Western Kentucky Hilltoppers Lose to Kansas Jayhawks After Leading at Halftime

The 16th-seeded Western Kentucky Hilltoppers were unable to hold onto a halftime lead against the Kansas Jayhawks, the top seed in the South Region of the NCAA Tournament.Kansas won 64-57 and will play the eighth-seeded North Carolina Tar Heels.Jamal Crook led the Hilltoppers with 13 points.Western Kentucky led 31-30 at halftime but shot poorly for much of the second half, allowing the Jayhawks to pull ahead.The Hilltoppers finish the season 20-16.It’s the second straight year Western has entered the NCAA Tournament as a No. 16 seed and lost to a No. 1 seed. Last year, the Hilltoppers lost to the Kentucky Wildcats, the eventual national champions.The Louisville Cardinals and the Indiana Hoosiers, No. 1 seeds themselves, each advanced to the next round of this year’s NCAA Tournament.Since the NCAA Tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985, no16th seeded team has ever defeated a No. 1 seed.