3-pointers on three straight possessions midway through the second half, pushing their lead to 15 with less than eight minutes remaining to put the game out of reach.

Key player: Marcus Morris had team highs of 16 points and nine rebounds.

Key stat: The Jayhawks mauled the Terriers on the glass, outrebounding them 37-24.

Miscellaneous: Kansas got a nice floor game from the occasionally erratic Tyshawn Taylor, who had 10 points, seven assists and two turnovers. Boston U. was led by John Holland with 19 points. He finished his career with more than 2,000 points and got a long hug and heartfelt words from Terriers coach Pat Chambers when he was taken out of the game in the final minute.

What's next: Kansas advances to play the winner of UNLV-Illinois. Boston U. is off until Midnight Madness 2011.

TULSA, Okla. -- There was a collision in the final seconds.

A collision of bodies.

A collision of fates.

A collision of reputations.

A collision they’ll be talking about for a long time in Memphis, and in Tucson.

Derrick Williams and the Arizona Wildcats won the collision. Wesley Witherspoon and the Memphis Tigers lost it. And official Jim Burr took another hit in the process.

The long arm of Williams saved Arizona again with another last-second blocked shot, flashing across the lane and rejecting what had appeared to be an open Witherspoon layup that could have tied the game. A month earlier, he swatted a game-winning shot into the stands just before the final horn against Washington.

If you’re going to attempt the last shot in a close game against the Wildcats, you are advised to take it from a different area code than the one occupied by Williams. Otherwise, he’s going to locate it and reject it.

“He’s Superman,” teammate Lamont “MoMo” Jones said after Arizona’s 77-75 victory.

“He just kind of came out of nowhere and blocked the shot,” Memphis guard Will Barton said.

But on his way in from out of nowhere, Williams went forcefully through Witherspoon’s upper arm. Replays show his body hit shoulder, tricep, elbow before his palm hit ball.

“You could say I got fouled,” Witherspoon said. “You could say I wasn’t.”

I’ll say he got fouled. But Williams is the All-American here, the kind of player who often gets the benefit of a call. He’s also a smart enough player to know that officials have a long history of swallowing their whistles in just such a situation.

“Honestly, with a second or two left on the clock, most refs don’t call that type of foul,” said Williams, who had 22 points and 10 rebounds. “Especially when you’re trying to make a hard play on the ball. Earlier in the game, they might have called it a foul just because he did fall on the ground. But late in the game, most refs don’t call that. That’s why I went up so hard to try to block it and save the game.”

The ref under the basket in this instance was none other than Burr, who has had an unfortunately newsworthy month. He, Tim Higgins and Earl Walton comprised the crew that butchered the Big East tournament game between Rutgers and St. John’s, resulting in the three dropping out of the rest of that tourney.

Then Burr showed up here, for this game. It’s fair to ask whether he should get the chance to call another game this season, but Burr’s status as one of the more accomplished officials in the game undoubtedly factored into him getting an NCAA tourney assignment. Memphis coach Josh Pastner said he had no problem with Burr calling the game, and neither did Memphis athletic director R.C. Johnson.

And as fate would have it, Burr was the underneath official on a bang-bang play that decided the game. Unfortunately, that controversial coincidence partially obscures what was a terrific NCAA tournament game.

Memphis played with verve and daring and boldness, a young team that appeared too clueless to be uptight or intimidated. For a No. 12 seed that needed two free throws with seven seconds left to win the Conference USA tournament -- and even get to the Big Dance -- the Tigers acquitted themselves extremely well.

They just couldn’t quite overcome the clutchness of the Cats and the greatness of Williams.

Trailing by four points with less than seven minutes to play, Arizona did just about everything right in a 12-2 run to take the lead. The Wildcats took the lead at 68-65 on a 3-pointer by Williams, whose metamorphosis into a deadly shooter from that range has been remarkable. He’s made more than 60 percent of his 3s this season, after shooting 25 percent and making just four 3s last season.

“He amazes me with his 3-point shooting,” Arizona coach Sean Miller said. “I know [former Wildcat great] Steve Kerr did our game. Derrick’s threatening to break his record [for 3-point accuracy in a season]. It would be the greatest upset in NCAA history if Derrick breaks Steve Kerr’s record, and I say that only because Derrick is such a gamer.

