ESPN Men's Basketball

Naturally, Kentucky coach John Calipari heard the Coalition on Intercollegiate Athletics' complaints, immediately realized the error of his ways and got down to scheduling every big-time nonconference game on UK's schedule as a campus-bound home and home series.

Only kidding, kids. What happened Wednesday night -- when Calipari released a blog post on his website detailing his schedule plans for the next two seasons -- was pretty much the exact opposite of that.

Calipari says he wants to schedule not just games but "experiences," "events that grandfathers and grandsons will be talking about 25 years from now." Among the noteworthy items:

• In 2013-14, Kentucky will play Baylor in a men's-women's doubleheader in Cowboys Stadium, a game which he hopes breaks the collegiate hoops attendance record. Baylor will "return" that game this season at Rupp Arena, which is kind of funny, considering Cowboys Stadium is a neutral site and Rupp Arena is not. Cal wins on that front, as well as the whole "experience" bit, and even better gets to play a game at the site of the Final Four in 2013-14. Win-win-win.
• Speaking of which, that will be the second straight year UK will have a big nonconference game at the site of the Final Four; 2012-13's will come against Duke in the Champions Classic at the Georgia Dome.
• Why all the football arenas? His explanation: "It is important that we play in at least one if not two football stadiums every year to prepare our players for NCAA tournament venues. ... I’m convinced we would have won the title two seasons ago if we would have played in a dome during the regular season. Our guys weren’t prepared for it." Oh really? Jim Calhoun may beg to differ.
• And speaking of Duke, as Robbi noted over at the UNC blog, Calipari says he's "currently in conversations with Coach K of Duke for a multiyear, neutral-based series that will be played around the country in the best facilities ... [and] would take place on the same weekend every year and would be THE GAME to watch."
• UK is taking a one-year break with UNC in 2012, but looks likely to restart the series in 2013-14. Calipari wants to alternate the UNC and Louisville series, so that when one game is at home, the other is on the road, and vice versa.
• This isn't noteworthy so much as funny: The first comment on Calipari's blog post is from UK associate AD Dewayne Peevy, who writes, "We've been busy." We can't get Dewayne his own blog? A separate post, at least? Poor guy.

Anyway, you get the idea. The whole Kentucky-Indiana mess still grinds my gears, and I would argue most fans would prefer a few more nonconference events on campuses, with real, actual college environments -- real student sections, pep bands, banners hanging on the walls and rafters, the whole nine yards. That's what makes college basketball different, and often more exciting, than anything the NBA has to offer in the regular season. That's what makes college basketball what it is. The sterility of neutral-court sites -- like the corporatized plasticity of Jerry Jones's gigantic HD theater room -- undermines that romance. It just does.

But that's not Calipari's prerogative. As he makes very clear, he is interested in creating capital-E Events. Much of his schedule in the coming two seasons will do exactly that. You might not like it, but on all matters scheduling, the man is sticking to his (rather sizable) guns.

1. The Atlantic 10 will discuss and then likely decide Thursday on how it will schedule with 15 teams next season, according to commissioner Bernadette McGlade. The A-10, which will wrap up spring meetings Thursday, will have 15 schools in the league because VCU left the CAA immediately. Temple and Charlotte don’t leave for the Big East and C-USA, respectively, until 2013. The A-10 will add Butler in the fall of 2013. Xavier coach Chris Mack said one format discussed was to have each team have two partners (four games) and then play the other 10 five home/five road. McGlade said the A-10 has been looking at creative alternatives.

2. Baylor picked up a road game with Kentucky, adding again to the Bears' solid schedule. Bears coach Scott Drew said Baylor will also play at Gonzaga in a return game from two years ago in Dallas, and also will host Northwestern and BYU. The Bears are one of the marquee teams in the Charleston Classic with Murray State, Colorado, St. John’s and Dayton. Auburn, Boston College and the College of Charleston are also in the field. Baylor will get plenty of power-rating pop for this schedule, especially with the addition of Kentucky. No one should be surprised that the return game is in a neutral setting at Cowboys Stadium. Duke and North Carolina have done similar scheduling agreements many times.

3. Class move by new Illinois State coach Dan Muller to retain the coach he beat out for the job in Illinois State assistant Rob Judson. Judson didn’t have a job after losing out to Muller since Tim Jankovich left for a coach-in-waiting position at SMU. Judson and Muller made the mature decision that this was the best move for all parties to keep the Redbirds near the top of the Missouri Valley after losing in the tournament title game against Creighton. Muller clearly showed that he is comfortable in his own skin to hire Judson. This kind of move is certainly a rarity, not the norm.

On April 10, the NCAA's newly imposed NBA draft decision deadline, Baylor small forward Quincy Miller announced his decision to stay in Waco, Texas for his sophomore season.

This was a rather important decision: With Miller in the fold, the Bears could sandwich a legitimately talented wing (Miller) between an experienced backcourt (Pierre Jackson, Brady Heslip) and another star-studded batch of recruits (No. 2-ranked center Isaiah Austin, No. 10-ranked power forward Ricardo Gathers) in the frontcourt. Baylor would compete for the Big 12 title for yet another season. And Miller, a major sophomore breakout candidate, would be the lynchpin of it all.

Now? Not so much. Turns out, Miller was really only concerned -- as well he should have been -- with the NBA's real, actual decision deadline, not the NCAA's. And so on Monday night, Baylor announced via a release that Miller would in fact turn pro this spring. From Andy Katz:

"In the days following his initial announcement to return to Baylor for his sophomore season," head coach Scott Drew said in a release, "we were able to gather more information and Quincy was able to reflect on his decision with his family.

