“We just got beat by a much, much better team,” said Knight, whose Red Raiders have never won in the Fieldhouse as they fell to 0-9 after KU’s 86-52 whipping.

“They played very well,” said Knight afterwards, whose new show chronicles walk-ons trying to earn a spot on Tech’s roster. “We just were never really able to do much with them. This is a very simple thing; they are a much better team than we are.”

Self downplayed his team’s big victory, saying the Jayhawks caught a tired T-Tech team on the right night, but admitted to having a little fun in watching his (14-6, 5-2 Big 12) squad’s latest victory.

“I don’t think we quite got it yet, but this is an awful fun team to be around right now,” he said.

More so on Monday than in KU’s latest Big 12 wins, Self was happy for a variety of reasons.

In addition to KU’s Brandon Rush tying his career-high with 24 points, a platoon of Jayhawks big men played one of their better all around games — combining for 38 points and 26 rebounds.

“The good thing about our team is that we have such a talented group; anyone can contribute at any time,” said KU’s Sasha Kaun, who tallied all 10 of his points in the first half as KU jumped out to a 43-25 lead behind a 15-4 start.

“One game it may be the guards, and the next it’s the big guys,” continued Kaun, who added seven reboundds in 20 minutes. “The inside play tonight was definitely good for my confidence.”

And it wasn’t just Kaun who contributed to the Red Raiders’ second-worse loss of the season.

Darnell Jackson kept his recent pace, scoring 10 points, while grabbing eight boards in 16 minutes. C.J. Giles might have been the biggest surprise, scoring six points and snatching seven rebounds in just 11 minutes. Christian Moody added six points, as did Julian Wright — who for the second straight game gave the Jayhawks their first basket.

“The big guys played good,” Jackson said. “C.J. came out and played strong. Christian Moody did good. All the bigs played good.”

KU’s guards weren’t bad either.

Rush, who hit four three-pointers, match his career-high from the Kentucky contest. The freshman looked his best, scoring seven quick points in less than a minute at the start of the second half, when he threw down a reverse dunk and nailed a three from the top of the circle.

“He’s pretty quick-witted,” said Self of Rush, who said he decided to do the reverse dunk so he could get on ESPN SportsCenter. “He’s playing pretty well.”

So too were Russell Robinson and Mario Chalmers, as the trio of Kansas guards had nearly averaged 60 points in KU’s last two wins.

Chalmers, who was held scoreless in the first half, and Robinson didn’t score as much as the duo combined for 14 points — but the two were valuable nonetheless.

The tandem combined for 13 assists against two tunovers in just under 55 combined minutes of play.

Kansas outshot Tech 50-percent (36-of-72), to 35-percent (20-of-58). But the biggest advantage was on the glass as KU outrebounded Tech 55-28.

“Their big kids are mobile. They move well,” said Knight, who got 17 points from Jarrius Jackson’s and 12 from Dior Lowhorn. “It is a team that has been coached very well and they get the most out of themselves.”

Self, who said he thinks his young team still has plenty of potential to tap into, joked that there was one category Monday night that he could not come close to the master — one upping the best one-liner of all time.

“One contest I know I can’t win,” chuckled Self, who said he had a pretty good line for Knight, but said the legendary coach came back with an even better one.

Second Half Action

Brandon Rush came out right where the Jayhawks left off in the second half, opening the scoring with a reverse lay-up.

Mario Chalmers added his first points off a steal and unconstested lay-up.

Moments later Rush came back down and added his third three-pointer to increase KU’s lead to 50-27.

Just when everything seemed to be going KU’s way as Julian Wright got a long jumper to bounce high and in, the KU freshman tried to cock a dunk but missed — causing KU coach Bill Self to scream at Wright.

Chalmers added his second bucket on a jumper and heated up for another shot on the baseline as KU went up 56-32.

Martin Zeno got a basket to go and was fouled. He missed the free throw.

Jarrius Jackson added a tough jumper for the Red Raiders.

Rush missed a putback and Jackson scored the other way for Tech to cut their deficit to 16 with 12:48 to go.

Rush hit his fourth three-pointer after the timeout then followed with a reverse dunk and a lay-up to give him 22 points and KU a 63-40 lead. The KU freshman has seven points in the last 51 seconds. Rush has his third double-double of the season with 10 rebounds.

Darnell Jackson scored down low and Chalmers recorded a block on the other end.

