AUSTIN, Texas, March 25 (UPI) -- Chuck Hayes led a balanced scoring effort Friday night and Kentucky reached the NCAA Tournament's Elite Eight with a 62-52 decision over Utah.
The second-seeded Wildcats shot 61 percent from the field to hold off the Utes and set up a regional title match with Michigan State on Sunday.
There had been much anticipation of a Kentucky-Duke confrontation in this region, but Michigan State ruined that earlier in the evening with a win over the Blue Devils.
Utah made four more free throws than did Kentucky and outbrebounded the Wildcats by three. But Kentucky won the game by proving to be much the better shooting team from the field.
The Wildcats hit 24 of 39 shots while Utah was good on 17 of 42.
Hayes scored 12 points and Rajon Rondo had 10 for the Wildcats. Ten Kentucky players scored as the Wildcats ran their record to 26-5.
Utah (27-6) was led by Andrew Bogut with 20.
