Tigers fall to Kansas in NCAA rematch

Rice got here off the bench to rating 19 factors, Jalen Wilson hit 5 3-pointers and scored 22, and the ninth-ranked Jayhawks bounced again from their first lack of the season with an 87-55 rout of Texas Southern.

“I just come in and do my job, really, whether that’s bringing energy or playing defense,” Rice stated afterward. “I know I’ve lost some time, but it’s also kind of like a step up. I need to get that momentum back.”

Gradey Dick added 15 factors, Josef Yesufu had 14 and KJ Adams 10 for the Jayhawks (7-1), who stumbled towards No. 13 Tennessee in the championship sport of Battle 4 Atlantis. They are actually 109-16 after a loss below coach Bill Self, who made his regular-season debut at Allen Fieldhouse after lacking three house video games to a school-imposed suspension.

“I thought it was probably pretty good overall,” Self stated, “contemplating we had been drained and hadn’t practiced since enjoying Tennessee. I believed that was pretty much as good as we may do.”

Davon Barnes had 22 factors and Zytarious Mortle scored 11 for the Tigers (1-7), whose brutal non-conference schedule has taken them to Texas Tech, Houston and Auburn with a visit to Wichita State nonetheless to come.

Texas Southern coach Johnny Jones was not accessible after the sport.

It was a rematch of an NCAA Tournament first-round sport final season received by the Jayhawks on their means to the nationwide championship. And for a stretch in the primary half, the Tigers gave the champions all they may deal with.

Texas Southern was nonetheless inside 14-10 halfway by the primary half when Kansas went on a 15-2 run to take management. But even in the course of the breakout, the Jayhawks at one level missed three straight pictures, failed to capitalize on turnovers and could not salvage a lot of a lead on the boards towards a a lot smaller crew.

Kansas even gave up a 3 that received the preseason SWAC favorites inside 40-25 at halftime.

“Defensively, we weren’t very good early,” Self stated, “and they lost a lot of lines.”

If there was any drama left, it disappeared in the opening minutes of the second half. Texas Southern turned it over 4 instances in its first 5 possessions, Kansas ripped off a 14-2 run and Self was finally ready to study his bench.

One final time

Broadcaster Dave Armstrong has signed on for the ultimate time after a 38-year profession broadcasting the NBA, Major League Baseball, faculty soccer and faculty basketball. He has been a staple in the Big 12 since 1988, when it was referred to as the Big 8, and often known as video games in the Big East, Big Ten and ACC.

Sick Jayhawks

Kansas ahead Kevin McCullar Jr., who’s averaging 9.7 factors and seven.3 rebounds, sat out the sport in avenue garments with a minor groin harm. Backup quarterback Bobby Pettiford Jr. was out with a hamstring harm.

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Texas Southern could not overcome 16 turnovers and a poor night time from the 3-point arc, the place the Tigers had been 4 of 17. They additionally received simply six factors off the bench and their lack of depth was evident as they drained in the second half .

Kansas was 13 of 29 from the arc, and most of the pictures appeared open due to good ball motion. The Jayhawks had 23 assists on 30 pictures, together with six from Wilson and 9 from Dajuan Harris Jr.

The subsequent one

Texas Southern returns house to face NAIA North American foe Sunday.

Kansas performs Seton Hall Thursday night time in the Big East-Big 12 Battle.