Aldrich provides big lift off bench for Jayhawks

The former Bloomington Jefferson standout provided some big minutes against North Carolina.

By PATRICK REUSSE, Star Tribune

Last update: April 6, 2008 - 2:56 AM

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SAN ANTONIO — Kansas basketball fans have spent the winter talking about the potential that Cole Aldrich, a 6-11 freshman from Bloomington, has flashed during his limited action.

Now, they have a big-time, big-game performance from Aldrich to talk about -- and also a nickname to offer the young man: Psycho C.

On Saturday, Aldrich tossed around North Carolina's Tyler Hansbrough, known as "Psycho T" and the winner of numerous player of the year awards, during a first-half blitz. Aldrich was on the court for a 25-2 run that sent Kansas to a 28-point lead and an eventual 84-66 upset of the Tar Heels in the national semifinals.

Foul trouble for Darnell Jackson and Sasha Kaun gave Aldrich a chance to come off the bench for 13 minutes in the first half. He kept himself in the game with six points, six rebounds and three blocks in those 13 minutes. He finished with eight points, seven rebounds and four blocks. He played 17 minutes -- after playing 21 in the four previous tournament games combined.

Five minutes after he entered, Aldrich grabbed onto a rebound that Hansbrough seemed ready to control and yanked it forcefully away from the Carolina star.

"Once I got my hands on the ball, I was going to try my darndest not to let it go," Aldrich said. "I ripped on it as hard as I could, then tried to go back up and was fouled.

A minute later, Hansbrough and Aldrich tangled for the ball again, and this time Aldrich threw him to the floor, drawing a foul.

"I knew if we got in some foul trouble, I would have a chance to get in there," Aldrich said. "I just wanted to play solid defense, keep them off the boards and help us get through the first half."

When the game started, Aldrich was Kansas' fourth option at the two inside positions, behind seniors Kaun and Jackson and sophomore Darrell Arthur. When it was over, Aldrich was among the three Kansas stars of the night taken to the formal media interview -- along with Jackson and Brandon Rush.

"[Aldrich] was the best player on the floor for three or four minutes,'' coach Bill Self said. "He can really rebound the ball. He got rebounds in traffic with two hands, which I thought was very impressive.''

Etc.

• Hansbrough finished with 17 points on 6-for-13 shooting. Kansas alternated four big men and double-teamed Hansbrough whenever he tried to work open in the lane. "I don't know if he's had to go against a team with four big men before," Aldrich said.

Hansbrough's reaction: "Yeah, they came after me with a lot of people. That's what every team has been doing. They did a particularly good job, but I don't think I played the best."

• Memphis went 20-for-23 at the free throw line in beating UCLA 78-63, once again validating coach John Calipari's contention that the Tigers -- after missing free throws all season -- would make them when necessary. It helped that all the free throws were taken by guards Derrick Rose and Chris Douglas-Roberts.

"Tough-minded kids will make free throws,'' Calipari said. "They're not thinking about free-throw percentage. A weak-minded player would have a 90 percent average at the line, and his knees are knocking."

• Had North Carolina completed its comeback from a 28-point deficit, it would have been a Final Four record. That record is held by Duke, which rallied from 22 down to beat Maryland 95-84 in the 2001 semis at the Metrodome.

• After UCLA's loss, freshman Kevin Love brushed off questions on whether he will enter the NBA draft. "I haven't given any thought about if it's my last college game," Love said. "Right now, I'm still a UCLA Bruin. I'll be in class Monday."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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