"After receiving the full support of the coaching staff, Quincy thought it was in his and his family's best interest to declare for the 2012 NBA draft. Baylor Nation thanks Quincy for providing us with an outstanding season to remember and we will miss his out-going personality."

Drew's right: Miller did have an outgoing personality. My favorite moment of the year came back on Dec. 4, after the Bears' 69-41 romp at Northwestern, when a reporter confused Miller with his teammate, Perry Jones III. Miller's faux-aggrieved look and explanation -- "Whoa whoa whoa. I'm Quincy. Quincy Miller. That's crazy." -- was one of the funnier press conference moments of the season.

Of course, Baylor will miss Miller's ability most of all. Miller is a 6-foot-9 forward who plays like a guard, and while he had his share of flaws in his freshman campaign -- questionable shot selection chief among them -- his talent more often than not shone through. As the Bears' primary offensive weapon in 2012, there's a solid chance Miller could have been one of the nation's top scorers. A more efficient offensive output could have made him one of the Big 12's most productive players.

Instead, he will sail the pro seas, where according to ESPN Insider Chad Ford, Miller ranks No. 19 among all prospects, making him a potential lottery candidate if he can impress enough scouts along the way. Meanwhile, Drew will be entirely restocking his frontcourt with either recruits or reserves. Not that Drew seems to mind. As John Calipari has shown at Kentucky, there's nothing wrong with proving how quickly you can get talented players to the pros.

Anyway, what's the one resounding takeaway from all this? To my mind, Miller's decision proves "that [the NCAA draft] deadline is in fact the complete and utter joke that nearly everyone already thinks," as Rush the Court put it this morning. First, the NCAA takes a rule from the ACC's coaches and approves it with apparently minimal consideration for what it would theoretically mean for players -- that it would destroy their time to seek out information from NBA scouts and GMs about the most important decision of their lives. Then, a few weeks after the rule's first implementation, players are already blatantly ignoring it. Amazing.

The rule should never have been passed in the first place. Why should coaches' signing periods get priority over players' pro livelihoods? Now that we know the April 10 entry deadline is a farce -- now that we see how easily players and coaches can work around it, if they so choose -- repealing it should be easier than ever, right?

The NCAA passed a feckless decision deadline rule. It has no reason to exist. But if it remains, hey, at least the rule is a feckless one! It may do far less damage than we thought.

NEW ORLEANS -- Iowa State and Baylor have played each of the participants in Monday night’s NCAA championship game between Kentucky and Kansas. Here is a breakdown of each team by the head coach of each program as well as a player.

IOWA STATE HEAD COACH FRED HOIBERG

You’ve got the two elite shot-blockers in the country in [Jeff] Withey and Anthony Davis. The big thing for Kansas is their transition game. They’re so good at getting out and running. Against Kentucky, if you’re setting up in the half court every time down the floor, you’re going to be grinding it out against that length and athleticism. It’s going to be very difficult to score. From Kansas’ standpoint, the more they attack, they better off they’ll be. They’ve got players capable of doing that with [Tyshawn] Taylor and [Elijah] Johnson spacing the floor. I really think they need to attack before Kentucky gets a chance to set up in that half-court defense where they’re so effective. For Kentucky, Anthony Davis can do so many things. He’s expanded his game as the season has gone on. You have to be so selective on when you try to take it at him, because when he blocks a shot, it usually leads to a layup on the other end.

When Kentucky is in their transition game, you’re not going to stop them, so the other thing Kansas has to do a good job of is taking care of the basketball. They’ve got to limit their turnovers and get up quality shots, and try to get Kentucky into a half-court game going back the other way, which is pretty tough to do. When Kentucky is hitting shots, they’re almost unbeatable. It starts with [Marquis] Teague. If he can get that thing out there and beat everyone in transition, everyone collapses in. That’s how they get all those lobs. If you can take away those highlight plays by Kentucky, that hurts their mojo a little bit. But they’re so fast and explosive, that’s very difficult to do.

With Kansas, Bill [Self] has done as good of a coaching job as anyone in the country this year. You look at what they lost, with the Morris twins and [Brady] Morningstar and [Tyrel] Reed ... Bill still found a way to build his new guys up and to get them to play with so much confidence. That’s a testament to Bill and his staff. Bill is as good as there is in this business. It’s fun to compete against him, and it’s great to have him in our league. Tyshawn is the key to their team. He’s what makes them go. He gets it up and down the floor so quickly. You’ve got to do your best to stay in front of him. They’re using a lot of pick-and-roll in their offense. Tyshawn has handled that very well and shown he can make the right decisions. They're so precise in their offense. I think they’ve got a shot. Don’t ever count out Bill Self. Every time they look like they're down and out, they find a way to come back. If Kentucky is hitting their shots, there just isn’t much you can do. But if they’re having an off night, and Kansas is hitting their shots, they have a very good chance to win.

IOWA STATE GUARD SCOTT CHRISTOPHERSON

[The Wildcats] have great length at pretty much every position. Even if they don’t call out a screen quick enough, they can just switch everything because they [have] such a great help side on their defense. They can cover up minor mistakes. When we played them, [Darius] Miller played really well. Teague played really well. He hit some outside shots. When those two and [Doron] Lamb are hitting their outside shots -- combined with their inside game -- they’re pretty much impossible to stop. On defense, they have guys that are good perimeter defenders, but more than anything, even if you are able to get by them, they have such good length, even on the help side. ... You’re just not used to playing against guys like Anthony Davis and [Michael Kidd-]Gilchrist and Jones -- guys that can just come from the weak side out of nowhere and get your shots. We shot the ball very poorly from 3 because we had never seen length like that. At times you’re actually able to get into the paint on them. I’m not saying they’re not good perimeter defenders, because they are. But it’s not like they’re impossible to get by.

