{"id":21077,"date":"2017-02-02T07:50:57","date_gmt":"2017-02-02T07:50:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/?p=21077"},"modified":"2017-02-02T07:50:57","modified_gmt":"2017-02-02T07:50:57","slug":"no-2-kansas-survives-no-3-baylor-73-68-win","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/sports\/no-2-kansas-survives-no-3-baylor-73-68-win.html","title":{"rendered":"No. 2 Kansas survives against No. 3 Baylor with 73-68 win"},"content":{"rendered":"
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No. 2 Kansas survives against No. 3 Baylor with 73-68 win<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

Kansas took a big step toward keeping its streak of Big 12 titles intact Wednesday night.<\/span><\/p>\n

Kept a lot of other streaks going, too.<\/span><\/p>\n

The third-ranked Jayhawks leaned on star freshman Josh Jackson, who responded with 23 points and 10 rebounds, and some stingy defense in the final minute to knock off No. 2 Baylor 73-68 and take a one-game lead over the Bears at the midway point of the Big 12 race.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt was big. It was for first place,\u201d said junior guard Devonte Graham, who added 13 points. \u201cWe knew we had to come out and get that \u2018W\u2019 so we could remain in first. Now we have to take this game and that momentum and keep it rolling.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The Jayhawks (20-2, 8-1) are aiming for their 13th consecutive Big 12 title, but there are still huge hurdles standing in their way. More immediately, the win was their 51st straight at Allen Fieldhouse and ninth in a row over the Bears (20-2, 7-2), who have never won in 15 tries at the Phog.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe know it\u2019s going to be hard,\u201d Kansas coach Bill Self said, \u201cand if we hadn\u2019t won tonight, we\u2019re not out of the race. But it would be even more of an uphill climb.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

It was nip-and-tuck almost the entire way.<\/span><\/p>\n

The game was tied 64-all with 2:23 left when Jackson went baseline for a dunk. And after Frank Mason III made a couple of foul shots moments later, the teams began trading baskets down the stretch in a matchup that lived up to its billing \u2014 and the lofty rankings of both teams.<\/span><\/p>\n

Manu Lecomte\u2019s fall-away jumper brought Baylor to 70-68 with 51 seconds left, but Ish Wainwright missed a 3-pointer badly on the team\u2019s next possession. Svi Mykhailiuk made one of two free throws with 18 ticks left for the Jayhawks, and then they buckled down for the biggest stop of the night.<\/span><\/p>\n

Lecomte was hounded around the perimeter by Mason and Landen Lucas, and passed the ball off to Johnathan Motley, who likewise had nowhere to go with Jackson in his face. Motley\u2019s pass landed out of bounds with 1.3 seconds left, and Mason made both free throws after getting fouled on the inbounds play.<\/span><\/p>\n

Mason had 19 points and Mykhailiuk finished with 11 for the Jayhawks.<\/span><\/p>\n

Motley had 16 points and 10 rebounds, and Lecomte also scored 16 for the Bears.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOne day we\u2019ll win up here,\u201d Baylor coach Scott Drew said, \u201cjust not this year.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The Jayhawks dominated the opening minutes, getting off shots before Baylor could settle into its vaunted zone. But they eventually got too sped up, turning it over three straight times.<\/span><\/p>\n

Gradually, the Bears were able to slow the game to their liking, clawing back to take their first lead at 18-16 midway through the half. They proceeded to rip off a 10-2 run a few minutes later, their big salvo triggered by a defense that completely shut down the Jayhawks in the paint.<\/span><\/p>\n

Motley began to assert himself at the other end, scoring most of his 14 first-half points right at the basket, as the Jayhawks\u2019 poor interior play continued to drag them down in the second half.<\/span><\/p>\n

It was their outside shooting that kept them in the game.<\/span><\/p>\n

Mykhailiuk drained two 3-pointers in quick succession out of the locker room, part of a 13-0 run that gave the Jayhawks a 41-36 lead. Mason added five points during the charge, which energized another sellout crowd at the Phog and prompted Drew to call a timeout.<\/span><\/p>\n

The teams traded blows the rest of the way, with Kansas delivering the final shot.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re a great team, their coach is a great coach and I think he does a great job of using their athletic abilities,\u201d Mason said. \u201cI think when we go down to Waco, it\u2019ll be a great game.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Source:-\u00a0http:\/\/www.usatoday.com\/story\/sports\/ncaab\/big12\/2017\/02\/01\/baylor-bears-kansas-jayhawks-josh-jackson-college-basketball\/97379434\/<\/span><\/div>\n

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