“In the moment, he’s such a gamer. It’s as if he’s playing in his backyard. He has a way of making big plays and finishing the other team off, and he did it again here tonight.”

Williams got some help a little while later, when a Jones 3 bounced high off the rim and in. Jones is another guy who thrives at crunch time, a fearless New York guard who has made some big shots this season. But none bigger than this one.

“You’ve just got to let it go off the tips of your fingers,” Jones explained of the touch he put on the shot. “God will take care of the rest.”

But still the Tigers would not submit. With furious pressure defense, they gave themselves several possessions in the final minute, and with Arizona up three, Miller called for Jones to foul point guard Joe Jackson as he dashed upcourt with five seconds left.

That was a reversal of the strategy Miller employed in the Pac-10 title game against Washington, and the Huskies hit a 3 to tie and send the game into overtime. When he was coach at Xavier, Miller also had an NCAA tourney game in 2007 against Ohio State taken into OT by a last-second 3.

So this time Miller went with the foul. And it nearly backfired.

Jackson made the first, then called his own audible and missed the second on purpose. The freakish little athlete then soared up to tip the rebound free to Witherspoon, who appeared to have an unimpeded layup for the tie.

That’s when Williams appeared, and a memorable collision ensued.

TULSA, Okla. -- Derrick Williams came to the rescue defensively for Arizona, blocking a Wesley Witherspoon layup in the final seconds to preserve a thrilling 77-75 victory for the Wildcats. Williams won a game in similar fashion against Washington during the regular season. This was a sensational game that was tight the whole way, with neither team able to pull away.

Turning point: With Memphis up five and nine minutes remaining, Arizona put together a 15-5 run to take the lead and never relinquish it.

Key player: Williams, who finished with 22 points and 10 rebounds, made all nine of his foul shots and, of course, had the game-saving block.

Key stat: Arizona was 26 of 31 at the foul line, and that even includes two missed with :00.4 left by Jamelle Horne.

Miscellaneous: Memphis was led by Antonio Barton with 17 points. Freakishly quick point guard Joe Jackson was once again high-risk/high-reward, with four assists and five turnovers.

What's next: Arizona plays No. 4 seed Texas Sunday. Memphis hopes all its talented young players stay in school.

TULSA, Okla. -- For his introduction to March Madness, Texas freshman Tristan Thompson was presented the challenge of guarding 6-foot-11 Oakland senior Keith Benson, a guy some think will be selected in the first round of the NBA draft in June.

Actually, Thompson volunteered for the challenge, saying he wanted to guard Benson. He embraced the opportunity to guard him one-on-one, with little in the way of double-team support. And he ultimately dominated the matchup.

No freshman nerves. No need for a life preserver from his teammates. No fear of giving away height and experience to a big-time player.

“When you play March Madness you want to play the best of the best,” Thompson said.

Thompson was the best of the best Friday in the BOK Center. The Canadian showed why he’s first-round material as well, putting 17 points, 10 rebounds and a career-high seven blocked shots on the board in an 85-81 Texas victory. Most importantly, he showed Benson who was the boss of the paint, rejecting several of his shots and limiting him to a hard-earned 15 points on 6-of-15 shooting.

“If I’m a fan watching that game, I’m watching two future NBA players battling each other,” Oakland coach Greg Kampe said.

The pros will love Thompson whenever they get a hold of him. He’s a legit 6-foot-9 and talented, but he’s also first-team All-Effort. He relishes doing the dirty work that some big men shy away from. He’s not a woofer, preener or pouter.

That attitude, combined with his defensive presence, has helped make Texas a dramatically improved team over last year. The Longhorns control the paint as well as any team in the country -- and as an added bonus, they get along with each other, too.

Neither was necessarily the case last season. With those improvements, this is a legit national title contender.

Just ask Kampe, whose under-seeded team is really good. The Grizzlies have played a bunch of national powers and can make some comparisons.

“We play everybody in the country,” Kampe said. “I know who is good and I know who isn’t. And that Texas team is as good as anybody. Texas can win a national championship. ... Ohio State and them, they’re right there neck and neck. We’ve played them both, and they’re a great team.”

