Kansas is one victory away from claiming its fifth straight early-season college basketball tournament title.
The No. 2-ranked Jayhawks (4-0), who placed first at the HoopHall Miami Invitational in 2017-18, the Hall of Fame Classic in 2016-17, Maui Invitational in 2015-16 and Orlando Classic in 2014-15 (last losing to Villanova in the semifinals of the Battle 4 Atlantis in 2013-14), upended unranked Marquette 77-68 Wednesday night in the semifinals of the NIT Season Tip-Off at Barclays Center.
Dedric Lawson scored 26 points and grabbed 12 rebounds. Lagerald Vick scored 16 points, Marcus Garrett added 11 and Devon Dotson had 10 for the Jayhawks, who, after surviving an early first-half barrage of Marquette threes (11 of 21 the first half, 14 of 31 for game), will meet No 5-ranked Tennessee, a 92-81 semifinal winner over Louisville, in Friday’s 8:30 p.