© 2023 WUKY
background_fid.jpg
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Kentucky rocks Jayhawks 80-62 in Lawrence

Kentucky guard Kellan Grady (31) blocks a pass intended for Kansas forward Mitch Lightfoot (44) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Jan. 29, 2022, in Lawrence, Kan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Charlie Riedel/AP
/
AP
Kentucky guard Kellan Grady (31) blocks a pass intended for Kansas forward Mitch Lightfoot (44) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Jan. 29, 2022, in Lawrence, Kan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)



Keion Brooks scored 27 points as No. 12 Kentucky manhandled No. 5 Kansas 80-62. The Wildcats grabbed a big halftime lead in Allen Fieldhouse and
cruised to improve to 24-10 all-time in the series.

Kansas had won four of the past five coming in. The last Kentucky win in Allen Fieldhouse was in 1985. Oscar Tshiebwe had a double-double with 17 points and 14 rebounds for Kentucky (17-4), which also got 12 points from Kellan Grady and 11 from Jacob Toppin.

Kentucky dominated the boards, owning a 41-29 rebounding edge, including 12-7 on the offensive end.

Kansas coach Bill Self kept searching for combinations that would allow his team to get back in the game, but that search turned up empty.

Kansas used a 7-0 run to cut the deficit to 62-48 early in the second half when Kentucky missed seven straight shots, but the Jayhawks never
got any closer.

Kentucky used an 8-0 run early to grab the lead and then held Kansas at bay. Kentucky led by 12 at the 10:29 mark, with their points spread among seven different players. More telling, the Wildcats held a 13-4 advantage on the boards.

The Kentucky lead grew to as many as 20 when Kellan Grady hit a 3-pointer with 2:31 left in the half and the Wildcats led 51-31 at the break, Kansas' largest halftime deficit of the season. They
trailed Kansas State by 16 a week earlier but rallied for a 78-75 win.

Kentucky shot 61.8% (21 of 34) in the first half, while Kansas was just 13 of 33 (39.4%) and Agbaji was held to just three points.

BIG PICTURE

Kentucky: The Wildcats extended their slim lead in all-time NCAA wins to four (2,344-2,340) over Kansas. These are the two winningest programs in college basketball history. Kansas has gained 15 wins in the
last two full seasons.

Kansas: A lack of quality big men doomed the Jayhawks. David McCormack and Mitch Lightfoot combined for just 9 points and 8 rebounds.

UP NEXT

Kentucky returns to SEC play, where their 6-2 record is two games behind Auburn. The Wildcats will host Vanderbilt on Wednesday.

Kansas, which stands at 6-1 in the Big 12, will return to conference play at No. 23 Iowa State on Tuesday.