Skip to content

Ellis leads No. 11 Kansas past Tennessee in Orlando Classic semis

Kim Klement / USA TODAY Sports

Orlando, FL - Perry Ellis scored 24 points and pulled down 13 rebounds as the 11th-ranked Kansas Jayhawks held off the Tennessee Volunteers, 82-67, in the semifinals of the Orlando Classic.

Cliff Alexander added 16 points for the Jayhawks (4-1), who will take on either Michigan State or Marquette for the tournament title on Sunday. Wayne Selden Jr. and Frank Mason III tallied 12 and 11 points, respectively.

Josh Richardson ended with 16 points and five boards for the Volunteers (2-2), who had a two-game winning streak snapped. Kevin Punter and Detrick Mostella had 14 and 13 points, respectively.

The Volunteers actually held a 17-15 lead with 10:45 left in the first half. However, Kansas responded with a 17-5 run that Brannen Greene capped with a 3- pointer for a 32-22 edge with 4:31 remaining. It was 40-33 at the break.

Ahead 45-38, the Jayhawks used an 8-2 spurt to build a 13-point lead. But the Volunteers came right back with a 13-1 run to get within 54-53, and they tied the game at 62 with 6:49 to play.

Kansas ended the game on a 20-5 surge to claim victory. Ellis tallied seven points during the game-clinching run.

Daily Newsletter

Get the latest trending sports news daily in your inbox