Kansas University’s men’s basketball team Saturday against Louisiana-Lafayette looked like it was suffering no ill effects from playing just two days ago.
The Jayhawks opened the game with a three-pointer by J.R. Giddens and didn’t slow down, running away with a 96-51 victory over the Ragin’ Cajuns at Allen Fieldhouse.
The Ragin’ Cajuns went scoreless for more than five minutes midway through the first half, as the Jayhawks extended their lead to 31-12 during that stretch. UL-Lafayette hit just two field goals over the final eight minutes, as Kansas finished the half on a 23-8 spurt and led, 54-22, at intermission.
The Jayhawks kept up the pace and pressure in the second half, leading by as many as 44 points, 89-45, late in the period.
Keith Langford had 24 points, four assists and three rebounds for KU, Wayne Simien had 11 points and 12 rebounds, and Giddens had 16 points, four rebounds and two steals.
Aaron Miles had five points, seven assists, three rebounds and two steals, and Christian Moody had three points and six boards. Russell Robinson had five points, Darnell Jackson had six points, and Nick Bahe had three points.
Alex Galindo had nine points for KU, Michael Lee had three points, and C.J. Giles had four points. Jeff Hawkins had six points, and Sasha Kaun had three rebounds.
Brian Hamilton had 12 points and 12 boards for UL-Lafayette, Orien Greene had four points, Tiras Wade had 12 points. Dwayne Mitchell had six points, and Chris Cameron had two points.
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Ross Mouton had three points, Derek Gray had five points, and Anthony Rhodman had two points. Alphonso Williams had two points, and Adam James had two points.
Kansas was 34-of-59 shooting from the field, including 12-of-23 from three-point range, and 16-of-28 shooting from the foul line.
The Ragin’ Cajuns were 19-of-59 shooting, including 4-of-19 from long distance, and 9-of-19 shooting from the charity stripe.
All stats are unofficial.
Kansas University’s first two men’s basketball victories over Missouri this season were decided by a total of 11 points, but the third match-up of the season Friday in the Big 12 Tournament in Dallas was a Jayhawk blowout.
KU trailed Mizzou by 12 points midway through the first half, but the Jayhawks turned the game around after intermission, opening up a double-digit lead and coasting to a 94-69 victory. The Jayhawks will face the Texas Longhorns in the semifinals at 3:20 p.m. Saturday.
Jimmy McKinney scored first, giving Missouri a 2-0 lead a minute in, and Thomas Gardner drained a three-pointer on the Tigers’ next possession. Jeff Graves stopped Missouri’s run with an old-fashioned three-point play, but the Tigers then went on another 5-0 spurt.
Missouri led by as many as 12 points, 26-14, midway through the first half but KU tied the game at 31-all with three and a half minutes left on a basket by Wayne Simien. The Jayhawks took a 33-31 lead, their first of the game, on a jumper by Keith Langford with just less than 1:30 remaining, and led at halftime, 35-33.
Arthur Johnson tied the game a minute into the second half, but Graves tied the score with his second basket of the game. Missouri closed to within a point, 39-38, on a three-pointer by McKinney, but KU then went on a 14-5 run and took a 53-43 lead on a shot by Langford.
Kansas extended its lead to 14 points, 60-46, on a three-pointer by Michael Lee with just less than 11 minutes left. Missouri coach Quin Snyder was whistled for a technical foul less than a minute later, and KU ran up an 18-point lead, 64-46, on the ensuing free throws and possession.
The Jayhawks went up by 22 points on a basket by Simien. Johnson ended KU’s 15-0 run with a pair of free throws, but Langford answered with a basket inside.
Missouri responded with back-to-back three-pointers by Travon Bryant and Josh Kroenke and pairs of free throws by Rickey Paulding and Johnson, but Simien ended the run with a dunk and the Jayhawks easily held on for the win.
Graves had 14 points and three rebounds for KU before fouling out with 2:30 remaining, and Langford had 10 points, four assists and 10 rebounds. Simien scored a career-high 31 points and grabbed 11 boards, and Giddens had 15 points and four rebounds.
Aaron Miles had six points, three boards and six, and Lee scored five points. David Padgett had four points, five boards and two assists, and Christian Moody scored two points. Jeremy Case hit a late three-pointer, Bryant Nash scored four points and Moulaye Niang had a late rebound.
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McKinney had seven points and four assists for Missouri, and Gardner scored nine points. Johnson had 26 points and nine rebounds, and Bryant had eight points and five rebounds.
Jason Conley had five points and two boards, and Paulding scored nine points and grabbed seven boards. Kroenke scored three points.
The Jayhawks were 34-of-56 shooting, including 5-of-13 shooting from long distance, and 21-of-25 shooting from the charity stripe.
The Tigers were 24-of-69 shooting, including 9-of-26 from three-point range, and 13-of-22 from the foul line.
KU turned the ball over 12 times, and Missouri had nine turnovers.
All stats are unofficial
The Jayhawks and the Golden Eagles were tied at 12-all six minutes into the game, but the game was all KU after that.
Kansas went on a 27-6 run over the next few minutes and finished the half with an 18-4 spurt. That was just the first part of a 32-6 run that carried over to the first few moments of the second half, putting the game out of Marquette’s reach.
The Jayhawks, which led by as many as 43 points in the second half, finished with a 56-32 advantage in points in the paint and a 16-2 lead in fastbreak points.