The problem is that you have to expend so much energy getting by them, and then you’ve got Anthony Davis waiting for you at the rim -- it poses a lot of problems. If you’ve got a guy on the low block that can really be physical, it will certainly help. Kansas will be able to utilize Thomas Robinson, because he’s physical and very strong. I’m sure Kansas is hoping he’ll be able to get some easy baskets inside and maybe draw some fouls on Kentucky’s big guys. The biggest thing is just getting the ball moved from one side of the court to the other. If you come down and just have it sit on one side and try to break Kentucky down that way, with their length, you’re not going to be very successful. I would try to drive the ball into the paint and kick it out as many times as I could. But I’d get as many paint touches as I could and get the defense distorted as much as possible. And if you can get out in transition and get some easy buckets, that will help your confidence, too. Kansas has always been very good in transition.

With Kansas, we were able to do a good job of mixing up our post defenses on Robinson. Defensively, we played about as well as anyone did against them in both of our games. You’re going to have to rebound and be physical with them. Defensively they’re always in position. They’re very well-coached, very disciplined. You just have to be very sharp and solid. You can’t try to be a hero against them. You have to make simple plays and play very hard. I think Kentucky’s length makes them a little bit better defensively, just because they’ve got guys like Kidd-Gilchrist that can guard the 4-man or the point guard. But Kansas, year-in-and-year-out, is the best team in the Big 12 defensively. Withey has come a really long way. He does a good job of doing what he does. He blocks shots, runs the court, rebounds, finishes around the rim. To me, the difference in the game is going to be who wins between Doron Lamb and Darius Miller, and Elijah Johnson and Travis Releford. And Tyshawn Taylor has to outplay Teague. Johnson is a really good defender. And when he’s able to stretch the defense with his perimeter shot, it does a lot of things for Kansas. When you have to close out long on him, it gives Robinson so much more room to work on the inside.

BAYLOR HEAD COACH SCOTT DREW

You have to score in transition if you want to have any shot of beating Kentucky. You can’t just hope to score in the half court against them. They’re so good defensively. You have to get easy ones when you can. When you can’t, you really have to make them work on the defensive end. Kansas will do that. But you also have to get some easy ones, and Kansas has always done a great job of pushing it. If Kansas is scoring and not turning it over, that means Kentucky isn’t getting out and running. And if Kentucky isn’t getting out and running, Kansas has a chance. Sometimes people make the mistake of saying, ‘OK, we want to slow it down and play a half-court game against Kentucky.’ That means they never push it and get easy buckets. I don’t know if you can score enough to beat them if you slow it down.

Juniors and seniors don’t want to go home. Kansas is very good, but out of almost all of the good tournament teams, they’ve had the most experience. They start all juniors and seniors, and juniors like Releford and Withey are four-year guys. They’re starting three fourth-year guys and two true juniors. That’s a veteran group. The more experienced at something, the better you are at what you do. They’ve been there, done that. It may mean more to them because they’ve been there three or four years. So they have the experience, but they also have that mental toughness. Winning a national championship may mean more to them than it does a freshman.

When Withey is on, Kansas goes to another level. You know what you’re going to get night in and night out from Tyshawn and Thomas. But if you had Withey knocking down shots and rebounding and scoring, they’re on another level. In their two wins against us, he was the difference. Tyshawn Taylor is probably the main key, though. If you keep Tyshawn from getting it in the paint, and if you can keep him from creating for others ... you can guard Thomas Robinson if you don’t give him angles and just play solidly behind him. And Withey, if he doesn’t catch it deep, I don’t know how bad he’s going to hurt you. But the reason Robinson is able to get angles, and the reason Withey is able to catch it deep is because of Tyshawn’s ability to get into the paint. He’s as good with his first step and at blowing by defenders as any point guard in the country.

BAYLOR GUARD BRADY HESLIP

[Kentucky's] athleticism can be overwhelming, even to us. They’ve got five guys that can handle the ball. Their outlet passes are so impressive. One second after they rebound, the ball is at half court. They get out in transition so quick. They can all handle it. It makes things easy for them. Defensively, Anthony Davis gets a lot of attention for blocking shots, but the guys on the perimeter really pressure the ball. I was watching yesterday, and Louisville would dribble around for 15 or 20 seconds because they were having so much trouble getting it into the paint and getting Kentucky in foul trouble.

Teague can guard. He’s fast. Tyshawn Taylor is probably a little stronger than him. Lamb is strong. Kidd-Gilchrist can defend 1 through 4. Jones is so physical, and then Davis has that great length. You’ve got to do a good job of answering their runs and hope to get some easy baskets. When you try to slow it down, on defense they can really stop you. They forced us into taking bad shots, and they forced us into turnovers. Those result in the first pass of their transition offense. They run the floor and convert it, and get to the free throw line.

