After being showered with flowers, applause and love long before Tuesday’s home finale with Texas Tech began, outgoing Kansas basketball seniors Kevin McCullar Jr. and Jalen Wilson quickly did their part to give something back.
Scoring 19 of KU’s 30 first-half points, McCullar and Wilson led the third-ranked Jayhawks to their 40th consecutive win on Senior Night, 67-63 at Allen Fieldhouse.
Tuesday’s win guaranteed the Jayhawks (25-5 overall, 13-4 Big 12) at least a share of the Big 12 regular season title. As such, it set off a wild celebration that included the Jayhawks trotting yet another Big 12 trophy onto the Fieldhouse floor for the 17th time in head coach Bill Self’s 20 seasons in charge of the program, a run that Self called “a pretty good mark of consistency” after the game.
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Box score: Kansas 67, Texas Tech 63
Photo Gallery: Kansas basketball vs. Texas Tech
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Wilson finished the game with 21 points and McCullar, who struggled throughout much of the second half, made arguably the game’s biggest play, out-scrapping everyone for a loose ball under the Kansas basket and laying it in to put the Jayhawks ahead 63-60 with 24.8 seconds to play.
It came after a miss by Wilson with 38 seconds to play, and if Tech had been able to grab the ball, they would’ve been down one with a chance to win instead of needing a 3-pointer to tie.
“Has there been a more competitive play,” Kansas coach Bill Self marveled after the victory. “I mean, that was great. That’s about as competitive of a play as I’ve had. I was just hoping we’d get a jump ball because the arrow was ours.”
Instead, after Wilson dove to try to grab it and KJ Adams got his hands on it while laying out to try to save the possession, McCullar scooped it up and quickly scored as Tech guard Davion Harmon reached for it from an arm’s length away. Self noted that McCullar was successful in his pursuit of the ball because he went to grab it with both hands
“That’s how he steals the ball,” Self said. “He doesn’t steal the ball by deflecting it and running to it. He steals the ball by actually taking it. And that was a prime example. He just went and took it. Great play.”
Wilson agreed.
“If anyone’s going to make a play like that, it’s Kevin,” he said. “That kind of stamped the game. That’s just the type of guy he is; he’s done it all year. He makes plays when it matters the most.”
As soon as he did, McCullar, who made a couple of clutch plays late to beat his old team in Lubbock, Texas, back in January, flexed his right arm as he ran back on defense.
“I was like, ‘Man, I’ve got to go get this ball and try to get a bucket,'” McCullar said after the victory. When I grabbed it, nobody was around so I just stuck it in. We needed that play. It was huge. It was a big momentum swing.”
He added: “I just wanted to win. I wanted to win a Big 12 championship with these guys. That’s one of the reasons I came here, to win games like this. It was a very emotional night and I’m glad we came out with a dub.”
Kansas guard Kevin McCullar Jr. (15) gives a bear hug to Kansas forward Jalen Wilson (10) following the Jayhawks’ win over Texas Tech to clinch a share of the Big 12 Conference championship on Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2023 at Allen Fieldhouse. Photo by Nick Krug
Less than three minutes after the final buzzer sounded, the lights went down, the old trophies came out and the KU players picked up hats and hugs for their latest Big 12 title. As they did, Wilson walked toward mid-court and applauded and waved his hands to the fans in the east stands.
“Just kind of just soaking in everything,” he said. “I actually said it at halftime, that was the fastest half of basketball and then after the game I was like, ‘Man, that game went by so fast.’ And it just kind of sums up the last four years playing here. It goes by so fast. It felt so good to win; I just wanted to cherish the moment and get my last look with all the fans cheering in the Fieldhouse. It’s just a different feeling being in this gym.”
One year after helping KU win a national title, Wilson led the Jayhawks to yet another Big 12 title and the look of joy on his face illustrated exactly what that meant to him. During his senior speech that followed, he expressed it in words, making mention of what last season’s team accomplished in the process.
“That banner there looks pretty good,” he said peeking up at the 2022 National Champions banner that hangs at the north end of Allen Fieldhouse. “But I’m sure another one would look even better.”
Kansas controlled most of the first half of this one with its defense, but the Red Raiders did not seem to care in the opening minutes of the second half.
Texas Tech (16-14, 5-12) was by far the team with more fire to start the second half and that allowed the Red Raiders to cut into the Kansas lead in a hurry. A 5-0 run to start the half trimmed the Jayhawks edge to just four and Texas Tech cut the KU lead to three points on three separate occasions.
Dajuan Harris Jr. made sure things never got too tight for the home team. The KU point guard scored KU’s first bucket of the second half on an easy 3-pointer with 18:27 to play and added two up-and-under transition layups to help keep Texas Tech at arm’s length.
For nearly 10 minutes in the second half, the two teams traded blows, with Tech cutting KU’s lead to two and Kansas responding on the next possession to bump the lead back up to four. Many of those responses came via Wilson free throws, but one of the biggest moments of the game came when KJ Adams connected on an out-of-bounds lob that put the Jayhawks up 51-47 with nine minutes to play.