KU was on pace to shatter the record for margin of victory in the Final Four — 34 points — before KU coach Roy Williams pulled his starters with about four minutes left.
Keith Langford led Kansas (30-7) with 23 points and added five rebounds and four assists. Kirk Hinrich scored 18 points and hit a trio of three-pointers, and Nick Collison added 12 points, 15 boards and five assists.
Aaron Miles had 18 points, five rebounds and four assists for the Jayhawks. Michael Lee added a career-high 13 points, six rebounds and four assists, Jeff Graves had five points and nine rebounds, Bryant Nash had three points and Moulaye Niang had a basket.
Dwyane Wade led Marquette (27-5) with 19 points, and Robert Jackson added 15 points and nine boards, Scott Merrit had 12 points and 11 rebounds, and Travis Diener had five points.
Karon Bradley hit a three-pointer, and Steve Novak, Terry Sanders and Chris Grimm each hit a basket. Todd Townsend hit a free throw for Marquette.
Kansas shot 53.5 percent (38-of-71) from the field, 4.1 percent (8-of-19) from three-point range and 58.8 percent (10-of-17) from the foul line. Marquette hit 31.1 percent (23-of-74) shots, 18.8 percent (3-of-16) three-point attempts and 66.7 percent (12-of-18) free-throw attempts. The Jayhawks outrebounded the Golden Eagles, 52-39.
KU will face Syracuse, a 95-84 winner over Texas, in the national championship game at 8:22 p.m. Monday. The game will be televised on CBS.
HALFTIME REPORT (all statistics are unofficial)
What hasn’t gone right for KU in the first half against Marquette? After being tied with the Golden Eagles at 12-all six minutes into the game, the Jayhawks went on a 27-6 run and ended the half on an 18-4 run.
KU found it’s three-point stroke early, draining four of its first five three-pointers. The Jayhawks finished the half 6-of-11 from long range, including a trio of three-pointers from Kirk Hinrich, two by Michael Lee and one by Aaron Miles.
Although he wasn’t a part of the three-point action, Keith Langford leads all players with 17 points and added five rebounds. Hinrich has 15 points and Nick Collison has 10 points and 12 boards.
Miles has nine points, Lee has six and Jeff Graves has a basket for KU.
Dwyane Wade and Robert Jackson each have 10 points for Marquette. Jackson has added six rebounds.
Scott Merritt has four points, Travis Diener has a three-pointer, Terry Sanders has two points and Todd Townsend has a free throw.
Kansas hit 24-of-40 field-goal attempts and 5 of 7 free throws. Marquette hit just 11 of 42 shots from the field, 1 of 10 three-point attempts and 7 of 9 shots from the foul line. The Jayhawks outrebounded the Golden Eagles, 25-23.
Kansas suffered foul and injury trouble, but was helpd by a poor shooting night by Texas A&M, which hit just 26.2 percent (17-of-65) of its field-goal attempts. The Aggies’ 45 points ties the record-low score against Kansas in a Big 12 game.
Nick Collison and Jeff Graves both had four fouls and Kirk Hinrich, Keith Langford and Aaron Miles each had three fouls midway through the second half, and Wayne Simien left early in the first half after reinjuring his shoulder.
Bernard King ran into Simien on a layup attempt, dislocating Simien’s shoulder. The shoulder was popped back into place, but Simien didn’t return to the game.
Hinrich led Kansas (21-6 overall, 11-2 Big 12) with 23 points, and Collison finished with 15 points and 12 rebounds after sitting out nearly the final eight minutes of the first half with foul trouble.
Keith Langford scored 18 points for the Jayhawks, who led by 30 points at halftime and extended that lead to as many as 50 points in the second half.
Aaron Miles added 10 points and 10 assists assists, and Jeff Graves finished with four points and eight boards. Bryant Nash scored just three points in 20 minutes, but grabbed 12 rebounds.
Leandro Garcia-Morales led Texas A&M (13-11, 5-8) with nine points, and Tomas Ress added eight points and eight rebounds. King finished with seven points, 11 below his season average.
Kansas shot 52.4 percent (33-of-63) from the field, and outrebounded Texas A&M, 52-37. The Aggies turned the ball over 24 times, and the Jayhawks committed 18 turnovers.
HALFTIME REPORT
Nick Collison, who picked up his 1,000th career rebound in the opening minutes, has nine points and eight rebounds for Kansas, but went to the bench with seven minutes left in the half after picking up his third foul.
Kansas is hurting in the frontcourt as Wayne Simien left the game in the first few moments after taking a hit on his right shoulder. Bernard King attempted a layup but ran into Simien, dislocating his shoulder again. The shoulder was popped back into place, but Simien won’t play again.
Jeff Graves has three fouls and Bryant Nash has two, furthering KU’s troubles down low.
Kirk Hinrich has 14 points for the Jayhawks, Keith Langford has 13 points and four rebounds, and Aaron Miles has seven points and five assists. Graves has two points and six rebounds, Jeff Hawkins has a three-pointer, and Bryant Nash has no points but five boards.
King scored the game’s first points and leads the Aggies with five points, but is just 1-of-7 from the field. Tomas Ress has four points, and Antoine Wright has three points.
The Jayhawks have hit 20-of-36 shots, and the Aggies are 7-of-35 from the field. Texas A&M has turned the ball over 13 times, while KU has committed 12 turnovers. Kansas has outrebounded Texas A&M, 35-16.