Kansas is an amazing team with all of their pieces. They’ve got strong guys that are athletic and physical. They play well and they defend. Kentucky, statistically, is the best defensive team. But Kansas on defense is ridiculous. They rotate like a machine. They’ve got Withey blocking shots. Releford is a great defender, and so are Taylor and Johnson. Those guys are relentless on defense, and they can get out and run, too. It should be an up-and-down game. Taylor is the key for them. At this time of year, you’ve got to have a great point guard to still be playing. He does a great job of scoring and making things happen, because he’s so athletic. Once he gets going, that’s a tough freight train to stop. He does a great job of getting into the paint. If he gets into the paint against Kentucky and guys help out, he can throw lobs to Robinson and Withey. I think it could be a good game. Kansas is too good of a team and Bill Self is too good of a coach to let it get out of hand. It’ll be a close game.

1. Baylor coach Scott Drew said an NBA draft early-entry decision from Perry Jones III and Quincy Miller will come at some point this week after he sits down and meets with the families. If both were to return then the Bears would be one of the favorites again in the Big 12 and possibly a Final Four.

2. Washington coach Lorenzo Romar said Tony Wroten Jr., would likely make up his mind sometime this week, as well. The Huskies lost Terrence Ross to the NBA Sunday when he officially declared for the draft. The Huskies underachieved this season by failing to reach the NCAA tournament despite winning the Pac-12 regular-season title.

3. Mississippi State pulled a sleeper out of the coaching carousel when they hired Clemson associate head coach Rick Ray. This was a stunner. But it also shows how difficult a time it is for these schools to lure a high-major coach away from another significant gig, let alone a head coach who is comfortable at a conference outside the power six. Times have changed in coaching as more coaches are content to stay put if they’re winning, compensated well, and have a chance to make the NCAA tournament.

1. UConn officials are waiting to see if they will win a waiver to be eligible for the 2013 NCAA tournament. But sophomore Jeremy Lamb and freshman Andre Drummond probably will make up their minds before a decision is rendered. Nothing is official, but a source with knowledge said the UConn coaching staff expects Lamb to declare and stay in the NBA draft since he’s a likely lottery pick. Drummond might not bolt, though. The source said the staff isn’t so sure Drummond will leave even if the Huskies can’t play in the NCAA tournament. The reason is that Drummond may see the need to continue to improve his game in college to be better prepared for the transition.

2. Meanwhile, UConn junior forward Alex Oriakhi, who was a major piece of the 2011 national-title team, is attracting a number of interested parties. Duke, Kentucky and Florida so far have sought Oriakhi; others will likely follow. Oriakhi is expected to win an appeal to play immediately if the Huskies can’t participate in the NCAA tournament. Oriakhi would be a major addition to any of these schools if they were able to land him.

3. Baylor coach Scott Drew said he is giving Perry Jones III and Quincy Miller a week to decompress before discussing whether or not they’ll declare for the NBA draft. Both players could bypass the April 10 NCAA deadline and just wait to see where they would land by the April 29 NBA early-entry deadline.

ATLANTA -- Anthony Davis finally left the game with 33 seconds remaining, and only because he had blood on his lip.

Kentucky was ahead of Baylor, 82-68, at the time.

Davis didn’t want to leave the court. And why would he? Who wouldn’t want to be a part of something that must have been as enjoyable to play as it was to watch?

Davis had suffered a left knee contusion in a collision with Baylor’s Perry Jones III with 18:28 left in the second half and the Wildcats up 44-22. Davis was treated and sent back in, left again, then went back in because he couldn’t get enough of this game.

“The knee is doing fine,’’ said Davis after the Wildcats’ South Regional-clinching 82-70 victory over Baylor on Sunday afternoon at the Georgia Dome.

“I just bumped knees with Perry Jones, and it started hurting real bad. But I knew my team needed me to play. I wasn’t going to sit out, especially with a trip to the Final Four, and all of us want to go to the Final Four. So I knew I needed to come in the game and help my team out, so I decided to come in.’’

Davis finished with 18 points, 6 blocks and 11 boards. And the consensus national player of the year was hardly alone in another stellar performance.

This effort by the Wildcats was their best this season -- and that’s quite a statement, considering they lost only one regular-season game to Indiana in December and one to Vanderbilt in the SEC tournament championship.

If you watched the way Kentucky flipped a 10-5 deficit into a 20-point lead in a matter of minutes, then you know.

Baylor coach Scott Drew had no clue the Wildcats could turn it on like that in a flash.

“I had no idea they were this good,’’ Drew said as he walked out of the postgame news conference.

“We made one substitution, called a timeout and addressed within the team and said to each other, ‘Let’s go. Let’s do it with defense, we’ve got to guard and let’s put this thing away and be the aggressor and attack. Let’s go.’ It didn’t look good to start the game, did it?’’

Well, Baylor was the aggressor for a few possessions.

Then the Bears committed turnovers on successive possessions and it was on. Boy, was it on.

“I’d say we were just aggressive,’’ said Kentucky’s Terrence Jones. “I just think we got real aggressive on offense and defense and just mentally locked down on defense. It just led to fast breaks on offense.’’

Kentucky had the UNLV look about it when it flipped toward a fast-break team. The efficiency from Marquis Teague at the point, the acrobatic nature of Davis in retrieving errant passes, even when he’s underneath the net, the way in which Michael Kidd-Gilchrist heads to the hoop without any fear of being hit, the unselfish play by Jones (6 assists) and the spot shooting from Doron Lamb and even Kyle Wiltjer off the bench makes this as complete a team as any John Calipari has had at UMass, Memphis or Kentucky.

