Kansas heads to Final Four with 80-67 win over North Carolina

Kansas guard Tyshawn Taylor chases a loose ball against North Carolina forward Tyler Zeller, left, during the first half of the NCAA men’s college basketball tournament Midwest Regional final today in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

ST. LOUIS-Bill Self didn’t collapse in relief this time.

The Kansas coach slapped hands with his assistant coaches, warmly shook hands with the North Carolina staff and prepared for the awards ceremony.

With its 80-67 victory over the Tar Heels on Sunday, Kansas is going to the Final Four for the second time in Self’s nine-year Kansas tenure, and the Jayhawks did it by playing to their identity _smothering defense.

The Tar Heels were held to 20 second-half points. They didn’t score in the final 3 minutes, 58 seconds, as Kansas took off from a precarious one-point lead, and North Carolina didn’t make a basket in the game’s final six minutes.