No. 8 Kansas scores the most points this season against No. 4 Houston in a 78-65 victory
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) Hunter Dickinson had 20 points to lead four Jayhawks in double figures as No. 8 Kansas beat No. 4 Houston 78-65 in front of a frenzied crowd on Saturday.
“That was our best crowd of the season,” Kansas coach Bill Self said, “and we’ve had some good ones.”
Kansas (18-4, 6-3 Big 12) got 17 points each from Kevin McCullar and Johnny Furphy, and 10 from KJ Adams.
The Jayhawks hit nine of their first 10 shots, helping them to a 23-11 lead at the second media timeout. The Cougars, who lead the nation in field goal defense (35.5%) allowed Kansas to shoot 68% (17 of 25) in the first half.
“I didn’t anticipate getting off to that good to start,” Self said. “We thought the best way to attack them was to use all 50 feet wide and 47 feet long, and then hopefully be able to play behind their aggressiveness to start the game. We did that perfectly.”
Houston (19-3, 6-3) was led by L.J. Cryer with 24 points while J’Wan Roberts and Emanuel Sharp scored 11 points each.
Houston came into the game with the nation’s best scoring defense at 52.9 points per game allowed and had not allowed more than 72 points in a game all season. The Jayhawks hit 53 points with 14:17 left in the second half on a layup by Dickinson.
The Jayhawks led 43-28 at halftime. The Cougars had not allowed more than 30 points in a first half all season.
“A blindfolded person would do better than we did,” Houston coach Kelvin Sampson said. “The day was all about the Kansas program, the tradition and Bill getting his team ready to play in this gym. I mean, the way they shot the ball you’d thought we lost by 30. We lost by 13.”
Kansas extended its 15-point halftime lead to 20 in the second half. Houston cut the lead to 10 at 68-58 with about five minutes to play but could not get closer.
“We knew it was going to be a battle from the beginning,” Furphy said. “I think we did a really good job of setting the tone early. They’re definitely a really good side. They’re a really tough physical team.”
Dickinson said he’d never been part of an offensive output like Saturday.
“We showed a lot of execution on the offensive side,” he said. “When we’re able to hit shots, it’s pretty, pretty hard to defend. We had 43 points in the first half against the No. 1 ranked defense in the country. I don’t think (I’ve seen that) in my career.”
While it was a big win, especially in the conference race, Self was quick to point out that the conference season is only halfway done.
“I think it’s a little premature to talk about this as one of the biggest wins,” he said. “If this was playing for some kind of stakes, you could certainly make a bigger case. But it’s still just February 3.
“I don’t mean to minimize it. It was a great win. But we’ve had a lot of really good wins in this building.”
THE TAKEAWAY
Houston: The Cougars weren’t about to go away easily. They trimmed a 58-38 deficit to 10 points with the help of a 10-2 run.
Kansas: The Jayhawks were intent on showing conference newcomers Houston that the road to the Big 12 Championship goes through Lawrence.
UP NEXT
Houston: The Cougars return home for a Tuesday night game against Oklahoma State.
Kansas: The Jayhawks visit Kansas State on Monday.
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Time | Team | Play | Score | |
---|---|---|---|---|
20:00 | Ja'Vier Francis vs. Hunter Dickinson (Cougars gains possession) | |||
19:44 | +2 | Ja'Vier Francis makes two point dunk (Emanuel Sharp assists) | 2-0 | |
19:29 | +2 | KJ Adams Jr. makes two point jump shot | 2-2 | |
19:07 | Jamal Shead misses three point jump shot | |||
19:05 | Dajuan Harris Jr. defensive rebound | |||
18:44 | +2 | Hunter Dickinson makes two point jump shot (KJ Adams Jr. assists) | 2-4 | |