“In that first half, we played flying up and down the court,’’ Calipari said. “If it’s not there, we run the offense. If you go zone, we’re driving that ball. We’re not settling.

“Defensively, we’re swarming and blocking shots,’’ Calipari said.

Kentucky did have some foul trouble, with Kidd-Gilchrist ultimately fouling out and Davis playing with four.

But who would quibble over officiating Sunday?

The unselfishness of this squad shouldn’t be lost on anyone. Kentucky’s two previous teams weren’t this giving with each other. And both of them reached the Elite Eight, with last season’s team losing in the national semifinal. This one should be able to take the next step.

“We’ve got seven players on this team that average 25 points a game in high school and all seven led us in scoring this year [at some point],’’ Calipari said. “Anthony Davis, would you say he’s pretty good? He’s our fifth-leading shot-taker. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist is our fourth. When Kyle Wiltjer’s in the game, they love it and they throw him the ball. They’re fine with that. They’re excited when he makes it. They figured it out that as a young team they had to do it together and they would all benefit.’’

Calipari said he doesn’t make any promises in recruiting. He won’t say how many starts you’ll get or shots you’ll take.

“If you want to shoot 30 times a game, you’re not coming here,’’ Calipari said. “If you want to win a national title and the answer is, 'Yes I do,' then you can’t do it alone. There are a bunch of other guys like you on the team so you’ll have to share the ball.’’

Kentucky faces Louisville in the national semifinal Saturday in New Orleans. The Commonwealth will implode in delight.

Calipari has already toned down the rivalry with Louisville coach Rick Pitino, saying they don’t exchange cards but are friendly acquaintances. Calipari said if he had five players from Kentucky, he would be more worried about this being a big deal. He does not, so he’s not. And the players don’t seem too fazed by the Cardinals’ matchup, either.

The fans? Well, that’s another matter.

If Kentucky wasn’t the favorite to win the title before Sunday then it must be now. The Wildcats were the No. 1 overall seed and played like it Sunday. They head to face Louisville, with Kansas playing Ohio State in the other semifinal, so this is still Kentucky’s title to lose. The Wildcats can surely lose to Louisville or to KU or Ohio State. But they won’t be the overwhelming pick to do so.

“Has my team ever been the favorite? Let me think,’’ Calipari said. “At UMass, we were the No. 1 team but Kentucky had nine NBA players. And then the Memphis team, there was Kansas, North Carolina, we were a No. 1, but we weren’t the number-one No. 1. No one picked us to win. Last year, no one picked us to win.

“Yeah, it’s the first time. How about that. Are we the favorite?’’

Yes.

“Wow. That’s a good thing I guess.’’

John Calipari sits down with Andy Katz to discuss Kentucky's 82-70 win over Baylor.

Big Blue Nation celebrated once again as the Kentucky Wildcats cruised to an 82-70 win over the Baylor Bears and advanced to their second Final Four in as many seasons. It’s the first time the Wildcats have made consecutive Final Fours since going three years in a row from 1996 to 1998.

Kentucky’s scoring spree continued with its fourth game in a row reaching at least 80 points. The Wildcats are the first team to score 80-plus in four straight games in a single tournament since the 1998 Kentucky team did it five times in a row en route to its national championship, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

Kentucky confirmed its status as the favorite in the tournament, winning each of its first four games by double digits. The Wildcats are the sixth team to do that since 2000 and the first since North Carolina in 2009. Four of the previous five teams went on to win the title that year.

The last time the Wildcats played in Atlanta prior to reaching the Final Four was 1998, when they played their first- and second-round games there. Kentucky took home its seventh national championship that season, which is also the last time the Wildcats won the NCAA title.

Why Kentucky won
Kentucky pushed the pace against Baylor, dominating the Bears on the break en route to the 12-point win. The Wildcats outscored Baylor 17-5 in transition, including 11 points in the first half as they built a 20-point halftime lead.

Kentucky entered Sunday's game with 70 transition points in the 2012 NCAA tournament, the most in the field.

Anthony Davis led the way on both ends of the floor with 18 points, 11 rebounds and 6 blocks. Davis now has 175 blocks this season, setting the SEC single-season blocks record by passing Jarvis Varnado, who had 169 in both the 2008-09 and 2009-10 seasons.

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist was the most efficient Wildcat, scoring a team-high 19 points on 7-of-10 field goal shooting and was a perfect 4-for-4 from the charity stripe. Kidd-Gilchrist has scored 43 points in his past two games, after totaling 26 in his previous four games combined.

Why Baylor lost
The Bears couldn’t find their shot in the first 20 minutes, making just 7 of 24 field goal attempts (29 percent) in their half-court offense. That was the worst half-court shooting performance in a half for Baylor in an NCAA tournament game over the past three seasons.

Baylor also failed to take advantage of its second-chance opportunities. The Bears had 16 offensive rebounds but scored only 14 second-chance points, making just 4 of 13 shots (31 percent). Entering Sunday, Baylor had converted 53 percent of its second chances in its first three games of the tournament.

What’s next
One of college basketball’s most intense rivalries is renewed as Kentucky moves on to New Orleans to face the Louisville Cardinals in a national semifinal game. This will be the 44th all-time meeting between the Bluegrass rivals, with Kentucky owning a 29-14 edge, including a 69-62 win on New Year’s Eve this season.

Dan Dakich and Doug Gottlieb break down Kentucky's 82-70 win over Baylor.