Tech again cut the KU lead to two on its next trip, but Adams’ flush represented a little breathing room — however temporary — and also allowed Kansas to collectively take out some of its frustration from not being able to bury Texas Tech.
A huge missed free throw by TTU big man Fardaws Aimaq (13 points, 18 rebounds) on the front end of a one-and-one helped Kansas preserve its lead heading into the final minute. From there, the Jayhawks got the big basket by McCullar, a key defensive stop of a drive by Pop Isaacs (11 points) by Wilson and four points from Dajuan Harris Jr. and Gradey Dick to seal the deal and set off the latest championship celebration in Lawrence.
“Certainly, I think guys felt a little different pressure tonight, being Senior Night and also playing for a championship,” Self said. “I know the players (are), and I’m exhausted. That was a high-pressure game, you know, self-inflicted pressure.”
Kansas forward Jalen Wilson (10) roars during a run by the Jayhawks against Texas Tech during the second half on Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2023 at Allen Fieldhouse. Photo by Nick Krug
There were definitely elements of Senior Night making its way into the early going of this one.
After winning the opening tip, KU’s first action led to a wide open 3-point attempt for McCullar from the corner. It missed. Wilson also appeared to rush a couple of shots in the game’s first five minutes before he finally scored in the post against longtime friend Harmon to give the Jayhawks a 4-2 lead.
Kansas made just two of its first nine shots, but the Red Raiders weren’t much better. Tech connected on just one of five shots to open the game — and three of 13 in the game’s first 10 minutes ¬- with four turnovers in the first 4:38. Two came off of KU steals and a third via a shot-clock violation.
“We played so loose early, too loose,” Self said. “So we shot all the balls on the perimeter, and then when we missed them the basket probably got about the size of what you shoot at at the state fair. You know, the ball barely fit inside the goal. We took them and kept taking them and then finally we just drove it and got to the free throw line.”
Kansas finished 18-of-22 at the line on Tuesday night and 22-of-56 from the floor, good for 39.3% shooting. And won.
“It was a fun night because we won,” Self said. “But we’ve had more relaxing and more enjoyable times.”
Although the Jayhawks’ shooting remained tepid, Kansas got a big lift from its bench midway through the first half. Seconds after checking into the game for Gradey Dick and KJ Adams, Ernest Udeh and Joe Yesufu connected for a crucial 3-pointer.
Udeh rebounded a miss by Wilson in the paint and immediately kicked it out to Yesufu on the wing. Without so much as a blink, Yesufu fired up a 3-pointer that swished, giving KU a 9-7 lead.
Both teams continued to struggle shooting the ball for much of the first half, but Kansas found success in the paint, which was basically the only place the Red Raiders scored in the first half.
Adams, McCullar and Wilson all scored points around the rim, with McCullar following up a strong take to the rim to his right with a little glance and quick point to his old friends on the Texas Tech bench as he ran back on defense.
Later in the game, McCullar blocked a vicious dunk attempt by Tech big man Kevin Obanor — McCullar’s former teammate — and quickly slapped on his mean face as he sauntered over to the Tech sideline to inbound the ball.
“I just tried to time his jump and went up there and blocked it,” McCullar said matter-of-factly. “I was just messing with the bench over there. I still know those guys very well, so walking over there was kind of a funny moment. I was just messing with them a little bit.”
Kansas guard Kevin McCullar Jr. (15) jokes with Texas Tech forward Kevin Obanor (0) after rejecting Obanor at the rim during the second half on Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2023 at Allen Fieldhouse. Photo by Nick Krug
Earlier in the first half, after one of the four first-half 3-pointers the Jayhawks made, Harris also had a little extra look for the TTU bench.
On a couple of occasions, the Jayhawks threatened to blow the game open, but leads of 19-11, 25-17 and 29-21 never quite took off and the Jayhawks led 30-21 at halftime.
“It could’ve been less because they shot it poorly,” Self said of the halftime lead. “But it could’ve be 17 real easy, too.”
McCullar led Kansas with 10 points and five rebounds in the opening 20 minutes and Wilson added nine points on 4-of-10 shooting.
The Jayhawks will close out the regular season this Saturday with a trip to Austin, Texas.
Depending on how the ninth-ranked Longhorns fare on Wednesday at TCU, KU will either be playing to keep Texas from tying for the league title or playing one final tune-up before the postseason that has no bearing on the final Big 12 standings.
Texas and TCU are slated for an 8 p.m. tipoff on ESPN2 on Wednesday night.
Asked if he would watch Wednesday’s game, Self smiled.
“Probably with a cocktail in my hand,” he said. “Of course we’ll watch it. I don’t know that we have to have as big a rooting interest, but of course we’ll watch it. We don’t want to have to share (the Big 12 title), and with a win (Wednesday) they put themselves in a situation to celebrate just like we did tonight. We’ll watch it with interest, no question.”
KU and Texas will tipoff at 3 p.m. Saturday on ESPN from the brand-new Moody Center.
Kansas guard Kevin McCullar Jr. (15) celebrates with the Big 12 Conference trophy following the Jayhawks win over Texas Tech to clinch a share of the Big 12 Conference championship on Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2023 at Allen Fieldhouse. Photo by Nick Krug
