Jayhawks

The Kansas Jayhawks (29-2) blew a double-digit lead in the final four minutes but were able to hang on to beat the 22nd ranked Missouri Tigers (22-9) 70-66 in Columbia.  The win gives number 2 Kansas it's 7th consecutive Big 12 regular season title.  The loss is Missouri's first at home this season. Marcus Morris led the Jayhawks in scoring Saturday, with 21 points and 10 rebounds.  Thomas Robinson also had an impressive showing on the court with 15 points and 13 rebounds. It was Tyrel Reed, however, that hit one of the most clutch shots for Kansas this afternoon.

The Kansas Jayhawks (1-5, 0-3) lost their 5th game of the season on Saturday falling to Oklahoma State (3-2, 1-1) 20 to 14. The first half took nearly three hours to complete thanks to a long weather delay that lasted almost one and a half hours.  There was no score in the game before that but Oklahoma State scored twice to take a 10-0 lead into the half. Oklahoma State pushed the lead out even further in the third quarter with a 72-yard touchdown pass from J.W. Walsh to Charlie Moore.

Baylor continues to be oh for life in Lawrence. The third-ranked Bears were blitzed by #7 Kansas, 92-74 Monday night in Allen Field House. The Jayhawks, who've lost but seven times at home in Head Coach Bill Self's nine seasons, took a ten point lead at the half and cruised home in the second. KU shot 57 percent from the field and got 28 points and 6 assists from Tyshawn Taylor, the current Big 12 Player of the Week. Thomas Robinson chipped in 27 points and 14 rebounds as the Jayhawks improve to 15-3 on the season.

Three former Jayhawks - third baseman Tony Thompson and pitchers Cameron Selik and Travis Blankenship - have all signed contracts with professional organizations in the last week and will likely begin their professional careers this weekend. Thompson, a junior infielder from Reno, Nev., was drafted with the 185th overall pick by the Oakland A's in this season's MLB First-Year Player Draft. Thompson hit .338 with 10 doubles, six homers and 38 RBIs in 40 games. This came on the heels of an All-American season for Thompson, which saw him hit .389 with 21 homers, 82 RBIs and a .753 slugging percentage as a sophomore.

The Kansas Jayhawks put Wichita State in a 6-0 hole early and went on to beat the Shockers 7-4 Tuesday night at Hogland Park. Zach Beringer was good through the first three innings but started losing control going into the fourth.  The 'Hawks scored two runs in the 4th off Beringer then 4 in the 5th off of Aaron LaBrie to take a commanding 6-0 lead.  Beringer will take the loss for the Shockers. Wichita State tried to rally in the 6th and 7th innings scoring two runs in each, but the rally fell short.

No. 7 Kansas hit 35 of 40 free throws, including 27 of 29 in the second half en route to a  90-59 basketball exhibition victory against Emporia State Tuesday night. Five Jayhawks scored in double figures, paced by Markieff Morris, who scored 10 of his team-high 14 points in the first half.  Thomas Robinson had a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds, while Marcus Morris and Travis Releford each scored 12 points and Tyshawn Taylor added 10 points and a game-high six assists.

Kansas University’s offense was stagnant toward the end of the first half, and KU coach Bill Self told his players he believed he knew why. At halftime of the Jayhawks’ 73-59 victory over Illinois on Sunday, Self told his guards that they needed to be tougher, as Illinois’ guards were pushing them toward midcourt — and out of their offense. “No one’s going to say, ‘Hey, I thought that Kansas played the ball screen great in the second half, and that’s why they won the game,’” KU senior guard Tyrel Reed said, “but, in essence, I thought we did a good job.” Because KU’s guards were more physical in the second half — and came around ball screens shoulder-to-shoulder with their screen-setting teammates at the three-point line — the Jayhawks were able to get some easy baskets off the pick-and-roll.

Freshman Josh Selby scored a team-high 21 points, including the game-winning three-pointer with 26 seconds remaining, in his Jayhawk debut to lead Kansas basketball to a 70-68 victory over USC in Allen Fieldhouse Saturday. Kansas improved to 10-0 for the second consecutive year and extended the nation’s longest active home court winning streak to 65 games with the victory. USC fell to 6-5 with the loss. Junior Markieff Morris had 11 points and eight rebounds for KU, while his twin brother Marcus added 11 points and seven rebounds.