Early Sunday morning, while most of Kansas slept, a Jayhawk-infused Team USA earned the right to play for a gold medal at the World University Games, defeating Russia 78-68 inside Dongkang Gymnasium in Gwangju, South Korea.
Playing in its seventh game in 10 days, the United States stayed perfect in South Korea, withstanding a late run from Russia and cruising to its latest double-digit victory against international competition.
The U.S. will play Germany in the gold-medal game at 7 a.m. (CT) Monday. It’s the United States’ first appearance in the gold-medal game since 2005.
Senior forward Perry Ellis led the Jayhawks with 23 points, while junior guard Wayne Selden, perhaps the player of the tournament thus far, added 22 points and personally helped stave off Russia’s run after the intermission.