Kansas City, Mo. ? With senior guard Keith Langford out with an ankle injury, Kansas University men’s basketball team needed its other seniors – Wayne Simien, Aaron Miles and Michael Lee – to step up Saturday against Kansas State.
The experienced trio did just that, leading the Jayhawks to an 80-67 victory over the Wildcats in the Big 12 Conference Tournament quarterfinals. It was KU’s third win of the season and 31st victory in a row over KSU.
Simien, the Big 12 player of the year, had his usual huge game, scoring 28 points and grabbing 14 rebounds, hitting 10 of 13 free throws. Miles had 18 points (4-of-6 shooting from three-point range), five assists and five rebounds, and Lee had six points, four assists and a career-high 11 boards.
The Jayhawks, who will face either Colorado or Oklahoma State in the tournament semifinals at 3:20 p.m. Saturday, needed those performances to hold off a Wildcat team that wouldn’t give up despite being down double digits numerous times.
After KSU took an early 3-0 lead, Kansas fought back with 12 consecutive points and led by as many as 15 points, 23-8, midway through the first half. The Wildcats answered with seven straight points, and later cut the Jayhawks’ lead to three points, 35-32, with about a minute and a half left before halftime.
Lee hit a pair of free throws before intermission, though, extending the lead to five points, 37-32, at halftime.
KU’s momentum continued early in the second half as the Jayhawks scored nine of the first 11 points after intermission, taking a 46-34 lead about four minutes in.
Kansas State clawed to within three points, 60-57, with about five minutes to go, but Kansas followed with a 7-0 run and held off the Wildcats with strong free throw shooting down the stretch.
J.R. Giddens had 14 points and five rebounds for KU, Jeff Hawkins had eight points and three assists, and Alex Galindo had five points before fouling out with 1:52 left.
Christian Moody had a point and five rebounds before fouling out with just under four minutes left, and Sasha Kaun had two fouls.
Martin had 14 points for KSU, Jeremiah Massey had 17 points, and Fred Peete had seven points before fouling out with 1:40 left.
Justin Williams had three points, Clent Stewart had three points, and Lance Harris had 23 points.
The Jayhawks were 23-of-49 shooting from the field, including 10-of-25 from three-point range, and 24-of-29 shooting from the foul line. Kansas had 17 turnovers.
The Wildcats were 18-of-50 shooting from the field, including 8-of-19 from long distance, and 23-of-35 shooting from the charity stripe. Kansas State had seven turnovers.
Note:
¢ Langford did not make the trip to Kansas City with the Jayhawks. He remained in Lawrence suffering from dehydration because of the stomach flu.
All stats are unofficial.
In the final game of Allen Fieldhouse’s 50th season and the last home game for four seniors, Kansas University’s men’s basketball team defeated in-state rival Kansas State, 72-65, Wednesday in the fieldhouse.
The quartet of Jayhawk seniors – Wayne Simien, Keith Langford, Aaron Miles and Michael Lee – appropriately led the way in the team’s 30th straight win over the Wildcats.
Simien had 25 points and a career-high 18 rebounds, Langford scored 12 points, Miles had 12 points and seven assists, and Lee added nine points, all from behind the three-point arc.
Kansas State’s Jeremiah Massey scored the first basket of the game, but Simien answered with a three-pointer.
The Jayhawks lead for the rest of the first half, though the Wildcats did cut the lead to as few as two points a handful of times. Kansas finally broke out of a small shooting slump with an 8-2 run late in the half.
Kansas held a 32-26 halftime lead and was never truly challenged in the second half.
Christian Moody had two points before fouling out, J.R. Giddens had eight points, and Sasha Kaun had two points. Darnell Jackson had two points.
Massey had 17 points for KSU, Curtis Allen had four points, and Fred Peete had 17 points.
Clent Stewart had five points for the Wildcats, Lance Harris had seven points, and Justin Williams had 10 points. Cartier Martin had six points and three fouls.
Kansas was 23-of-53 shooting from the field, including 9-of-22 shooting from three-point range, and 17-of-20 shooting from the charity stripe. The Jayhawks had 14 turnovers.
Kansas State is 22-of-56 shooting from the field, including 3-of-16 shooting from three-point range, and 19-of-23 shooting from the foul line. The Wildcats had nine turnovers.
All stats are unofficial.
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