Field Level Media
Feb 13, 2018
Sophomore center Udoka Azubuike played just eight minutes in the first half because of foul trouble, but he recovered to finish with 19 points on 9-for-10 shooting as No. 13 Kansas toppled Iowa State 83-77 on Tuesday at Ames, Iowa.
Azubuike, the nation's leader in field goal percentage, made his first six shots, extending a string of consecutive makes to 10 dating back to the Jayhawks' loss Saturday at Baylor.
His production, along with 17 points from sophomore guard Malik Newman and 16 from junior guard Lagerald Vick, enabled Kansas (20-6, 9-4 Big 12) to remain in second place in the conference.
League leader Texas Tech defeated Oklahoma 88-78 on Tuesday to remain a game ahead of Kansas in the Big 12.
The Jayhawks made six consecutive shots, including four during an 8-0 run, to gain 76-63 margin with 4:46 remaining. Azubuike had three straight buckets during that surge, as the Jayhawks had little trouble throwing lobs to their big man or driving with their guards.
Each of the Kansas starters scored in double figures, including senior guard Devonte' Graham, who shot just 3-for-16 but scored 13 points and added team-highs with six rebounds and five assists in his ninth consecutive 40-minute performance.
Iowa State, which had won three straight Big 12 home games against ranked opponents, responded to the 13-point deficit by crawling within 81-77 on a drive by junior forward Zoran Talley Jr. with 21.6 seconds left. Talley missed a chance for a three-point play, and the Cyclones (13-12, 4-9) did not score again.
Guard Lindell Wigginton, the conference's second-leading freshman scorer (16.3 average) behind Oklahoma's Trae Young, went just 3-for-12 and netted 12 points after scoring 27 in the first meeting against Kansas. Freshman forward Cameron Lard posted 19 points and 11 rebounds to pace Iowa State, which also placed five scorers in double figures.
Tally had 14 points for the Cyclones, Nick Weiler-Babb contributed 14 and Solomon Young scored 12.
--Field Level Media