18:17 | +2 | J'wan Roberts makes two point jump shot | 4-4 | |
17:51 | Hunter Dickinson misses two point jump shot | |||
17:49 | Hunter Dickinson offensive rebound | |||
17:45 | +2 | Hunter Dickinson makes two point layup | 4-6 | |
17:18 | Emanuel Sharp misses two point jump shot | |||
17:16 | Hunter Dickinson defensive rebound | |||
17:08 | +3 | Kevin McCullar Jr. makes three point jump shot (KJ Adams Jr. assists) | 4-9 | |
16:48 | LJ Cryer misses three point jump shot | |||
16:46 | Kevin McCullar Jr. defensive rebound | |||
16:36 | Ja'Vier Francis personal foul | |||
16:26 | +2 | Hunter Dickinson makes two point jump shot (Johnny Furphy assists) | 4-11 | |
15:59 | +2 | Jamal Shead makes two point jump shot | 6-11 | |
15:35 | +3 | Dajuan Harris Jr. makes three point jump shot (KJ Adams Jr. assists) | 6-14 | |
15:13 | +2 | J'wan Roberts makes two point layup | 8-14 | |
15:03 | +2 | Johnny Furphy makes two point layup (KJ Adams Jr. assists) | 8-16 | |
15:02 | TV timeout | |||
14:45 | +2 | Emanuel Sharp makes two point jump shot | 10-16 | |
14:25 | +3 | Johnny Furphy makes three point jump shot (Hunter Dickinson assists) | 10-19 | |
14:01 | Emanuel Sharp misses three point jump shot | |||
13:59 | Johnny Furphy defensive rebound | |||
13:52 | KJ Adams Jr. turnover (bad pass) | |||
13:31 | Emanuel Sharp misses two point jump shot | |||
13:29 | Kevin McCullar Jr. defensive rebound | |||
13:18 | Hunter Dickinson turnover (bad pass) | |||
12:59 | KJ Adams Jr. shooting foul (J'wan Roberts draws the foul) | |||
12:59 | +1 | J'wan Roberts makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 11-19 | |
12:59 | J'wan Roberts misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | |||
12:59 | Johnny Furphy defensive rebound | |||
12:43 | Kevin McCullar Jr. turnover (bad pass) (J'wan Roberts steals) | |||
12:35 | LJ Cryer misses three point jump shot | |||
12:35 | J'wan Roberts offensive rebound | |||
12:29 | Joseph Tugler turnover (bad pass) (KJ Adams Jr. steals) | |||
12:24 | LJ Cryer shooting foul (Kevin McCullar Jr. draws the foul) | |||
12:24 | +1 | Kevin McCullar Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 11-20 | |
12:24 | +1 | Kevin McCullar Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 11-21 | |
12:01 | Jamal Shead misses two point jump shot | |||
11:59 | Parker Braun defensive rebound | |||
11:38 | +2 | KJ Adams Jr. makes two point dunk (Kevin McCullar Jr. assists) | 11-23 | |
11:31 | Cougars 30 second timeout | |||
11:31 | TV timeout | |||
11:07 | Ramon Walker Jr. misses three point jump shot | |||
11:05 | Kevin McCullar Jr. defensive rebound | |||
11:00 | Kevin McCullar Jr. turnover (lost ball) (Mylik Wilson steals) | |||
10:48 | Mylik Wilson misses two point jump shot | |||
10:46 | KJ Adams Jr. defensive rebound | |||
10:21 | Dajuan Harris Jr. misses three point jump shot | |||
10:19 | Parker Braun offensive rebound | |||
10:12 | Joseph Tugler blocks Parker Braun's two point layup | |||
10:10 | LJ Cryer defensive rebound | |||
10:01 | LJ Cryer misses two point layup | |||
9:59 | Joseph Tugler offensive rebound | |||
9:56 | +2 | Joseph Tugler makes two point dunk | 13-23 | |
9:41 | Joseph Tugler shooting foul (KJ Adams Jr. draws the foul) | |||
9:41 | +1 | KJ Adams Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 13-24 | |
9:41 | KJ Adams Jr. misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | |||
9:41 | J'wan Roberts defensive rebound | |||
9:36 | Hunter Dickinson shooting foul (Joseph Tugler draws the foul) | |||
9:36 | +1 | Joseph Tugler makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 14-24 | |
9:36 | +1 | Joseph Tugler makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 15-24 | |
9:23 | Hunter Dickinson misses two point layup | |||
9:21 | Joseph Tugler defensive rebound | |||
9:13 | Emanuel Sharp misses three point jump shot | |||
9:11 | Johnny Furphy defensive rebound | |||
