David McCormack scored 15 points to help Kansas overcome a sluggish start Thursday night as the No. 15 Jayhawks tripped TCU 59-51 at Lawrence, Kan.
The Jayhawks (11-5, 5-4 Big 12) halted a three-game losing streak despite trailing 19-18 at halftime, the first time they netted fewer than 20 first-half points since 2002 against Oklahoma.
McCormack, a junior who scored 20 points in a win at TCU earlier this month, canned the first 3-pointer of his career with 4:06 left to give Kansas a 50-43 lead. He scored 11 in the second half as the Jayhawks battled back after trailing for more than 21 minutes of the game.
Ochai Agbaji added 13 points for Kansas as coach Bill Self used different combinations and began the second half with two reserves on the floor, attempting to find a spark.
TCU, playing its first game in 16 days following three postponements, regained the services of coach Jamie Dixon, who had not been with the team for several days after contracting COVID-19 last week.
The Horned Frogs (9-6, 2-5) threatened but could not pull off the upset after falling by 29 to Kansas on Jan. 5 in a result that launched their current four-game losing streak.
Mike Miles, who went scoreless against Kansas in the first meeting, scored a game-high 18 points Thursday, but TCU could not overcome 22 turnovers and 35.2 percent shooting.
An anemic first half ended with TCU clinging to a one-point margin despite committing 13 turnovers and making only eight field goals. The Horned Frogs got a follow shot from Jaedon LeDee with 1:12 left to snap a 5:30 drought in which they actually maintained the lead.
The Jayhawks endured an 0-for-11 string before Agbaji connected on a 3-pointer with 2:48 remaining in the half. Kansas also made eight first-half field goals while committing eight turnovers.
The Jayhawks' only first-half lead came when Agbaji canned a 3-pointer at the 11:13 mark for an 11-10 edge. The Horned Frogs then scored just nine more points over the final 17 minutes of the half but still kept the Jayhawks from gaining another lead.
--Field Level Media
Texas Christian | Kansas | |
Mike Miles 18 | Scoring | David McCormack 15 |
Taryn Todd 4 | Assists | Ochai Agbaji 4 |
Kevin Samuel 8 | Rebounds | Marcus Garrett 7 |
RJ Nembhard 2 | Free Throws Made | Tyon Grant-Foster 3 |
PJ Fuller 2 | Steals | Dajuan Harris 3 |
PJ Fuller 1 | Blocks | Mitch Lightfoot 3 |
Team | Points | FG% | 3PM-3PA | FTM-FTA | Assists | Rebounds | Blocks | Steals | Turnovers |
Texas Christian | 51 | 35.2 | 8-21 | 5-11 | 10 | 34 | 1 | 7 | 22 |
Kansas | 59 | 41.1 | 4-17 | 9-16 | 11 | 35 | 7 | 8 | 15 |