Field Level Media
Feb 17, 2018
Sophomore center Udoka Azubuike went 7-for-8 from the field and also managed to go 7-for-10 from the foul line to score 21 points Saturday as No. 13 Kansas rallied from a 12-point deficit to down No. 20 West Virginia 77-69 at Lawrence, Kan.
The victory was the second in as many years at home against West Virginia for the Jayhawks when they rallied from a double-digit deficit in the second half to beat the Mountaineers.
Kansas used a string of 16 unanswered points down the stretch to climb to 21-6, while improving to 10-4 in the Big 12 while chasing their 14th consecutive league title.
West Virginia coach Bob Huggins was ejected with eight seconds remaining protesting a no-call on what he thought was a foul on Kansas.
Azubuike got a steal and a block inside the final minute to help the Jayhawks as part of a 16-0 run. The Mountaineers (19-8, 8-6) got a 3-pointer from senior guard Daxter Miles with 3:47 left and did not score again until senior guard Jevon Carter made a trey with five seconds remaining.
The Jayhawks went 26-of-35 from the foul line, where the Mountaineers were just 1-of-2. The foul differential was 26-14.
Senior guard Devonte' Graham added 15 points and a team-high eight rebounds, while logging his 10th straight 40-minute performance for Kansas. Junior guard Lagerald Vick added 13 points.
Miles went 6-for-9 from 3-point range and netted 22 points to pace the Mountaineers, while Carter added 15 points and also had seven assists and six rebounds. West Virginia shot 53.8 percent from 3-point range, where they managed 14 makes to just seven for Kansas.
West Virginia did not attempt a free throw in the first half but went 6-for-12 from 3-point range and forged a 34-34 halftime tie. Miles scored eight to lead the Mountaineers, who led by as many as six.
The biggest first-half lead for Kansas was just two points, but the Jayhawks remained within striking distance despite failing to look inside for Azubuike, who made his only two shot attempts of the half.
Vick erupted early in the half to lead the Jayhawks with 10. At the 8:30 mark, Carter forced a tie-up that resulted in the 300th steal in the career of one of the nation's top defenders.
--Field Level Media