For 30 minutes, Texas looked like championship material. For 10, Texas looked like it can find a way to lose a tight game with elimination on the line.

The Horns let a 16-point second-half lead shrink to five in the final minute, and Oakland guard Reggie Hamilton had a shot to cut it to three go halfway down and come out. It would have been a brutal collapse on Texas’ part.

But it didn’t come to that, and the fact that this was a competitive game throughout is more a credit to the quality of the Grizzlies than a criticism of the Longhorns.

“It’s a team I thought could have done something in this tournament, and we just got a bad draw,” Kampe said.

Both teams did. Neither probably deserved to lose in the first round.

“If there is any team that really got a bad [seeding] deal, it was Oakland,” Rick Barnes said. “I’m telling you, we just won a game against an outstanding team.”

It took an outstanding game from Texas’ fearless freshman center to do so.

TULSA, Okla. -- Quick thoughts from Texas' 85-81 win over Oakland Friday afternoon.

Overview: Texas played about 30 minutes of dominant basketball and 10 minutes of shaky basketball in defeating the Golden Grizzlies. Oakland mounted a spirited comeback that got as close as five points in the final minute, and had a Reggie Hamilton 3-pointer spin out that could have cut the deficit to three, but couldn't come any closer. The Longhorns' size played a major factor in limiting Oakland inside.

Turning point: Leading by seven points early in the second half, Texas went on an 11-2 run to boost the lead to 16. Oakland was in serious catch-up mode after that.

Key player: Tristan Thompson won a high-level paint battle with Oakland's Keith Benson, racking up 17 points, 10 rebounds and a career-high seven blocked shots.

Key stat: Texas has been a wobbly free throw shooting team this season but made 80 percent of its attempts on Friday, which helped the Longhorns preserve their lead late.

Miscellaneous: Jordan Hamilton's 3-point struggles continued for Texas, but he drove the ball with authority to finish with 19 points and 10 rebounds. Fellow sophomore J'Covan Brown led the Horns with 21 points and also chipped in six rebounds.

What's next: Texas moves on to the round of 32 to face the winner of Memphis-Arizona. Oakland ponders life without Benson.

TULSA, Okla. -- A brief breakdown of the two night games here Friday

No. 1 seed Kansas (32-2) vs. No. 15 seed Boston (21-13), 6:50 p.m. ET (TBS)

What to watch: Are the Jayhawks ready to take care of business? The No. 1 seed in the Southwest was handed a huge potential gift Thursday when the 4 and 5 seeds in the region, Louisville and Vanderbilt, both lost. That means Kansas will face either a No. 12 (Richmond) or a No. 13 (Morehead State) in the Sweet Sixteen … IF it gets there. Last year, as the overall No. 1 seed in the tourney, the Jayhawks were shocked by Northern Iowa in the second round, and there have been other early NCAA pratfalls in Bill Self’s time in Lawrence. Odds of a loss Friday to Boston U. are astronomical, so the question is whether or not Kansas passes the “look test” as a title contender against the Terriers.

Who to watch: The Morris twins are where it starts for the Jayhawks. Marcus and Markieff combine for 31 points and 15 rebounds and will be a major challenge for a Boston front line that is not overly long. The Terriers counter with America East Player of the Year John Holland, a 6-5 combo player who averages 19.2 points and 5.9 rebounds. Holland already has set the school record for points in a season and is No. 2 in school history in scoring.

Why to watch: If history is made and Boston becomes the first No. 16 seed to beat a No. 1, you’ll hate yourself if you miss it.

What they’re saying: Kansas guard Mario Little, on Self putting copies of the Sports Illustrated cover of Northern Iowa hero Ali Farokhmanesh in every locker: “Kind of got flashbacks. Couple of guys took the clippings and threw it in the garbage. I don’t think anybody laughed, but it brought back memories.” … Boston coach Pat Chambers, a former assistant at Villanova, where he saw the Morris twins play a lot growing up in Philadelphia: “I just saw them in the hallway and they gave me big hugs, so it was good to see them. They got bigger.” … Self, on his all-over-the-board tourney history: “If anybody has lived out all ends of the spectrum, we probably have, because we lost in the first round a couple times and we’ve cut down the nets. I don’t know if there are too many people that can say they’ve done all those things. So our guys understand that one or two possessions is the difference in advancing or going home.”

