No. 2 Kansas 59, No. 13 Kansas State 55: Travis Releford scored 12 points and Jeff Withey added 11 points and 10 rebounds as the visiting Jayhawks extended the nation's longest win streak to 16 games.
Ben McLemore scored 11 points for Kansas (17-1, 5-0 Big 12), which is the only remaining undefeated team in Big 12 play and has won 45 of the past 48 meetings with its in-state rival.
Shane Southwell scored a career-high 19 points to lead Kansas State (15-3, 4-1), which had its eight-game win streak and 12-game home win streak snapped. Rodney McGruder chipped in 13 points and Angel Rodriguez collected 12 points and eight assists and for the Wildcats.
It was close throughout, but the Jayhawks opened up their biggest lead of the night at 53-43 with just under seven minutes remaining and seemed like they might ease away. Southwell brought the Wildcats back into it with a pair of 3-pointers, but Kansas State could never pull even.
Southwell's transition layup pulled the Wildcats within 56-53 with 24.9 seconds left, but Naadir Tharpe made a pair of free throws and Elijah Johnson hit one of two to seal it.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Kansas improved to 23-2 all-time at Bramlage Coliseum, which opened in 1987. … Both teams' leading scorers - McLemore and McGruder - were held to two points in the first half. … Withey had his streak of 27 consecutive games with at least one blocked shot come to an end.
Kansas | Kansas St. | |
Travis Releford 12 | Scoring | Shane Southwell 19 |
Elijah Johnson 4 | Assists | Angel Rodriguez 8 |
Jeff Withey 10 | Rebounds | Shane Southwell 7 |
Jeff Withey 5 | Free Throws Made | Angel Rodriguez 3 |
Elijah Johnson 2 | Steals | Angel Rodriguez 2 |
Ben McLemore 2 | Blocks | Jordan Henriquez 3 |
Team | Points | FG% | 3PM-3PA | FTM-FTA | Assists | Rebounds | Blocks | Steals | Turnovers |
Kansas | 59 | 45.7 | 4-13 | 13-21 | 12 | 31 | 3 | 6 | 13 |
Kansas St. | 55 | 35.1 | 9-30 | 6-7 | 12 | 28 | 5 | 6 | 10 |