N.C.A.A. - Kansas Tops Ohio State in Tense Stretch Run - NYTimes.com Pool photo by Chris Steppig Thomas Robinson (0) of Kansas, who scored 19 points, battling Ohio State's Deshaun Thomas. NEW ORLEANS - Kansas won the "other game" Saturday, the second N.C.A.A. tournament national semifinal, a contest most notable on the surface for what it lacked: even one team from the Bluegrass State. What the nightcap at the Superdome missed in hype when compared with Kentucky-Louisville, it made up for in tension. Tension that ended only when the clock ran out in the Jayhawks" 64-62 victory. By winning the "other game," Kansas cemented its status as the "other team" against a Kentucky squad so talented and dominant that most of the free world believes it would bludgeon any team but an N.B.A. one in Monday's national championship. Jayhawks Coach Bill Self acknowledged the task ahead immediately afterward. "We've got to play a lot better than that," he said. Kansas did not advance with ease. The Jayhawks scored the game's opening basket only to fall behind before their comeback, before they frazzled the Ohio State star forward Jared Sullinger, before fans lobbed seat cushions onto the floor in celebration. The final minutes proved as dramatic as any in this tournament. Kansas took its first lead at 56-55 since leading by 2-0. His team ahead, 62-59, center Jeff Withey made a jumper that appeared to seal the victory, but he was whistled for traveling. Ohio State guard William Buford then dunked a rebound to close the gap. Kansas guard Tyshawn Taylor made two free throws, then stole a wayward pass to put the game away and put the Jayhawks in the title game. So tense were the final moments that Kansas celebrated as if it had won the championship game, not simply advanced to it. The title game, Self noted, will feature the two programs with the most wins in the history of college basketball, although there appears to be a clear gap in talent between their current incarnations. Guard Aaron Craft staked Ohio State to an early lead by marking what seemed like every category in the box score, his performance like a buffet in its variety. Craft found out his brother, Brandon, had been deployed to Afghanistan for a second time the day his team clinched its Final Four berth March 24. All week, Craft politely detailed the sharp contrast in emotions, the way the excitement of the season mixed with his family's apprehension. These teams met in December, but this game started the opposite of how their previous meeting ended, with Kansas in control and Sullinger in street clothes. Kansas won that game, 78-67, but an asterisk accompanied the victory, as back spasms sidelined Sullinger, who said he was so stiff he could barely move. Sullinger's absence, though, actually aided the Buckeyes" overall development. This was counterintuitive improvement; Ohio State improved with its best player on the bench. The same team Coach Thad Matta kicked out of one February practice won eight of its previous nine games before Saturday. Kansas trailed, 34-25, at the break, and the Superdome was missing much of the electricity and emotion that shot through the building during the earlier, more anticipated game between in-state rivals. Self spoke sharply, honestly, to his team at halftime. "He basically said, "You're better than this," " guard Elijah Johnson said. Sullinger spent more time arguing with the officials than announcing his presence inside. As he groaned again, arms widened, palms out, Matta, his face beet red, stared straight at Sullinger and implored him to "Come on!" Sullinger made 5 of 19 shots and remained defiant in defeat. The fourth foul whistled on forward Deshaun Thomas, who defended Thomas Robinson for much of the first half, did not help. With Thomas on the bench, Robinson, the Kansas forward whom Sullinger called the best player in the country earlier in the week, started to come alive. Emboldened, Thomas called for the ball on offense, strode to the free-throw line and flexed his biceps once as he jogged down court. Like Robinson, the game itself changed with Thomas on the sideline. Robinson finished with 19 points and 8 rebounds. "We just didn't have the edge," Matta said. We knew where they were going in the second half. We just couldn't get it done. Thomas checked back in at 4 minutes 9 seconds, the tension at far greater heights, the lead down to 2. Buford provided a life preserver with Thomas out, his scoring (19 points) keeping Ohio State in front. After one 3-pointer, he inched close to the player who defended him and said "I told you!" twice. Craft stepped to the free-throw line in the final seconds, the Buckeyes behind by 3. He made one and intentionally missed the second, racing forward for the rebound. The referee called a lane violation. Craft's shoulders slumped, his eyes vacant, his face the very picture of what it felt like for a season like this to end. Kansas erupted in celebration. Kentucky loomed, but not late Saturday, not when the Jayhawks triumphed in the "other game." Monday would be there soon enough.