ATLANTA -- Instant analysis from No. 1 seed Kentucky's 82-70 win over No. 3 seed Baylor in Elite Eight action in the South Regional at the Georgia Dome on Sunday:

Overview: Kentucky waged the most UNLV-like assault on another elite team as we’ve seen in the NCAA tournament in 20 years.

The Wildcats were down 10-5 early in the first half and completely flipped a switch. Baylor did everything right in the first few possessions by being aggressive and attacking the basket.

And then the Bears did everything wrong. They got careless with the basketball. They turned the ball over. They were left to watch a number of run-outs.

Kentucky, meanwhile, put on a clinic. The Wildcats forced turnovers and ran the floor exceptionally well. They shared the ball. They made transitions, on-the-catch jumpers and 3-pointers to completely take over the game. They finished with authority.

The lead grew to 20 at one point and Baylor was reeling by halftime.

But to Baylor’s credit, the Bears didn’t quit and had the Cats nervous late in the game, especially with foul troubles for Anthony Davis and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (four each). Kentucky allowed Baylor to get the game down to a 13-point difference.

The biggest scare was when Davis went out briefly with a left knee contusion and looked to be in pain. Davis had the knee worked on, returned, came out and then returned again.

If you were in awe of the display then you weren’t alone. Big Blue Nation gobbled up the Indiana and Xavier tickets here at the Georgia Dome and dwarfed the Baylor contingent. This was truly a Catlanta crowd. No other school had its own souvenir stands littered throughout the Centennial Olympic Park area near the Dome. They were loud and boisterous early, but didn’t need to say much late.

Kentucky entered the NCAA tournament as the favorite. The Wildcats arrive at the Final Four in the same position.

Key stat: The Wildcats shot better than 50 percent and continued to take high-percentage shots. Baylor couldn’t defend the Wildcats' transition at all. Kentucky was efficient on the break, and even in the half court, working the ball when it needed to share. It played unselfish basketball.

Key player: Do we have to choose? The Wildcats were so good that it was a tough call. But Kidd-Gilchrist gets the nod. He scored 19 points, didn’t miss a free throw and was efficient from the field. He helped lift the Wildcats from an early deficit to getting up by 20. MKG continued to look to take the basketball to the hoop. He never pulled up or tried to take the easy shot. Instead, he was always about going straight to the hoop and if there was contact, so be it.

Turning point: When the Cats were down 10-5 and Baylor turned the ball over. Kentucky converted at a clip that was unheard of during the NCAA tournament. The Wildcats raced out to a 40-18 lead at one point.

What’s next: Call it a Commonwealth of Kentucky explosion or the ultimate utopia. Kentucky versus Louisville in the national semifinal Saturday at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans. Rick Pitino coaching against John Calipari for the right to play for the national title.

Two down. Two more to go.

Ohio State and Louisville locked up their trips to the Final Four on Saturday. Now four more teams will look to secure the final two spots this afternoon.

Today’s matchups feature three traditional powerhouse programs that are quite familiar with this stage of the NCAA tournament. The fourth participant, Baylor, is in the Elite Eight for the second time in three seasons.

Baylor (3) vs. Kentucky (1), 2:20 p.m. ET, CBS

Things to know: Baylor has the tools, talent and length to make this game interesting.

When the NCAA tournament field was announced, this potential matchup was as intriguing as any in the South Region because Baylor possesses the type of athletes and size to challenge the Wildcats.

Five players with 7-foot wingspans (or greater). A 1-3-1 zone that’s as unique -- with its athletes, talent and size -- as Syracuse’s.

Quincy Acy is more than a beard. The 6-foot-7 senior had 20 points and 15 rebounds in Friday’s win over Xavier in the Sweet 16.

Brady Heslip is 15-for-25 (60 percent) from beyond the arc in the NCAA tournament. And even though he’s been inconsistent in the Big Dance, Perry Jones III (14 points, five rebounds against the Musketeers) is built for this matchup.

The Bears were overlooked and criticized as Missouri and Kansas fought for the Big 12 title, but they're solid on offense (10^th in Ken Pomeroy’s adjusted offensive efficiency ratings) and defense (39^th in defensive efficiency).

But. But. But, they’re playing Kentucky.

Indiana scored 90 points against the Wildcats on Friday. The Hoosiers hit 52 percent of their shot attempts and only committed eight turnovers. Christian Watford (27 points) and Cody Zeller (20 points) led five double-figure scorers. And Kentucky's Anthony Davis played just 25 minutes after early foul trouble.

And still, the Hoosiers couldn’t pull off the upset.

Kentucky scored 102 points and only turned the ball over six times. The Wildcats always seem to have another gear, another level that their opponents can’t match.

Indiana would have advanced past every other remaining team with its effort Friday. But the Wildcats are different.

Baylor, however, could offer Kentucky its greatest matchup challenges since its nonconference game against North Carolina. The Wildcats, however, won that game, too.

Look for Baylor to go at Davis hard in the first half. They have the bodies and they’ll use them and try to lure Davis into early foul trouble. On defense, the Bears will try to use their length to force difficult shots in the lane. Look for Kentucky to challenge Baylor on both ends of the floor and exploit the Bears’ tendency to play timid early in physical games.

The journey: Baylor defeated South Dakota State, Colorado and Xavier to reach the Elite Eight. Kentucky beat Western Kentucky, Iowa State and Indiana to earn the opportunity to compete in the Final Four.

