LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Keion Brooks scored 27 points as No. 12 Kentucky manhandled No. 5 Kansas 80-62 on Saturday night.
The Wildcats grabbed a big halftime lead in Allen Fieldhouse and cruised to improve to 24-10 all-time in the series. Kansas had won four of the past five coming in. The last Kentucky win in Allen Fieldhouse was in 1985.
Oscar Tshiebwe had a double-double with 17 points and 14 rebounds for Kentucky (17-4), which also got 12 points from Kellan Grady and 11 from Jacob Toppin.
Kansas (17-3) was led by Ochai Agbaji, who had 13 points, 10 in the second half. But the two-time reigning Big 12 Player of the Week was held well below his Big 12-leading 21.3 points per game. Christian Braun also had 13 points.
Kentucky dominated the boards, owning a 41-29 rebounding edge, including 12-7 on the offensive end.
Kansas coach Bill Self kept searching for combinations that would allow his team to get back in the game, but that search turned up empty. Kansas used a 7-0 run to cut the deficit to 62-48 early in the second half when Kentucky missed seven straight shots, but the Jayhawks never got any closer.
Kentucky used an 8-0 run early to grab the lead and then held Kansas at bay. Kentucky led by 12 at the 10:29 mark, with their points spread among seven different players. More telling, the Wildcats held a 13-4 advantage on the boards.
The Kentucky lead grew to as many as 20 when Kellan Grady hit a 3-pointer with 2:31 left in the half and the Wildcats led 51-31 at the break, Kansas’ largest halftime deficit of the season. They trailed Kansas State by 16 a week earlier but rallied for a 78-75 win.
Kentucky shot 61.8% (21 of 34) in the first half, while Kansas was just 13 of 33 (39.4%) and Agbaji was held to just three points.
BIG PICTURE
Kentucky: The Wildcats extended their slim lead in all-time NCAA wins to four (2,344-2,340) over Kansas. These are the two winningest programs in college basketball history. Kansas has gained 15 wins in the last two full seasons.
Kansas: A lack of quality big men doomed the Jayhawks. David McCormack and Mitch Lightfoot combined for just 9 points and 8 rebounds.
UP NEXT
Kentucky returns to SEC play, where their 6-2 record is two games behind Auburn. The Wildcats will host Vanderbilt on Wednesday.
Kansas, which stands at 6-1 in the Big 12, will return to conference play at No. 23 Iowa State on Tuesday.
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