LDN - Sports

No. 2 Kansas survives at Iowa State

[January 17, 2017] AMES, Iowa -- The need for the Kansas bench to step up Monday was addressed in a pregame discussion by coach Bill Self.

The Jayhawks have little depth, but sophomores Carlton Bragg and Lagerald Vick were put on notice before No. 2 Kansas downed Iowa State 76-72 in Hilton Coliseum.

"It was crazy, because coach kind of called it before the game," Jayhawks senior center Landen Lucas said. "He said we needed a big game from both of them, and he called them out specifically. The next thing you know, both of them came out and had a great first half and a great overall game."

As Big 12 leaders, the Jayhawks remain undefeated atop league play at 6-0. They stand 17-1 overall after their winning their 17th straight following a season-opening loss to Indiana.

Although the game was not called tight considering the teams combined for 26 fouls and just 15 free-throw attempts, Kansas freshman guard Josh Jackson got into early foul trouble. That forced Self to use both Bragg and Vick as subs. The pair combined for 18 points and 11 rebounds.

"I told them before the game, 'You two guys are going to win the game for us,'" Self said. "I'm not sure it played out that way, but I thought they played well. They'd been practicing better.

"We missed so many layups, but I thought Carlton was active and Lagerald did a great job and gave us energy on the offensive glass."

Although Frank Mason tweaked his right knee in the first half, the senior point guard led the Jayhawks in scoring for the 14th time with 16 points. He also was assigned defensive duty on Cyclones star Monte Morris.

The Iowa State senior countered with 23 points, seven rebounds and seven assists, but the Cyclones (11-6, 3-3) only led early in the game and could not make up the deficit despite a late 7-0 run.

Kansas used its size advantage to forge a 41-24 advantage on the glass and also outscored Iowa State 52-28 in the paint as Lucas added 14 points. Jackson grabbed a game-high eight boards to offset a 3-for-11 shooting night.

"We were minus-17 on the glass. We've got to find a better way to rebound and defend," said Iowa State senior guard Naz Mitrou-Long, who added 18 points. "Once you get freelance buckets at the rim, you can get just about anything you want, and (Kansas) did."

Guard Deonte Burton, another of the five seniors Iowa State uses in its starting lineup, added 21 points. The Cyclones matched their season average of nine 3-point makes, but did so on 27 attempts. The Jayhawks countered with 54.8 percent shooting overall while going 6 of 15 from long distance.

"It wasn't our best performance by any stretch," said Self, "but collectively as (the rotation of) seven goes, we've labored of late, and if the starting five didn't have a great night, it would be hard for us to win. A couple of starters didn't have their best nights, and those (reserves) made up for it."

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Kansas Jayhawks forward Landen Lucas (33) shoots over Iowa State Cyclones guard Deonte Burton (30) and guard Nick Weiler-Babb (1) at James H. Hilton Coliseum. The Jayhawks beat the Cyclones 76-72. Mandatory Credit: Reese Strickland-USA TODAY Sports

Iowa State was within striking distance at 67-63 after a three-point play by Burton with 3:38 left, then fell behind by 10 but managed to make it interesting late. A 3-pointer by Morris with 26.6 seconds left cut the margin to 73-70.

Vick converted a breakaway dunk for Kansas with 20 seconds left. Junior guard Devonte' Graham, who had nine points and a game-high eight assists, added a free throw with 12.8 seconds left, and the Cyclones did not score again.

Junior guard Svi Mykhailiuk added 13 points for Kansas.

The Cyclones had won four of the previous six in the series, including two straight at home. A win could have seriously strengthened their credentials for a seventh straight NCAA Tournament bid.

"They get 14 layups in the first half. Layups," Iowa State coach Steve Prohm said. "That's 28 points. You can't do that against Kansas and give that to them."

NOTES: Kansas climbed to No. 1 as expected on Monday, but in only one poll. Villanova, which beat Kansas in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament last season, leap-frogged the Jayhawks into the No. 1 spot in the Associated Press ratings. Kansas landed the No. 1 nod in the coaches poll, the first time the Jayhawks gained the top ranking in either poll this season. ... Kansas freshman G Josh Jackson on Monday was named Big 12 newcomer of the week for the fourth time. He averaged 18 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.5 steals in victories over Oklahoma and Oklahoma State. ... Iowa State entered with wins in its past five Big 12 home games. ... The sellout was Iowa State's 25th in its last 29 home games. ... Monday's game was the 700th played at Hilton Coliseum, which opened in 1971.

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