Monitor his progress: Perry Jones’ length, athleticism and talent make NBA scouts salivate. But the bulk of his career has been defined by potential, not production. This has to be the game in which Jones proves himself. He had just nine points combined in his team’s first two NCAA tournament games. The Bears will need him, however, against Kentucky. If he’s really a lottery pick, if he’s really worthy of that multimillion-dollar contract, then one would think that Jones has to showcase his abilities in this matchup.

Numbers to impress your friends: The Bears have reached the Elite Eight twice. But they didn’t beat a single-digit seed either time. In the 2010 NCAA tournament, the Bears beat Sam Houston State (14-seed), Old Dominion (11-seed) and Saint Mary’s (10-seed). This year, they beat South Dakota State (14-seed), Colorado (11-seed) and Xavier (10-seed). Davis has blocked five or more shots in 17 games this season.

Game’s most critical question: Will Baylor point guard Pierre Jackson’s shot selection disrupt Bears' offense?

The matchup: Acy versus Davis. Zeller drew quick fouls against Davis. Acy will attack Davis early, too.

Don’t touch that remote because ... Kentucky is playing. Seriously. The Wildcats have had a special season thus far. With that talent and swagger, they’re always entertaining. But a Baylor upset isn’t a ridiculous notion.

Kansas (2) vs. North Carolina (1), 5:05 p.m. ET, CBS

Things to know: Nine years ago, Roy Williams left Kansas for North Carolina.

And his stand against his former team in the Elite Eight is actually a secondary storyline in this matchup.

Ohio took North Carolina to overtime Friday in a fascinating Sweet 16 matchup. The Tar Heels didn’t look like the same team without starting point guard Kendall Marshall.

The sophomore suffered a wrist injury that kept him out of that game. And now, we’re all wondering if we’ll see a Willis Reed-like appearance on Sunday.

Marshall told reporters that he wouldn’t have played if the game had been held Saturday. But he did go through practice. Will he play?

Well, Marshall also told reporters that “I could be out there playing” when asked if the Kansas matchup is a possibility.

Instead of chatter about Williams facing Kansas, the main intrigue surrounds Marshall. He’s such a crucial player for the Tar Heels and that was evident as the Tar Heels struggled with Ohio.

The Jayhawks haven’t been flawless, either. They beat both Purdue in the round of 32 and NC State in the Sweet 16 by three points.

But they’re here. And they definitely have the talent to beat the Tar Heels, especially if Marshall can’t go.

Jeff Withey (10 blocks against the Wolfpack) and Thomas Robinson (18 points and 15 rebounds against NC State) have comprised one of the nation’s top frontcourts. Plus, the Jayhawks are fourth on Pomeroy’s defensive efficiency ratings.

But the Tar Heels are still a potent force even without Marshall. Tyler Zeller recorded 20 points and 22 rebounds against Ohio. Zeller, John Henson and Harrison Barnes could carry the Tar Heels to New Orleans. Reggie Bullock played a star role against Ohio with 17 points.

Stilman White, Marshall’s replacement, only scored two points but he played above-average defense.

With or without Marshall, this should be a great game. If he plays, it might be a classic.

Look for Tyshawn Taylor to challenge White early on both ends of the floor. Look for the Tar Heels to minimize White’s role and get the ball to Zeller and Henson early in the shot clock so they can attack and try to draw first-half fouls against Withey and Robinson. This is all assuming Marshall remains sidelined.

The journey: Kansas beat Detroit, Purdue and NC State to reach the Elite Eight. North Carolina defeated Vermont, Creighton and Ohio.

Monitor his progress: White doesn’t have to replace Marshall’s offensive production. He can’t. But his defense will be crucial again, especially with the explosive Taylor running the show for the Jayhawks.

Numbers to impress your friends: Taylor has committed 10 turnovers in the NCAA tournament (three games). Prior to playing 32 minutes against Ohio, White registered double-digit minutes just once during the regular season (11 minutes against Nicholls State Dec. 19).

Game’s most critical question: If Marshall plays, will he be healthy enough to make an impact?

The matchup: Withey versus Zeller. The tournament’s top interior defender (not named Davis) against one of the nation’s top big men.

Don’t touch that remote because ... Zeller has been a beast. Marshall might play. Withey nearly broke an NCAA tournament record for blocked shots against NC State. Robinson is a star. Need any more reasons?

ATLANTA -- A look at Sunday's Elite Eight matchup between No. 1 Kentucky and No. 3 Baylor for the South Regional championship:

The marquee matchup

Anthony Davis vs. Perry Jones III: The last time Davis had to face a player with similar length, North Carolina was at Rupp Arena. Perry Jones III might not be strictly on Davis, but he’ll likely take a turn. The Bears also may use the brute strength of Quincy Acy to get under Davis’ skin at times.

“I always look forward to a challenge and I think Baylor brings a challenge,’’ Davis said. “They attack the rim. They’re very athletic and they can dunk the ball and finish above the rim. I’m looking forward to the challenge and hopefully we will prevail.’’

Kentucky coach John Calipari interrupted Davis and said, “Without fouling. Just don’t foul.’’

“No fouling,’’ Davis said.

Jones didn’t take the bait when asked about an individual matchup.

“I’m looking forward to playing team basketball,’’ Jones said. “I don’t want to feed into that because we haven’t fed into that all year, and we’ve been successful. Last thing I want to do is feed into that, trying to go one-on-one the whole game and not play team basketball, because our team will lose.’’

The impressive stat

Kentucky: The Wildcats scored 102 points and had just six turnovers in their 12-point victory over Indiana in the Sweet 16. Calipari said he was extremely impressed with the Wildcats’ composure. And his trust in Marquis Teague to lead this team has increased daily.