Of note: If you’re into omens, note that Kansas’ two recent first-round flameouts came against schools with the initials B.U. -- Bucknell and Bradley. Now comes Boston U. … If the Terriers are somehow in contention late, they should have confidence going to the foul line. They’ve made 73 percent of their free throws in the final five minutes plus overtime this year, and 81 percent in the final one plus plus overtime. … Boston’s only two NCAA tourney victories came in 1959.

No. 8 seed UNLV (19-13) vs. No. 9 seed Illinois (24-8), 9:20 p.m. ET (TBS)

What to watch: Who rules at the 3-point arc, the Vegas offense or the Illini defense? UNLV predicates its offense on driving and kicking the ball to open shooters. The Rebels have four players capable of shooting the 3 – but the rangy Illinois defenders have done a solid job this year covering the perimeter. Illini opponents have made just 30.5 percent of their 3-point shots. But it may be more complicated than the stats indicate; Illinois is susceptible to quickness, so it must concern itself with UNLV’s drivers and then try to recover to the shooters.

Who to watch: A pair of veteran guards who have had roller-coaster seasons. UNLV is led by Tre'von Willis, whose scoring and shooting percentages have dipped from last year. but who remains the most important Rebel. Illinois is led by Demetri McCamey, who went from first-team all-Big Ten as a junior to third team as a senior but nevertheless dictates the offense as the team’s leading scorer (14.8 ppg) and distributor (6.1 apg).

Why to watch: To see which disappointing team can help salvage its season with a first-round NCAA win. With seven experienced players back at UNLV and after a 9-0 start, more was expected of the Rebels than a distant third-place finish in the Mountain West Conference. The same can be said for Illinois, which starts four seniors and was ranked as high as No. 12 nationally in December. One fan base will feel a bit better Friday night, while the other will be left to ruminate on a season that got away.

What they’re saying: Illinois coach Bruce Weber: “We’re good enough. We’ve just got to find that new life and hope some balls bounce our way a little bit. Maybe March will be good to us.” … Vegas’ Anthony Marshall, on trying to bring the program back to prominence: “I think right now is a big platform for us to make a national statement.” … Illinois senior Mike Davis, on a sense of urgency: “It’s do or die. It’s our last game if we lose.”

Of note: UNLV is 2-7 against teams in the tournament, while Illinois is 8-10. … Illinois has lost its past four games away from home, while UNLV has won its past four. … They might as well name this place Reunion Arena for Illinois. Vegas coach Lon Kruger is a former coach of the Illini, and so is Bill Self. His Kansas Jayhawks could be next up for Illinois if both teams win Friday.

TULSA, Okla. -- The NCAA tournament is back here for the first time in 26 years, and in a shiny modern arena -- the BOK Center.

Historically speaking, this has been a good town in which to launch a big tournament performance. In five previous NCAA tourneys in Tulsa, four teams have started their Final Four run: Houston in 1982, Notre Dame in 1978, Louisville in 1975 and Kansas in 1974.

The Jayhawks, here as the No. 1 seed in the Southwest Region, certainly hope that history repeats, as opposed to their catastrophic NCAA history elsewhere in the state. Kansas was shocked in the second round last year in Oklahoma City, and in the first round by Bucknell in 2005.

A brief breakdown of the two day games Friday:

No. 13 seed Oakland (25-9) vs. No. 4 seed Texas (27-7), 12:15 p.m. ET (CBS)

What to watch: This will be a primo interior matchup, and the winner in the paint may win the game. The Golden Grizzlies have one of the best big men in the country in 6-foot-11 Keith Benson, the Summit League Player of the Year who averages 18 points, 10.1 rebounds and 3.6 blocked shots. But he’s going up against the Longhorns’ array of physical postmen, led by freshman Tristan Thompson (13.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.2 blocks). Texas might be the best interior defensive team in the nation.