Jeff Hawkins scored on a three from the left side to continue KU’s 11-0 run as the Jayhawks took a 68-40 lead. Hawkins missed another three but Jackson was there for another tip dunk to push KU’s lead to 30 with under 10 minutes to go.

Rush added another basket.

Chalmers followed with a drive to the hoop.

C.J. Giles hit a free throw, then followed with a turnaround for a 78-43 lead with under seven minutes to go.

Jackson scored his 15th points on a reverse lay-up for Tech.

Robinson threw a lob to Giles for a thunderous jam.

KU’s Matt Kleinmann entered the game with five minutes to play.

Jeremy Case scored back-to-back baskets to put KU up 86-52 in the final two minutes, which was also the final margin.

Halftime

Kansas University’s Mario Chalmers didn’t score in the first half, and it didn’t matter.

In fact, KU’s Russell Robinson, who along with Chalmers and Brandon Rush have been Kansas’ catalysts the past two games, only had six first half points.

But that’s because Kansas’ big men have been beasts. Sasha Kaun scored 10 points, while Darnell Jackson, Christian Moody and Julian Wright have combined for 14 points. Rush also scored 10 points for KU, which shot 45-percent in the half.

But the biggest reason behind Kansas’ large, 43-25 lead, was the Jayhawks rebounding advantage. Kansas had as many offensive rebounds as Tech had total with 12. The Jayhawks outrebounded the Red Raiders 28-12.

Tech was led by Dior Lowhorn’s 10 points and seven from Jarrius Jackson.

“We didn’t rebound as well as Kansas,” Tech coach Bobby Knight said. “We haven’t done a lot of things as well as Kansas.”

First Half Action

Kansas won the tip and Russell Robinson put up an off-balance shot, but Julian Wright was there for a quick stickback. For the second straight game, Wright opened Kansas’ scoring.

Jarrius Jackson answered with a back-door lay-up off a pass from Martin Zeno to tie the game.

KU has missed its firs two three-pointers, but Sasha Kaun put the Jayhawks back ahead with a shot in the lane.

Robinson hit a pair of free throws with 17:20 to put KU up 6-2.

Zeno countered with a long jumper.

Kaun got another easy basket on a feed from Wright.

Brandon Rush put KU up 11-4 with a three from the right wing with 15:50 to go in the first half.

Chalmers missed a drive, but Kaun was again there for a putback

Rush missed a shot of his own, but grabbed his own rebound and got a follow to go for a 15-4 lead.

Darryl Dora ended Tech’s scoring drought with a drive.

Jon Plefka hit a jumper to make the score 15-8 with just under 13 minutes to go.

Darnell Jackson threw down an emphatic slam for the 17-8 advantage.

Zeno missed two free throws, and C.J. Giles was called for his second foul with 11:26 to go in the half.

Tech’s Dior Lowhorn also missed a pair of free throws.

Jackson hit a hanging shot in the lane to cut the score to six.

Rush missed a runner, but Jackson was there for another stuff.

Kaun added another quick basket to give him eight points and KU a 21-14 lead.

Wright followed with an easy lay-in on an out-of-bounds play.

Lowhorn added his sixth points on a drive.

Rush fed Robinson for an easy lay-up that put KU up again by nine.

Lowhorn added another jumper.

Kaun reached double figures on a big-time dunk off a feed from Wright that allowed him to be wide open underneath. The bucket put KU up 27-18 with six and a half minutes left in the half.

Kansas has outrebounded Texas Tech 19-7, and the Jayhawks hold a 9-1 advantage on the offensive glass.

Rush, who has seven points and five rebounds, picked Jackson’s pocket and finished with a dunk the other way.

Dora close the gap to single digits as he hit Tech’s first free throws.

Christian Moody got in the books with a putback with four and a half to go in the half.

Robinson followed with a lay-up for the 33-20 lead, Kansas’ largest of the contest.

Kansas University started forwards Sasha Kaun, Julian Wright, and Brandon Rush and guards Mario Chalmers and Russell Robinson.

Texas Tech countered with forwards Darryl Dora, Martin Zeno, and Jon Plefka and guards Jarrius Jackson and LucQuente White.

Pregame

Kansas University’s men’s basketball team will try to build off back-to-back road wins with an 8 p.m. contest against Texas Tech tonight at Allen Fieldhouse.

