National Basketball Association
Kansas 88, Montana 46
When: 2:00 PM ET, Saturday, December 19, 2015
Where: Allen Fieldhouse, Lawrence, Kansas
Officials:
# Jeb Hartness, # Bret Smith, # Gary Mazwell
Attendance:
16300
By The Sports Xchange
LAWRENCE, Kan. -- Senior forward Perry Ellis recorded game-highs with 18 points and nine rebounds Saturday and led four Kansas scorers in double figures as the No. 2 Jayhawks thrashed Montana 88-46 in Allen Fieldhouse.
The Jayhawks (9-1) came in averaging 90 points and scored on eight of their first nine possessions in the second half. That included the first 12 points as Kansas established complete control of its eighth straight victory, and completed a convincing five-game homestand.
A pair of junior guards, Brannen Greene and Wayne Selden, scored 11 points each for Kansas. Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk added 10 points off the bench as Kansas shot 57 percent, going 33 of 58.
Junior guard Frank Mason distributed nine assists for the Jayhawks, who led by as many as 51 points.
Senior forward Martin Breunig confronted foul problems for Montana (4-6), drawing his fourth infraction just 53 seconds into the second half. A 61 percent shooter, Breunig went 3 of 12 and netted nine points. Junior guard Brandon Gfeller scored 12 points to lead the Grizzlies, who captured the Big Sky title last season.
Ellis scored 14 first-half points, going 8-for-8 from the free-throw line, to lead the Jayhawks to a 44-24 margin at the break, their biggest lead of the half. Ellis scored seven points during an 14-2 spree that gave Kansas a 20-7 advantage with 12:50 left in the half.
Greene matched his season average with nine first-half points, canning three 3-pointers on as many attempts. He drew his first start after drawing a five-game disciplinary suspension earlier in the season. In his four previous games, Greene was 8-for-10 from behind the arc.
Montana made just 6 of 23 (26 percent) first-half field goal attempts and committed eight turnovers. The Grizzlies led just once in the game, off the first made basket and finished with a 26.4 percent clip.
More than 3,000 fans in sold-out Allen Fieldhouse came dressed in ugly sweaters, setting a Guinness world record for most ugly sweaters worn in one venue.
Top Game Performances
Montana |
|
Kansas |
Brandon Gfeller 12 |
Scoring |
Perry Ellis 18 |
Jack Lopez 2 |
Assists |
Frank Mason 9 |
Martin Breunig 6 |
Rebounds |
Perry Ellis 9 |
Martin Breunig 3 |
Free Throws Made |
Perry Ellis 10 |
Brandon Gfeller 2 |
Steals |
Wayne Selden Jr 2 |
Martin Breunig 1 |
Blocks |
Jamari Traylor 2 |
Team Stats Summary
Team |
Points |
FG% |
3PM-3PA |
FTM-FTA |
Assists |
Rebounds |
Blocks |
Steals |
Turnovers |
Montana
|
46 |
26.4 |
6-19 |
12-20 |
6 |
23 |
2 |
4 |
13 |
Kansas
|
88 |
56.9 |
7-16 |
15-19 |
20 |
40 |
5 |
8 |
11 |