No. 2 Kansas builds big lead, finally dispatches Kansas City

Field Level Media|published: Tue 5th December, 22:41 2023

Nov 28, 2023; Lawrence, Kansas, USA; Kansas Jayhawks head coach Bill Self gestures to players against the Eastern Illinois Panthers during the second half at Allen Fieldhouse. credits: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Kevin McCullar Jr. led four Kansas players in double figures as the No. 2 Jayhawks finally put away visiting Kansas City 88-69 in Lawrence, Kan., on Tuesday night.

Kansas (8-1), a 26-point favorite, built a 20-point lead about 12 minutes into the game and then seemed to cruise. When they were tested late, the Jayhawks responded again.

McCullar scored a career-high 25 points. KJ Adams Jr. had 18 points in his first action since burying his mother on Saturday. Hunter Dickinson had 14 points and 12 rebounds, and Johnny Furphy added 10 points.

The Roos (3-6) were led by Cameron Faas and Khristion Courseault with 18 points apiece. Anderson Kopp added 15.

Kansas had its biggest lead at 71-49, and still led by 18 at 75-57 with 4:49 left. Kansas City responded with a 10-0 run, which started with four points from Faas and then six from Courseault.

Kansas coach Bill Self called timeout and screamed at his team. Kansas responded with a 10-0 run to put the game away.

Dickinson hit a pair of free throws to extend the Kansas lead back to double figures. Adams hit a layup, followed by a couple of layups from Furphy and another by Adams.

Kansas built a 20-point lead at 31-11. But Kansas City didn't let the game get out of reach, trailing only 44-30 at halftime.

McCullar was pretty much all Kansas needed in the first half. He had 18 of the Jayhawk' 44 points. Dickinson and Dajuan Harris Jr. each contributed eight points.

Faas and Courseault had eight and seven points, respectively, in the half for Kansas City.

—Field Level Media

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