The Kansas Jayhawks looked as if they wanted to be anywhere but beautiful Lubbock, Texas during the opening minutes of their game Wednesday night against Texas Tech and then the lights went on and the Jayhawks put on a show in defeating the Red Raiders 81-46. The win moves Kansas to 13-3 on the season and 3-0 in conference play. The 35 point road win is also the biggest for Kansas during coach Bill Self’s 9 years at Kansas, and marked his 250th win at Kansas. The Jayhawks now lead Tech 21-4 all time
The Jayhawks couldn’t hit shots, gave up offensive rebounds and missed assignments on defense throughout the first 10 minutes of the game. Junior big man Thomas Robinson picked up two early fouls and it appeared as if the Jayhawks were going to just trying to get out of Lubbock as quick as possible. Kansas missed 6 of their first 7 shots of the game and appeared to have no energy on both ends of the court. However, the Jayhawks woke up from their early nap and took advantage of multiple Tech mistakes, missed shots and bad decisions during a 20-4 run that turned a 1 point Tech lead into a 15 point Kansas lead at halftime.
Tech’s Terran Petteway and his 4.6 points per game got ejected in the first half after he took a failed punch at KU’s Conner Teahan.
The second half started off a little sloppy on the defense end of the court for the Jayhawks, but offensively KU continued to hit the gas. After scoring only 5 points in the first half, Thomas Robinson looked the the National Player of the Year as he went all Thomas Robinson by dunking, dunking again, passed for a dunk, and dominating the glass to finish with 12 rebounds. He threw in a three pointer just for kicks as well. Robinson finished 8-11 for 19 points, 12 rebounds and 1 assists in only 19 minutes.
Tech didn’t do much to stop the Kansas offense during the second half as the Jayhawks opened up a 30 point lead with just over 12 minutes to go in the game. Kansas shot 70.4% during the second half, including 50% from three, after only shooting 33.3% in the first half.
Senior Tyshawn Taylor finished with 15 points and 5 assists and Travis Releford once again scored in double figures with 12.
Kansas finished the game with 15 assists to 9 turnovers. Tech finished with 7 assists and 11 turnovers, and no Tech player finished with more than 2 assists.
Kansas shot 50.9% from the field and held Tech 31.4%. Jordan Tolbert, Tech’s leading scorer heading into the game, went 2-6 from the field and finished with 4 points. Javarez Willis, Tech’s leading scorer over their three conference games, went 5-11 and matched his conference scoring average of 12.
Kansas outrebounded Tech 35-22, including snagging 9 offensive rebounds.
Kansas shot 42.9% (9-21) from three to Tech’s 9.1% (1-11).
Kansas outscored Tech in the paint 38-18.
Kansas scored 19 points off of turnovers to Tech’s 10.
Kansas scored 19 second chance points to Tech’s 6, but Tech’s bench outscored KU’s 28-26.
Kansas will host Iowa State at 3:00 pm on Saturday before welcoming #4 Baylor to the Fieldhouse for Big Monday.
