Kansas Jayhawks vs Kansas State Wildcats Match Player Stats On Feb 29, 2020

There were no fisticuffs, but No. 1 Kansas had to survive a valiant fight from rival Kansas State before hanging on for a 62-58 win Saturday in Manhattan, Kan.

Devon Dotson scored 25 points to lead the Jayhawks (26-3, 15-1 Big 12) to their 14th straight victory.

Kansas won the previous matchup 81-60 on Jan. 21 in Lawrence, a contest marred by an ugly bench-clearing brawl.

The Wildcats led with 12:48 left in the game, and the score was tied at 48-48 at the 7:00 mark before the Jayhawks used an 8-0 spurt to open a comfortable lead.

K-State cut it to 60-57 in the final minute, but Isaiah Moss hit two critical free throws for Kansas.

The Jayhawks own a 199-94 all-time record against K-State, including 79-48 on the road. They've won 33 of the last 38 games in Manhattan against their rivals, including a 25-game win streak from 1983-2007.

Besides Dotson, no other Kansas player scored in double figures.

K-State (9-20, 2-14) has lost nine straight games, their longest skid since losing 11 straight in 1999-2000. The Wildcats were led by Cartier Diarra with 15 points. Xavier Sneed and Makol Mawien each added 13.

The Wildcats followed the modus operandi that has plagued them all season -- a slow start. They hit their first shot--a 3-pointer by Diarra--but then missed their next nine. The only thing that kept them in the game early was four Kansas turnovers before the first media timeout.

On the fourth turnover, Udoka Azubuike was called for traveling when he stepped on Sneed's foot and rolled his right ankle. He immediately went to the locker room, but returned with 9:01 left. He was limited to six points and nine rebounds in 20 minutes.

Kansas asserted its strength with a 14-2 run to open a 14-5 lead before K-State made another field goal. But the Wildcats gradually chipped away, and Kansas led 35-34 at halftime. The Wildcats hit 11 of their final 16 shots in the half.

--Field Level Media