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Kansas defeats Texas Tech, 79-42
- 6 p.m., March 4, 2013
- Allen Fieldhouse, Lawrence, KS
FINAL: KU's seniors roll in 79-42 victory over Texas Tech
By Matt Tait.
Monday's 79-42 Kansas University victory against Texas Tech was exactly what Senior Night games are supposed to be — fun, flashy and an absolute breeze.
After trading baskets with the visiting Red Raiders for the first eight minutes, the Jayhawks ran away from their competition and added a few more highlights to the already-lengthy reel.
Not surprisingly, the four seniors who were playing in Allen Fieldhouse for the final time and the one freshman who likely played his last game in front of the 16,300 adoring fans, took center stage in this one.
Jeff Withey was a monster on both ends and delivered an impressive final line of 22 points, nine rebounds and four blocks.
Kevin Young sparked things early with his relentless energy and finished with 14 points, six rebounds, two blocks, two steals, and more than a few dunks.
Travis Releford was hot from start to finish and did all of the things he's come to be known for — hustled, stole possessions, made free throws, smiled — to the tune of 13 points and five rebounds.
Elijah Johnson continued his late-season resurgence with a stellar first half and a strong finishing line of seven points and 12 assists, six of which were first-half alley-oops.
And Ben McLemore, coming off his career-best 36-point night last Saturday, added 13 points, five rebounds and two steals.
In all, 15 KU players entered the game to help the Jayhawks improve to 26-4 overall and 14-3 in Big 12 play, once again putting the pressure back on Kansas State to keep pace at the top of the Big 12 Conference standings.
K-State plays host to TCU at 7 p.m. on Tuesday and then closes the season at Oklahoma State on Saturday. KU closes the season at Baylor next Saturday.
Here’s a quick look back at some of Monday's action:
• The game turned when: The two teams started playing above the rim. After a Texas Tech timeout with 10:54 to play in the first half, junior Jaye Crockett threw down a monster jam off an alley-oop pass from Josh Gray that pulled the Red Raiders to within three points at 13-10. Crockett ran back down the floor with a big smile, but the smile didn't last long, as his high-flying bucket opened the door for the Jayhawks to go upstairs and run away from the Red Raiders. KU outscored TTU 32-10 the rest of the half and turned Senior Night into a laugher.
• Offensive highlight: It started with 9:53 left in the first half with an alley-oop pass from Elijah Johnson to Kevin Young in which Young caught the pass at the rim behind his head and reverse dunked it in traffic. It continued at the 8:07 mark of the first half, when Johnson threw another oop, this time to Jeff Withey trailing on the pick-and-roll. Before the half ended, KU had converted six highlight-reel alley-oops and a logged a three-point make by senior center Jeff Withey on the first attempt of his career.
• Defensive highlight: This might be a reach, but how about the possession midway through the second half when the Jayhawks — specifically Travis Releford — tracked down three straight KU misses before getting a bucket from Jeff Withey. I know those are offensive rebounds and aren't exactly defensive plays, but each one kept a possession away from Tech.
• Key stat: Just one week after dropping 39 points on Iowa State in a huge road win, KU point guard Elijah Johnson delivered a monster first half, finishing 2-of-3 shooting for five points and nine assists. Six of the nine assists were alley-oop passes.
• Up next: The Jayhawks will close out the regular season at 5 p.m. Saturday at Baylor.
Live coverage (Ended March 4, 2013 at 8:07 p.m.)
Jaybate in reply to Stljayhawk10
No, it just does that from time to time. Some kind of a glitch. But you are supposed to get a user name and password from your cable service provider at no cost to access ESPN3. It asks me for any of the ESPN channels, too.
Wissoxfan83 in reply to Stljayhawk10
They've been blacking out stuff which really sucks because the only ones that can use it to my understanding are people who subscribe to certain cable providers which means they're ESPN subscribers already. Just another reason to dislike ESPN!
Ku2004daniel
Evan manning will have the most playing time impact out of all the walk ons in time when all is said and done
Mariomiracle15
Evan manning probably has the best 3 stroke out of niko tyler adams and garret... anyone agree?
Jaybate
Self is just fabulous at being able to go ape one time at a player and still be able to make jokes and make them smile.
Ballhawkin
Hawks have 4 seniors (all 5th year guys) that says a lot about the coaches, the program, and the players themselves.
Jayhawkinmullen in reply to Kuwells
Unless you are playing a basketball game while attending a funeral.
Wissoxfan83 in reply to Jesse Newell
I'd like to see a box score that includes the location of shots, 3's, outside the paint, inside the paint. Why not?
Jaybate in reply to Danr
This gets back to the neural net grow in rate for young people. I've mentioned this before. The normal human being's neural nets are not yet fully grown in and together until 23. When you are dealing with 17-22 year olds you just never know which parts are grown in and which are not. The reason it is so important for Anrio to stay put is that his issues probably have nothing to do with being a bad guy at all. The nets just aren't there yet. They grow in when they grow in. Naadir Tharpe did n't just get more experence this season. The nets finally grew in around mid season and he's been getting more and more comfortable. He actually gets what he's supposed to do. It will be the same with Rio. It was the same with Jeff when he came here. Lots of tools, but the nets weren't grown in.
B to the P
looking forward to seeing more Tharpe, Traylor, and some AW3 next year. Really wanted to see Rio use his athletic potential... but doesn't look so promising any more.
| TT | 38 |
|---|---|
| Kansas | 77 |
Olahawk in reply to B to the P
he still gets to see the KU faithfull filling the place vs. the last place team.....you won't find that @ TU, OU, KSU and on and on
Jayhawkinmullen in reply to Wissoxfan83
I absolutely love my wife. She got me to marry her by saying she was a huge KU fan. After we got married, not so much. Like I said though my wife is great. Just wish she really liked KU like me. Tears.
B to the P
Wiggins saw some good plays, but wish he saw a better game and crowd?
Hard to say what he thinks about his potential teammates -- do you want a big support staff, or do you want the spotlight and top-plays all to yourself? Do some guys want to Final Four and some guys just want to have an individual performance?
Danr in reply to Jaybate
Weird to me that rio is such a head case... He looks like a team guy cheering from the bench, so you can tell he cares.
Jaybate
The difference betwee AW3 and Anrio is that AW3 understands why the seniors were put back in.
Wissoxfan83 in reply to Jayhawkinmullen
She's the best! That's she and I at the Superdome last spring in my pic!
Hutchinsonjayhawk
Someone needs to take all the highlights from this game and put it to this music http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuIgor...
Archain in reply to Jesse Newell
That's what I was thinking. I just wasn't sure if there was a method to how Bill did it.
Jesse Newell KUsports.com staff in reply to Archain
Young 2 years, Withey 3 1/2, Johnson 4, Releford 5. So, Releford, right?
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