KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Hunter Dickinson had 22 points and 13 rebounds, Kevin McCullar Jr. added 20 points, and second-ranked Kansas routed Wichita State 86-67 on Saturday in the first matchup between the in-state rivals in nearly nine years.
“Coach told us the history of us playing against Wichita State, and how the last time we played them it was really unfortunate,” said Dickinson, who also had four assists. “We knew they were going to come in and give us their best shot.”
Elmarko Jackson added a career-high 12 points for the Jayhawks (12-1), who have won 24-straight games in December and will take an eight-game winning streak into Big 12 play when they take on TCU next Saturday.
Dalen Ridgnal scored 13 points for the Shockers (8-5), who also lost to Kansas State at T-Mobile Center last week. Xavier Bell added 11 points and Quincy Ballard finished with 10.
“We needed to play well to beat a team of this caliber,” Shockers coach Paul Mills said. “Give them a lot of credit. They had a lot to do with our inability to really get into a flow.”
Kansas and Wichita State first played in 1908, but, despite being separated by just 161 miles, the schools have met only 16 times over the years, including a pair of NCAA Tournament games. The most recent meeting was in 2015, when the Shockers beat the Jayhawks in a Midwest Regional game in Omaha, Nebraska.
Kansas never gave them a chance to make it two wins in a row.
The game was tied 14-all when Jackson scored three straight baskets, including a fast-break dunk, to give the Jayhawks the lead. Dickinson added back-to-back baskets off his own misses. By the time Parker Braun scored an easy layup off a slick assist from K.J. Adams Jr., the Jayhawks had taken a 43-27 lead heading to the locker room.
Dickinson opened the second half by drilling a three-pointer from the top of the key. Jackson added a three-pointer of his own from the wing. And when Dickinson picked the pocket of Harlond Beverly and McCullar scored in traffic at the other end, the Kansas lead had grown to 51-27 and Shockers coach Paul Mills was forced to call timeout.
The Jayhawks led by as much as 28 in the second half before cruising to the finish.
“It’s the last game of 2023,” Kansas coach Bill Self said. “I just tried to spin it like it’s a circled game for Wichita State and we have to respect that, and play with the intensity we know they will come out with. I think we did.”
BIG PICTURE
Wichita State was just 4-of-20 from beyond the three-point arc and shot 50% from the foul line, and that won’t fly against one of the nation’s best teams. The Shockers also had 13 assists to 15 turnovers.
Kansas freshman Johnny Furphy was back after missing a game to return home to Australia. He only had seven points, but his ability to hit shots from long range was important in creating better spacing and opening up the floor.
UP NEXT
Kansas welcomes the Horned Frogs to Allen Fieldhouse next Saturday to open Big 12 Conference play.
Wichita State opens American Athletic Conference play against North Texas on Thursday night.
