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Chalmers keeps up hot shooting, lifts Kansas

Mar 10, 2007 - 9:44 PM OKLAHOMA CITY (Ticker) -- Mario Chalmers and Kansas continued to roll on.

Chalmers scored 16 points and Julian Wright added 12 as second-ranked Kansas secured a spot in the Big 12 Conference title game with a 67-61 victory over Kansas State.

Improving to 6-0 against their intrastate rival in this event, the Jayhawks (29-4) reached the Big 12 championship game for the second straight year and sixth time in the 11-year history of the tournament.

Kansas will face either No. 14 Texas or Oklahoma State on Sunday. Last season, it beat the Longhorns, 80-68, for the title.

Chalmers finished 5-of-8 from the field with two 3-pointers as the Jayhawks posted their 10th consecutive win. The sophomore guard has played a big role in that late-season surge, averaging 15.6 points on 57 percent (34-of-60) shooting.

Despite facing a third straight loss to Kansas this season, Kansas State (22-11) started strongly, taking a 16-9 lead on a 3-pointer by Lance Harris with 10:21 remaining.

It did not take the Jayhawks long to respond, going on a 15-3 spurt to pull ahead for good at 24-19 with 7:44 left. Chalmers had six straight points at one point during the burst.

The Wildcats closed with 56-52 on a 3-pointer by Cartier Martin with 4:13 left in the contest, but the Jayhawks answered with a 7-3 run to seal it.

Martin finished with 17 points and Harris added 16 for Kansas State, which shot 40 percent (21-of-52).