Hunter Dickinson scores 21 as No. 3 Kansas cruises past Oklahoma State 90-66
AP
Jan 17, 2024
STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) Hunter Dickinson believes Kansas Jayhawks' offense is starting to reach its potential.
The 7-foot-2 center had 21 points and seven rebounds, and the third-ranked Jayhawks rolled past Oklahoma State Cowboys 90-66 on Tuesday night.
In front of a crowd that was maybe half full and included a significant number of Kansas fans, the Jayhawks shot 62% and never trailed.
“We were kind of due for one of these wins where we build an early lead and maintain it throughout the game," Dickinson said. "We’re very talented, and I think it was just a matter of time before we put the offense together and everybody just had a really good game at once. I think we just did a really good job of not getting complacent.”
Kevin McCullar Jr. scored 18 points and KJ Adams Jr. scored 16 for the Jayhawks (15-2, 3-1 Big 12).
Johnny Furphy matched a season high by scoring all 15 of his points in the first half for Kansas. The 6-9 freshman guard from Australia also had seven rebounds in just his third start.
“I think Johnny’s done a really good job these past couple of games when he’s been in the starting lineup just being confident and being himself," Dickinson said. "I think the four vets are just looking for him to go out there and play his game.”
Bryce Thompson led Oklahoma State with 20 points. The former Kansas guard surpassed 1,000 career points after entering the night with 986.
Javon Small, Oklahoma State's season leader with nearly 15 points per game, finished with two on 1-for-10 shooting as the Cowboys (8-9, 0-4) dropped their fourth straight.
Oklahoma State was winless in the conference, but they had taken then-No. 18 Baylor to overtime in their last home game on Jan. 6. And the Cowboys had registered home wins against the Jayhawks in 2018 and 2021 under coach Mike Boynton.
Kansas took control of this one early, shooting a blistering 67.7% from the field in the first half to take a 48-33 lead at the break.
Late in the first half, Nicolas Timberlake dunked on Thompson to give Kansas a 46-27 edge.
“That was a great play,” Furphy said. “I passed that ahead. I didn’t fully expect him to get up that high, but I heard Kev (McCullar) scream out, ‘Dunk that!'”
Thompson hit a 3-pointer as time expired in the first half to cut Kansas' lead to 15 at the break.
The Jayhawks kept the pressure on, and their largest lead was 28 points in the second half.
"We lost to a really good team that played well tonight,” Boynton said. “That’s really the bottom line, and for us we’ve got to figure out what we want to have as the identity and the legacy of this particular team. And we need to have those answers before Saturday when we play again.”
BIG PICTURE
Kansas: The Jayhawks followed their school-record low two-turnover performance against Oklahoma by producing 21 assists to 11 turnovers against the Cowboys.
Oklahoma State: The Cowboys scored just 42 points on 32% shooting in a loss at Iowa State on Saturday, then shot 40% against Kansas.
UP NEXT
Kansas: Visits West Virginia on Saturday.
Oklahoma State: Visits Kansas State on Saturday.
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1st Half
KAN
Jayhawks
48
OKST
Cowboys
33
Time
Team
Play
Score
20:00
Hunter Dickinson vs. Brandon Garrison (Jayhawks gains possession)
19:41
+2
Hunter Dickinson makes two point turnaround hook shot
2-0
19:33
Bryce Thompson misses three point jump shot
19:31
Kevin McCullar Jr. defensive rebound
19:26
+2
Johnny Furphy makes two point dunk (Kevin McCullar Jr. assists)
4-0
19:03
Bryce Thompson turnover (bad pass) (Dajuan Harris Jr. steals)
18:54
+2
Johnny Furphy makes two point layup (KJ Adams Jr. assists)
6-0
18:52
Cowboys 30 second timeout
18:26
+2
Javon Small makes two point fadeaway jump shot
6-2
17:59
Hunter Dickinson misses three point jump shot
17:57
Javon Small defensive rebound
17:38
Brandon Garrison misses two point fadeaway jump shot
17:36
Johnny Furphy defensive rebound
17:32
+2
Kevin McCullar Jr. makes two point layup (KJ Adams Jr. assists)
8-2
17:11
Javon Small turnover (bad pass)
17:00
Kevin McCullar Jr. turnover (bad pass)
16:44
Javon Small misses two point jump shot
16:42
Kevin McCullar Jr. defensive rebound
16:28
Kevin McCullar Jr. misses two point layup
16:26
Quion Williams defensive rebound
16:08
+2
Brandon Garrison makes two point layup (Javon Small assists)
8-4
15:40
+2
Kevin McCullar Jr. makes two point layup (Dajuan Harris Jr. assists)
10-4
15:15
+2
Eric Dailey Jr. makes two point jump shot
10-6
14:57
+2
Hunter Dickinson makes two point driving hook shot
12-6
14:46
Javon Small turnover (lost ball)
14:46
TV timeout
14:34
Dajuan Harris Jr. misses two point jump shot
14:32
Hunter Dickinson offensive rebound
14:24
+3
Kevin McCullar Jr. makes three point jump shot (KJ Adams Jr. assists)
15-6
14:12
Javon Small misses three point jump shot
14:10
Brandon Garrison offensive rebound
14:09
Quion Williams turnover (offensive goaltending)
13:58
Hunter Dickinson misses two point hook shot
13:56
Brandon Garrison defensive rebound
13:44
+2
Eric Dailey Jr. makes two point jump shot (Javon Small assists)
15-8
13:33
Hunter Dickinson misses two point jump shot
13:31
Quion Williams defensive rebound
13:15
Brandon Garrison misses two point jump shot
13:13
Kevin McCullar Jr. defensive rebound
13:02
Brandon Garrison personal foul (Hunter Dickinson draws the foul)
12:52
KJ Adams Jr. turnover (bad pass) (Quion Williams steals)
12:45
Johnny Furphy blocks Bryce Thompson's two point layup
12:43
Johnny Furphy defensive rebound
12:32
+2
Dajuan Harris Jr. makes two point layup (Kevin McCullar Jr. assists)
17-8
12:13
+2
Mike Marsh makes two point layup (Javon Small assists)
17-10
12:05
+2
KJ Adams Jr. makes two point pullup jump shot
19-10
11:46
Javon Small turnover (bad pass)
11:46
TV timeout
11:35
+2
Hunter Dickinson makes two point turnaround hook shot