9:06 | Elmarko Jackson turnover (Jamal Shead steals) | |||
8:58 | Jamal Shead misses two point layup | |||
8:56 | Johnny Furphy defensive rebound | |||
8:42 | Jamal Shead shooting foul (Johnny Furphy draws the foul) | |||
8:42 | +1 | Johnny Furphy makes regular free throw 1 of 3 | 15-25 | |
8:42 | Johnny Furphy misses regular free throw 2 of 3 | |||
8:42 | +1 | Johnny Furphy makes regular free throw 3 of 3 | 15-26 | |
8:20 | Emanuel Sharp misses two point layup | |||
8:18 | J'wan Roberts offensive rebound | |||
8:15 | Hunter Dickinson blocks J'wan Roberts's two point layup | |||
8:15 | Nicolas Timberlake defensive rebound | |||
8:15 | Emanuel Sharp personal foul | |||
8:02 | +2 | KJ Adams Jr. makes two point layup (Kevin McCullar Jr. assists) | 15-28 | |
7:43 | Joseph Tugler turnover (bad pass) (Kevin McCullar Jr. steals) | |||
7:39 | +2 | Kevin McCullar Jr. makes two point dunk | 15-30 | |
7:39 | Cougars 30 second timeout | |||
7:39 | TV timeout | |||
7:27 | +3 | Emanuel Sharp makes three point jump shot (Jamal Shead assists) | 18-30 | |
7:05 | Nicolas Timberlake turnover (bad pass) | |||
6:44 | J'wan Roberts misses two point layup | |||
6:42 | Hunter Dickinson defensive rebound | |||
6:35 | Dajuan Harris Jr. turnover (bad pass) | |||
6:12 | +3 | LJ Cryer makes three point jump shot (Jamal Shead assists) | 21-30 | |
5:50 | +3 | Johnny Furphy makes three point jump shot (Hunter Dickinson assists) | 21-33 | |
5:24 | Jamal Shead misses three point jump shot | |||
5:22 | KJ Adams Jr. defensive rebound | |||
5:13 | +2 | Johnny Furphy makes two point layup (Kevin McCullar Jr. assists) | 21-35 | |
5:13 | LJ Cryer shooting foul (Johnny Furphy draws the foul) | |||
5:13 | Johnny Furphy misses regular free throw 1 of 1 | |||
5:13 | Joseph Tugler defensive rebound | |||
4:45 | Damian Dunn misses three point jump shot | |||
4:43 | KJ Adams Jr. defensive rebound | |||
4:36 | +2 | Johnny Furphy makes two point dunk (KJ Adams Jr. assists) | 21-37 | |
4:23 | Johnny Furphy shooting foul (Jamal Shead draws the foul) | |||
4:23 | +1 | Jamal Shead makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 22-37 | |
4:23 | +1 | Jamal Shead makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 23-37 | |
4:10 | +2 | Kevin McCullar Jr. makes two point layup (Hunter Dickinson assists) | 23-39 | |
3:52 | +3 | Emanuel Sharp makes three point jump shot (Jamal Shead assists) | 26-39 | |
3:25 | Jamari McDowell misses three point jump shot | |||
3:23 | Hunter Dickinson offensive rebound | |||
3:18 | +2 | Hunter Dickinson makes two point layup | 26-41 | |
2:54 | Emanuel Sharp misses three point jump shot | |||
2:52 | Jayhawks defensive rebound | |||
2:52 | TV timeout | |||
2:42 | KJ Adams Jr. turnover (bad pass) (Joseph Tugler steals) | |||
2:33 | KJ Adams Jr. blocks Joseph Tugler's two point dunk | |||
2:31 | Jayhawks defensive rebound | |||
2:13 | Nicolas Timberlake misses three point jump shot | |||
2:11 | J'wan Roberts defensive rebound | |||
2:03 | +2 | J'wan Roberts makes two point layup | 28-41 | |
2:03 | KJ Adams Jr. shooting foul (J'wan Roberts draws the foul) | |||
2:03 | J'wan Roberts misses regular free throw 1 of 1 | |||
2:03 | Parker Braun defensive rebound | |||
1:34 | +2 | Dajuan Harris Jr. makes two point layup | 28-43 | |
1:16 | Emanuel Sharp misses three point jump shot | |||
1:14 | Johnny Furphy defensive rebound | |||
1:09 | Jayhawks 30 second timeout | |||
0:48 | Hunter Dickinson misses two point jump shot | |||
0:46 | J'wan Roberts defensive rebound | |||
0:35 | Jamal Shead misses two point jump shot | |||
0:33 | J'wan Roberts offensive rebound | |||
0:31 | Jamal Shead misses two point jump shot | |||
0:30 | Jayhawks defensive rebound | |||
0:06 | Hunter Dickinson misses three point jump shot | |||
0:03 | Kevin McCullar Jr. offensive rebound | |||
0:03 | Kevin McCullar Jr. turnover (out of bounds) | |||
0:00 | End of period |