In a game that ultimately didn’t have any Big 12 title implications, the third-ranked Kansas Jayhawks were handed a 75-59 loss by the ninth-ranked Texas Longhorns on Saturday inside the Moody Center in Austin, Texas.
A week ago, it looked like the regular-season finale might decide the Big 12 race. Instead, Kansas clinched a share of the league crown with a win over Texas Tech on Tuesday, and that turned into an outright title after Texas fell to TCU the following night.
With nothing on the line, the Jayhawks looked lackadaisical from start to finish on both ends of the floor. KU jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead on a basket by K.J. Adams, but quickly conceded control to UT in front of a raucous crowd.
The Longhorns, who gave up 50 points in the first meeting between these two teams, were as locked in on the defensive end as they have been all year. They packed the lane to deter paint touches while forcing the ball out of Gradey Dick’s hands as much as possible.
Bill Self tried a variety of different lineup combinations early on, but nothing seemed to work. Texas stretched the lead out to double-digits about 15 minutes into the game, and never really looked back after that.
KU cut it to seven on multiple different occasions in the second half, but could never get over the hump.
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Box score: Texas 75, Kansas 59
Photo Gallery: Kansas basketball at Texas
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Jalen Wilson, who scored just two points in the first meeting with Texas, led the way in a losing effort on Saturday. He snapped out a shooting slump from deep by knocking down three triples, the first of which led to a point toward the ESPN broadcasters in the middle of the game. Wilson finished with 23 points and 10 rebounds.
No other Jayhawk provided support for Wilson in the finale. In fact, Kansas didn’t have a second player finish in double figures. Dick, who didn’t make a shot against Texas Tech earlier this week, canned two triples in the second half.
Saturday’s loss snapped a seven-game win streak for the Jayhawks, who ended the regular season with a 25-6 overall record and 13-5 clip in Big 12 play. Texas (23-8, 12-6 Big 12) snapped out of a two-game skid.
Both teams will now turn their attention toward the Big 12 tournament, where Kansas will be the No. 1 seed and Texas is the No. 2 seed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eSPH2i-_c
