FORT WORTH — A quick start and late run to close the first half helped No.3 Kansas survive a rowdy road environment and defeat No.24 TCU 63-58 on Monday night at a packed Schollmaier Arena.
Both teams were cold-shooting the ball from the field to start the game, but Kansas managed to go up 7-0 early.
Four quick points from TCU forward Emanuel Miller awakened his team as the game became more competitive. TCU went the final 2:07 of the first half without making a shot, which allowed Kansas to take a four-point lead at the half.
TCU battled back several times in the second half, coming within one point several times, but Kansas answered every attempt at a comeback.
Trailing 61-58, TCU missed numerous opportunities to cut into the lead or tie the game, including a long, contested three-point attempt from guard Damion Baugh that forced TCU to start fouling to extend the game.
Kansas’ Kevin McCullar knocked down two final free throws to seal the win with one second left.
Kansas guard Gradey Dick scored 14 of his game-high 19 points in the first half, while McCullar picked up the slack with nine of his 15 in the second.
Mike Miles led TCU in scoring with 13 points.
WHAT TO KNOW
Kansas avoids the season sweep against TCU as the Horned Frogs routed the Jayhawks in Lawrence on January 21. The Jayhawks also continue a 29-year streak in which they have won 11 conference games.
Kansas began the day tied with Texas for first place in the Big 12 and earns a half-game lead over the Longhorns with the win.
TCU came into the week ranked in the top 25 for a program record 11th consecutive week.
BY THE NUMBERS
Dick and McCullar were the only Kansas players to score more than seven points. Big 12 leading scorer Jalen Wilson entered Tuesday averaging 20.4 points per game and was held to just seven points. He also had 13 rebounds.
TCU shot just 30% from the field on Tuesday, two days after shooting a program-record 68.4% and scoring 100 points against Oklahoma State.
Kansas improves to 205-2 under Bill Self when keeping its opponent under 60 points.
WHO SAID
Kansas head coach Bill Self on the difference between Monday’s win and his team’s 83-60 loss to TCU earlier this season:
“Well, the one in Lawrence, we played awful, they played great, and we didn’t do anything to make them not play great. Today, at least we guarded and rebounded for 40 minutes. For the most part, we did a good job on the guys we felt like could have big nights.”
TCU head coach Jamie Dixon on the difference in his team’s offense after playing so well on Saturday:
“I kept trying to encourage our guys, ‘We haven’t been good, but we’re going to be good.’ … We just never got it right … The movement wasn’t good, the ball movement wasn’t good, and the decision-making wasn’t good.”
NEXT UP
TCU (18-10, 7-8 in the Big 12) plays Texas Tech (15-12, 4-10) at 11 a.m. CST on Saturday in Lubbock. Kansas (23-5, 11-4) hosts West Virginia (16-12, 5-10) at 3 p.m. CST on Saturday.