HOOPSWORLD | Basketball News & NBA Rumors

Tyshawn Taylor scored a game-high 22 points, including a traditional three-point play that helped No. 2 seed Kansas pull away down the stretch for an 80-67 win over North Carolina in the Midwest Regional final in St. Louis.The top-seeded Tar Heels (32-6) pulled within 68-67 with 3:58 left, but Kansas closed the game on a 12-0 run and held North Carolina without a field goal for the final 5:43 to beat former coach Roy Williams.The Jayhawks (31-6) advance to face Ohio State in the Final Four on Saturday in New Orleans in a rematch of a game Kansas won at home earlier this season. The Buckeyes were without star forward Jared Sullinger in that game.Taylor was able to shake off the offensive struggles that have hampered him throughout the tournament — he averaged 8.7 points in the Jayhawks’ first three NCAA tournament games, down from his 16.6 season average.National player of the year finalist Thomas Robinson added 18 points and nine rebounds for the Jayhawks, who got double-digit scoring from all five starters.Center Jeff Withey scored 15 points to go with eight rebounds and did a great job defensively against fellow 7-footer Tyler Zeller, who had 12 points and six rebounds after putting up 20 points and 23 boards Friday against Ohio.North Carolina forward John Henson suffered an ankle injury early in the game, leaving the Tar Heels with a matchup problem against Robinson.The Tar Heels already were shorthanded with star point guard Kendall Marshall missing a second consecutive game with a broken wrist suffered in the round of 32 against Creighton.