While most KU fans’ attention will be on the Jayhawks, several Kansas supporters’ curiosity will probably turn to legendary coach Bob Knight.

“I am really observant. I may look over there, but it won’t be when I’m in the game, not unless I’m trying to see what they’re calling,” said KU freshman Julian Wright, of trying to sneak a peak at Knight.

But much like his Kansas coach, Wright said the Jayhawks all have respect for the Texas Tech coach.

“Everyone respects coach,” KU coach Bill Self said of Knight, who led Indiana to three national championships (1976, ’81, ’87), including the perfect 32-0 season in 1975-76, last time a school has won every game on the schedule.

“He will be the all-time leader in wins real soon. Everybody respects that, but even more than that, everybody respects the way he’s done it. I think coach really appreciates good basketball,” Self continued, “and appreciates guys and teams that try to do it the right way. Even though I’m not connected with him at all (as far as coaching for Knight), I feel through words that he’s said that he appreciates what we do, and we admire from afar what they do.”

But Self said his young squad can’t gush too much over the Red Raiders. After all Texas Tech handed Kansas a 80-79 double-overtime loss in Lubbock, Texas. KU fans might remember that contest, considering the controversial ending when Aaron Miles appeared to secure a rebound and the game in the final seconds.

Referees, however, ruled Miles (shiner and all) traveled. The call allowed Red Raider big man Darryl Dora to hit a long game-winning three-pointer in the second overtime.

“I think Aaron did what he should have done,” Self said at the time, referring to Miles trying to move with the basketball while getting bumped by three Red Raiders.

“They had alternating possession on the jump ball. If he stands there, and they tie it up, they get the same thing as the traveling call. When you’ve got three guys on you like that, it’s not the easiest thing to find receivers. Certainly in that situation, they were trying to foul, but the officials felt that Aaron walked, I guess, before the foul actually occurred.”

Texas Tech is again coming off an overtime victory, with the Red Raiders defeating Oklahoma State, 92-90, on Saturday in Lubbock.

Kansas will be facing one of the Big 12’s leading scorers in Texas Tech junior Jarrius Jackson. The guard is second in the Big 12 in scoring at 19.5 ppg and is second in the league in free throw percentage at 82.5. Jackson leads the team with steals (37), assists (58) and three-point field goals made with 41.

Sophomore Martin Zeno is next in scoring at 16.5 — eighth in the Big 12 — and his 5.5 rebounds per game are 16th in the conference. At 11-9, 3-3 in Big 12 play, Tech leads the league in three-point field goal percentage at 39. The Red Raiders average 70.7 points and give up 68.2 points per game. Tech opened the season 5-2 and is 6-7 in its last 13 outings.

“Tech is the easiest team to prepare for and the hardest to play,” Self said, “because you can’t simulate their motion in practice. Saying, ‘Hey guys they run motion,’ is not really preparation for them. They will do things differently against us than anybody else has, how they guard us. They run offense as good or better than any team in America.”

After starting the Big 12 season 1-2, KU is now 4-2 – one-half game out of second and one game from first spot. Kansas is 10-2 in its last 12 games with a seven- and three-game winning streak in that span. The Jayhawks are 13-6 overall and 4-2 in Big 12 play, which includes a 3-1 league road record. Kansas averages 77.3 points and is giving up 61.9 points per contest. In conference play the Jayhawks are scoring 81.7 points and yielding 70.5.

Guard Brandon Rush continues to lead the Big 12 freshmen class in scoring at 14.1 ppg – 14th overall in the conference. Rush has joined sophomore center Sasha Kaun and sophomore forward Darnell Jackson as KU’s top rebounder with all three having a 5.7 rebound average – 14th in the league. Additionally, Rush leads the team in three-pointers made with 27 and his 52.4 field goal percentage is seventh in the Big 12.

Freshman Mario Chalmers is next in scoring at 9.6 ppg and he is second in the Big 12 in steals at 2.68 and seventh in assists at 3.95. Kaun is averaging 9.2 points per game and is making 56.3 percent from the field. Sophomore Russell Robinson is scoring 9.1 ppg and he ranks among the Big 12 leaders in free throw percentage (third at 81 percent), steals (ninth at 1.84), assists (12th at 3.37) and assist-to-turnover ratio (fourth at 1.83). Kansas has shot 53 percent or better in its last four games and is averaging 90 points in that span.