No. 5 Kansas wins Maui Invitational, beats No. 19 Vanderbilt

Selden scored 25 points on 8-of-11 shooting, and the Jayhawks beat No. 19 Vanderbilt 70-63 on Wednesday for the tournament title. One night after putting up the most points of the Self era, the Jayhawks ran the Bruins out the gym, burying them with an onslaught of three-pointers and senior forward Perry Ellis.

Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk also had a career-high 18 points while hitting 6 of 11 from beyond the arc as Kansas finished with its highest point total under Self and the sixth most in its history.

But they put on an offensive clinic in the opening half against a Chaminade defense that came into the afternoon giving up 101 points per game.

Devonte Graham had 12 points for Kansas, and Mason, who was selected co-MVP with Selden, added 10. Selden drilled 4 of 5 from three-point range, finished with 15 points and stream-lined his offense game, limiting his turnovers (one) and wasteful drives to the basket.

“We can’t let people score 59 points in a half”, head coach Eric Bovaird said. “We lost against two really good teams, but we improved every day since we’ve got here and that’s the important thing”. “But we just happened to get the win as a team, and we’re looking forward to it next game”. Luke Kornet also had a big night with 14 points for Vanderbilt.

With today’s game, St. John’s’ time in paradise on the island of Maui came to an end as the Johnnies faced off against the invitational hosts of Chaminade in a battle for the seventh place in the invitational standings.

“That’s about as well as we can play offensively”, Self said. KU averaged 23 three-point attempts per game at the tournament. While Vandy was able to turn on the jets late to overcome an opponent like Stony Brook, they couldn’t do the same against a top five program like the Jayhawks.

Five players reached double figures for North Carolina State (3-2), which led by 12 early in the second half. Diallo will be available to play in the Jayhawks’ next game at home December 1 against Loyola (Md.). That didn’t change in the first half.

“I think he can make us better”, Self told reporters in Maui Wednesday before the championship game. Just like four years ago in Maui, Kansas was set to roll over UCLA in the tournament semifinals. “I’m guessing that Bill felt like they probably played a lot better in the second half than they did in the first”, Vanderbilt coach Kevin Stallings said.

“They do a good job of dictating the pace”. He is eligible to play Tuesday. The NCAA finally ruled that Diallo can play for the Jayhawks this season. “He got in the paint and found teammates”, said Mason. “Everyone was just going to each other’s room, telling each other, asking each other have we heard the news that Cheick got cleared”.

Stefanie Nakasone is at snakasone@mauinews.com. The Duke Blue Devils (6-5) and the Wake Forest Demon Deacons (3-8) close out the regular season this Saturday in Winston-Salem. Steals: 6 (Graham 3, Mason III 2, Selden Jr.). In addition to Ellis, Kansas already has Jamari Traylor, Landen Lucas, Hunter Mickelson and Carlton Bragg, Jr. getting minutes up front.