No. 9 Kansas overcame another slow start en route to a 78-55 road win over Oklahoma on Saturday inside Lloyd Noble Center.
For a moment, KU’s latest win looked a lot like last Saturday’s road loss to Iowa State. Like that game, the Jayhawks came out sluggish and were unable to get anything going offensively. They scored a total of four points in the first eight minutes of the contest.
Unlike last weekend, however, OU (12-13, 2-10 Big 12) didn’t make Kansas (20-5, 8-4 Big 12) pay for the slow start. The hosts never led by more than seven, and things eventually started to click for KU. The Jayhawks led by 13 points by the intermission.
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PHOTO GALLERY: Kansas basketball at Oklahoma
Box score: Kansas 78, Oklahoma 55
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Freshman backup big man Ernest Udeh Jr. played a big part in this win, providing a much-needed jolt off the bench after K.J. Adams Jr. picked up two fouls by the first media timeout. Udeh was everywhere, catching lobs for alley-oops, picking up crucial rebounds, and playing tremendous defense all over the floor.
Udeh finished with eight points on 4-of-4 shooting to go along with four rebounds, two steals, and two blocks. While individual plus-minus might not be super informative, Udeh posted a team-high +27 in the win.
OH MY LOB ???? pic.twitter.com/qT1YITtCyi
— Kansas Men’s Basketball (@KUHoops) February 11, 2023
Udeh’s play off the bench was pivotal in a game where Kansas didn’t have much depth again. But the Jayhawks had nice balance across the board on Saturday.
Jalen Wilson, who scored just two points last time out against Texas, paced the way with 18 points. Dajuan Harris Jr. was aggressive for the second-straight outing, recording 18 points on 7-of-17 shooting. Kevin McCullar Jr. finished with 13 points, while Adams added 10.
The Jayhawks scored 50 points in the paint as a team on Saturday, which marks the second game in a row that they made a concerted effort at getting efficient shots.
Kansas will travel to Oklahoma State on Tuesday.
