The No. 6-ranked Jayhawks improved their record to 6-1 tonight, overpowering the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos 72-52 at the Dodge Holiday Classic in Reno, Nev.
The KU-UCSB matchup was the first game of the Wolf Pack Classic at Lawlor Events Center.
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On Sunday, KU will meet Nevada at 9:30 p.m., after a 7:05 p.m. battle between Alabama State and UC Santa Barbara.
The Jayhawks, wearing their new crimson uniforms for the first time this season, seemed to stutter in the first half, letting the Gauchos tie it up three times in the early going.
However, several Jayhawks came on strong in the second half, including Aaron Miles and Keith Langford.
KU started off the second half with a steal by Miles, then an assist to Keith Langford who drained a jumper. Langford’s jumper was his 1,000th point as a Jayhawk.
When KU got the ball back again, Miles went down and got a coast-to-coast layup. Miles then began putting on a show, with steals, coast-to-coast layups and a three-pointer, helping to extend the Jayhawks lead by as much as 20 at one point in the game.
Langford helped KU open it up in the second half, too. He finished with 19.
Three other Jayhawks finished in double figures — J.R. Giddens and Wayne Simien each had 15 points, Miles had 13 (all in the second half), David Padgett had 3, and Jeff Hawkins, 2.
KU finished the game with 27-62 for field goals, 4-17 for three-pointers and 14-21 at the free-throw line.
UCSB was 20-47 for field goals, 3-11 for three-pointers and 9-18 from the line.
In the first half KU got on the board first with a little jumper by Langford, followed a little later by a Giddens. Hawkins got a steal and fed Giddens for a crowd-pleasing jam early in the game.
At halftime, KU led 24-18. KU was 9-34 for their field goals, 2-13 for three pointers and 4-6 at the free-throw line. UCSB was 8-22 for field goals, 1-4 for three-pointers and 1-4 from the line.
Jayhawk fans got a treat tonight, seeing the new crimson uniforms that Coach Bill Self ordered for the team this year. The Jayhawks haven’t worn red since they lost to Duke in the 1986 NCAA semi-finals.
Online editor’s note: All stats are unofficial.