[0] WEST\Vaughn helps sink Arizona.

Byline: Tim Dahlberg Associated Press

The guard who couldn't shoot straight was deadly accurate when it mattered most. The result was a berth in the West Regional final for the Kansas Jayhawks.

Jacque Vaughn, who didn't make a basket outside two feet Friday night, hit nothing but the net on two free throws with 9.1 seconds left to thwart a furious Arizona comeback and give Kansas an 83-80 victory.

The clinching free throws came after Vaughn did what he did best - dishing the ball to Jerod Haase for a 3-pointer from the corner that gave Kansas the lead for good with 35.9 seconds in a frenetic and hard-played game.

"It came to me via Jacque," Haase said. "It was a screen and roll at the top and he broke down the defense and just pitched it to me."

Kansas, the No. 2 seed, advances to Sunday's final against fourth-seeded Syracuse, which used two last-gasp shots to beat Georgia 83-81 in overtime.

It almost wasn't to be, however, as Arizona used a 17-2 run to come back from a 12-point deficit with seven minutes left to lead 79-76 with 1:30 remaining.

Instead of folding under the pressure, Kansas came up with Haase's big shot and four free throws.

"I talked to our kids about holding their poise and just doing what we're supposed to do," Kansas coach Roy Williams said. "I told them several times to just have faith."

Vaughn, who usually does everything but shoot, stepped up to the free-throw line and calmly sank the first free throw. Arizona called a timeout to try to break his concentration, but when the game resumed, Vaughn tossed in the second free throw to put the game out of reach.

The point guard Arizona coach Lute Olson said couldn't shoot made only four layups but more than made up for it by breaking down Arizona's defense with feeds for easy baskets and putting a tight clamp on opposing guard Reggie Geary.

Vaughn was everywhere, dishing out assists, diving under the press table for balls and even pleading with referees to change out-of-bounds calls as Kansas overcame a lightning-quick start by Arizona and an equally frenetic finish to win the close game.

"I do the things that it takes to make my team win," Vaughn said. "If I need to shoot 20 times, my team has the confidence for me to shoot 20 times. If I shoot twice, I shoot twice."

Syracuse 83, Georgia 81: Eschewing the NBA draft last spring, John Wallace opted to work on his perimeter shooting and return to Syracuse for his senior season.

Those countless hours spent launching jumpers last summer paid off Friday night.

Wallace hit a 3-pointer with 2.8 seconds left, lifting Syracuse to a wild overtime victory.

"I've taken that shot a thousand times over the summer," Wallace said. "That's a shot you have to make. I felt I had a good look at the basket.

"I haven't been dropping it as of late, but you have to keep taking that shot."

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Kansas' Scott Pollard dunks for two points during the first half. He later made two key free throws with 1:10 left in the game. Associated Press