Baylor: Kentucky made 35 of 37 free throws against Indiana. Baylor didn’t create as much contact against Xavier, but the Bears did make their free throws. Baylor was 12-of-14, and if you’re looking for an advantage for Kentucky, check elsewhere. Baylor can make the late-game free throws to win a close game.

The shooters

Brady Heslip, Baylor: Heslip made nine 3s in a win over Colorado. He made of only 1 of 3 in the win over Xavier, but he cannot be left alone. He has made 15 3s in three games so far. If he can make his NCAA tournament average of five, the Bears should be in this game throughout.

Doron Lamb, Kentucky: Lamb can be the difference-maker for the Wildcats. He made his only 3-point attempt against Indiana, but in the previous round against Iowa State, Lamb converted 5 of 7. Lamb has had the ability to break out with huge games throughout his brief career. Like Heslip, he cannot be left alone.

The heart and soul

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Kentucky: No one plays harder for Kentucky. Kidd-Gilchrist continues to show he’s a must on the floor. Calipari loves coaching him and with good reason. He never has to get on him for effort. Kidd-Gilchrist will have a hard time against Baylor's length, and Quincy Miller or Anthony Jones could be guarding him at times. Still, he can power his way to the bucket and create contact and fouls.

Quincy Acy, Baylor: The Bears have tremendous length but don’t always use it to their advantage -- except for Acy. He has no problem getting on the low post and being a force. His dunks, especially off an inbounds against Xavier, were as impressive as you’ll see this season.

The playmakers

Kentucky's Teague vs. Baylor's Pierre Jackson: Both are playing their first year of Division I basketball, but Jackson is a junior college transfer and two years older.

Each runs a steady game and has the trust of his respective coach.

This should be an even matchup. Neither will take too many chances and both can easily create points off turnovers.

The glue guys

Kentucky's Darius Miller and Baylor's Quincy Miller: Darius Miller scored 19 points off the bench against Indiana. He has the most experience of any Kentucky player. He can get to the rim and make 3s. If Kentucky wins, it's probably because Miller had a solid outing. Quincy Miller has tremendous talent as well but doesn’t maximize it often. He can disappear at times and needs to be more assertive. He has a shot in this game to match up with someone like Darius Miller or possibly Terrence Jones and draw even more attention to himself and away from Perry Jones III or Acy.

The mystery

Kentucky's Terrence Jones vs. Baylor's Anthony Jones: Both players have loads of talent but must play within themselves. Kentucky’s Jones can get to the backboard but has to make intelligent decisions on offense. And he has of late. Baylor’s Jones has so much talent, can block shots and handle the ball. But he tends to shoot too much too soon. If he uses his length to his advantage, he can be a major factor in this game.

The coaches

Calipari: He was brought to Kentucky to get to Final Fours and win a title. His teams have advanced to the Elite Eight the past three years and in six of the past seven -- an achievement matched only by Mike Krzyzewski and the late John Wooden, according to Kentucky. The pressure is on Calipari to deliver another Final Four.

Scott Drew, Baylor: Drew has done wonders to resurrect this program and is in his second Elite Eight in three seasons. That alone is remarkable. He is playing with house money here. He has a Final Four team but is not expected to knock off Kentucky. A Final Four berth would certainly elevate Drew to another level among his peers.

Quincy Acy and Scott Drew discuss Sunday's battle between Baylor and Kentucky, and how the Bears can match up with Anthony Davis and the Wildcats.

The Kentucky Wildcats and Kansas Jayhawks advanced to the Elite Eight, but both teams took very different paths to get there.

(1) Kentucky 102, (4) Indiana 90
Kentucky avenged one of its two losses with a fast-paced attack that the Indiana Hoosiers were unable to slow down.

In fact, Kentucky's 102 points are the most ever against Indiana in the Men's Basketball Championship.

Kentucky scored 24 points in transition and has now scored 20-plus transition points in each of its three Men's Basketball Championship games. Kentucky’s 70 total transition points are the most of any team in the tournament.

Another factor in becoming the only tournament team this year to score 100 points was that Kentucky made 35 of 37 free throws.

That's the most makes for the Wildcats in a Men's Basketball Championship game. The 94.6 free throw percentage is the highest in tournament history of any team with at least 30 attempts.

Overall it's Kentucky's 12th 100-point game in the Men's Basketball Championship, giving the Wildcats sole possession of second place.

Kentucky advances to the Elite Eight for the third straight season and will face the Baylor Bears Sunday for a trip to the Final Four.

(2) Kansas 60, (11) NC State 57
Kansas advanced to the Elite Eight for the seventh time in the last 11 seasons, but had to fend off a late North Carolina State Wolfpack surge to get there.

What ultimately won the game for Kansas was its domination down low. The Jayhawks controlled the interior by taking 42 shots from inside the paint and outscoring the Wolfpack, 44-22.

Kansas’ presence down low was also a major factor on the defensive side of the ball as Jeff Withey registered 10 blocked shots.

That’s tied with former Jayhawk Cole Aldrich for second-most in Men’s Basketball Championship history. Only Shaquille O'Neal (11) had more blocks than Withey and Aldrich in a single tournament game.

Also of note was Thomas Robinson who dropped an 18-point, 15-rebound performance. That gave Robinson 26 double-doubles, breaking Drew Gooden’s single-season school record of 25, set in 2002.

Kansas now moves on to play the North Carolina Tar Heels for a chance at the Final Four.