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Quick Performance: KU fails to challenge k-state in the second half of the Sunflower Showdown, losing 81-73

Quick Performance: KU fails to challenge k-state in the second half of the Sunflower Showdown, losing 81-73

On February 9, 2025By Littum

Kansas tip Kj Adams Jr. (24) Trying to angle between Kansas State Guard David N’Guessan (1) and Kansas State Guard Max Jones (2) during the first half of Saturday 8 February 2025 at Bramlage Coliseum. Photo by Nick Krug

Manhattan – on Kansas’ previous two visits to the Bramlage Colosseum, Kansas State needed overtime herdics to take down rival Jayhawks.

Saturday there was no such drama.

Wildcats jumped ahead with a 12-1 race midway through the first half and got what they wanted all afternoon from then, against a team that had proud of defense through the BIG 12 game. Trade baskets in 37-37 second half were not enough for Jayhawks when it had been on January 18 at Allen Fieldhouse, and K-State secured another division into the Sunflower show by sending 16-ranked KU, 81-73.

The result ensured that for the first time since the 2005-06 season, Jayhawks lost to each of their primary rivals, K-State and Missouri. It also fell KU to 3-5 on the road this season, after a number of strong performances in Away fitness centers in January suggested that Jayhawks may have turned since the 2023-24 campaign’s catastrophic road performance.

Instead, they pulled for the past 29 minutes and four seconds. The K-State victory was Wildcats’ biggest victory margin in the Sunflower Showdown since 2011.

KU could sometimes score well-center-center Hunter Dickinson led Jayhawks with 21 points and nine rebounds, and Zeke Mayo scored 15 in a turnover-set-but it couldn’t compare with K-State’s offensive efforts. Wildcats got 20 points from David N’Guessan, a 15-point, 11-assisted double dump from the Point Guard, dug McDaniel and 12 points piece from Max Jones and Coleman Hawkins.

KU allowed a deep 3-pointer to McDaniel to open the game, but played reasonably good defense in the opening minutes, hampered something of two early violations on Dajuan Harris Jr., who forced Shakeel Moore to extend action. As was the case last year in Manhattan, Under-16 Media Timeout arrived late, and Wildcats led 13-12 after the stretch of more than six minutes preceding the first stop.

Adams, who had missed the first installment of Sunflower -Showdown with a staggered shoulder, took the center of Jayhawks early on both sides of the ball. He had 10 points on 5-for-7 shooting at Midway Point in the first half and also pulled the challenging defensive assignment of Hawkins as KSU repeatedly tried to use ball screens to get Hawkins to switch to Jayhawks’ smaller guards.

With K-State that led 22-21 out of under-12-hourout, Hawkins drove to the bucket and converted a set up through a mistake of Harris that immediately went back to the bench. The play was part of a central stretch containing 3s by McDaniel and CJ Jones.

Jayhawks pulled by as many as 12 before AJ Storrel connected from deep with just over five minutes left in half. Their defense continued to put some resistance until head coach Bill himself returned to a three-Big lineup with Adams, Flory Bidunga and Dickinson. This group held Wildcat’s scoreless until the last moments of half when N’Guessan hit a deep stepback jumper over Bidunga to make it 44-36 during the break.

KU did not register a block or stole in the first half and allowed 19-for-35 (54.3%) shooting-factually lower than Jayhawks’ own brand.

Rylan Griffen’s second chance 3-pointer opened the second half for KU, but Jayhawks immediately allowed one in return to Brendan Hausen and then Griffen missed on the other end.

KU pulled 52-43 before a straight 3-point of Hawkins, acrobatic floats of McDaniel and the turnover of Jayhawks got the Bramlage amount as high as it had been all day.

Jayhawks’ short attempt to go zone resulted in an immediate 3-pointer of Max Jones, which was K-States ninth of the day.

Wildcats couldn’t score for a period of 3:53 down on the stretch, and Dickinson made his first 3-Pointer since December 14. Jayhawks came as close as 74-64 on another bucket of Dickinson and within single digits for the first time since the opening stages of the second half on a tip-in of Bidunga before maintaining the eight-point defeat.

Jayhawks, who fell to 16-7 overall and 7-5 in Big 12 Play, hosts Colorado at 1 p.m. 20 Tuesday.

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