Who to watch: The most talented player on the floor will be Texas forward Jordan Hamilton, a versatile scorer who at 6-foot-7 is a matchup nightmare. Most importantly for the Longhorns, Hamilton appeared to get his shooting stroke back at the Big 12 tourney in Kansas City, where he made 48 percent of his shots. In the previous six games, half of them losses, Hamilton made just 31 percent of his field goals. If Hamilton is hot, it will be tough for Oakland to win.

Why to watch: This has upset potential. Oakland is a very talented offensive team that got valuable NCAA tourney experience last season and played a rigorous non-conference schedule to prepare for this moment. Texas is a national title contender -- but is also not invincible. And if Thursday afternoon showed us anything, anyone can be beaten -- or at least taken down to the wire.

What they’re saying: “I don’t think we’re scared,” Benson said. “We’re coming in with the mindset of getting the upset.” … Thompson, on Texas’ late-season struggle: “To be honest, we totally forgot about that. We’re not focused on what happened in the past. Situations happen, and we got the losses and that’s good for us to experience those heartaches. But now it’s tournament time. We know it’s a lose-or-go-home situation, so now we’ve got to pull up our socks and it’s time to grind.” (It is assumed the freshman meant win-or-go-home, but that was the quote.) … Oakland coach Greg Kampe, on seeing President Barack Obama pick Texas in his bracket for ESPN: “I didn’t vote for him either, so I guess we’re even now.”

Of note: The Grizzlies have played seven teams in this tournament and went 1-6 against them. The victory was at Tennessee. The losses were against Illinois, Purdue, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State and West Virginia. Texas is 8-5 against the NCAA field. … Oakland has won eight straight and averaged more than 90 points in that span. In other words, it would love to turn this game into a shootout. … Texas has advanced to 12 straight NCAA tournaments, and has won at least one game in eight of those.

No. 12 seed Memphis (25-9) vs. No. 5 seed Arizona (27-7), 2:45 p.m. ET (CBS)

What to watch: Which green group handles the pressure of the tournament best? The Wildcats have only two players who played meaningful minutes in Arizona’s previous NCAA tournament game -- Kyle Fogg and Jamelle Horne combined to play 57 minutes and scored five points in a Sweet 16 blowout against Louisville in 2009. Not a single current Tiger played in Memphis’ previous tournament game, a Sweet 16 loss to Missouri in ’09. The Tigers’ coach, Josh Pastner, has never led a team into a Big Dance game either.

Who to watch: The best player on the floor is Arizona forward Derrick Williams, a 19-point, 8-rebound guy who can get his points efficiently -- and from anywhere. He’s a 62 percent shooter, a crazy 60 percent from 3-point range and 74 percent at the line, where he takes 8.5 foul shots per game. Memphis has some size in Tarik Black and Will Coleman, but the question is whether either can check Williams all over the court.

Why to watch: To see which traditionally powerful program is on the rebound fastest. Both missed the Big Dance last season after coaching changes, and both now have taken steps back to national contender status. Arizona (four Final Fours, one national title) won the Pac-10 regular-season title this year to re-establish itself in Year 2 under Sean Miller. Memphis (three Final Fours, no titles) had to earn its bid by winning the Conference USA title on UTEP’s home court in Year 2 under Josh Pastner.

What they’re saying: Coleman, on the youth of the Tigers: “We’re all goofy. We’re a goofy bunch of guys that just like to have fun, and there is nothing wrong with that."

Williams, on choosing Arizona over Memphis in recruiting: “That’s all I did is ate barbecue the whole time (on his official visit to Memphis). It was a great time, a great experience for me. … Pastner did recruit me very hard. Like I said, I couldn’t go wrong either way whether I chose Arizona or Memphis, but I’m glad I chose here.”

Pastner, on the feeling of winning the C-USA tournament Saturday and seeing Memphis in the field the following day: “Those 40 hours, it was probably the greatest 40 hours of just adrenaline, of emotion, of just being happy that you can experience. If somebody came to me today and wanted to give me $100 million to trade for that, I wouldn’t. I mean that.”

Of note: Tulsa is a Memphis-friendly location. The city is only about a six-hour drive, so expect a fair amount of Tiger blue in the stands. … Arizona athletic director Greg Byrne said he spoke with Miller earlier this week and that Miller has “zero interest” in other jobs, most notably North Carolina State, where he was a former assistant coach.