Haase's return spoiled as Kansas beats Stanford 89-74
LAWRENCE, Kan. -- Jerod Haase received a long, loud ovation upon his return to Allen Fieldhouse on Saturday.
The rest of the cheers were for the Jayhawks.
Frank Mason III scored 20 points, Devonte Graham delivered an early three-point barrage and fourth-ranked Kansas pulled away late for an 89-74 victory over Stanford, spoiling the return of the Cardinal's coach to the building where he once starred as a player.
"Certainly an emotional day," Haase said. "My emotions right now are more frustrated we didn't play at a higher level, but for me personally, it means a lot -- the reception."
The Jayhawks (7-1) hardly greeted him as warmly, using their speed, depth and outside shooting to turn a 43-35 halftime lead into another rout at a building that has seen its share of them.
"We talked about how they packed the lane and how we were going to have to drive, pitch and drive it again," Graham said. "We just did a good job of moving the ball, attacking bad close-outs and having the confidence to let them fly."
Graham hit five threes and finished with 15 points, and Josh Jackson and Svi Mykhailiuk added 13 points apiece as the Jayhawks won for the 44th consecutive time in their old barn.
Reid Travis had a career-best 29 points and nine rebounds for Stanford (6-3), doing most of his damage at the free-throw line. The career 54 percent free throw shooter was 19 of 22, breaking the school record for makes set by Todd Lichti against UC Santa Barbara during the 1987-88 season.
Travis also set records for makes and attempts in a game against Kansas. Rayford Young of Texas Tech hit 18 foul shots in February 1999 and Iowa State's Craig Brackins attempted 21 in January 2009.
"I felt like my teammates did a great job of establishing me early, getting me in the post," Travis said. "I knew I had to draw a lot of fouls, get us to the line early and get a rhythm going."
After falling into an early deficit, Kansas coach Bill Self began going with a bigger lineup to deal with Travis in the paint, and that seemed to open up Graham on the perimeter. He knocked down all five of his three-pointers in the first half, helping the Jayhawks to a 43-35 lead.
Stanford kept going to Travis inside, and the 6-foot-8 brute kept going to the free throw line. During two separate stretches of the second half, he made four free throws in less than a minute.
"He drew basically 17 fouls on four guys, so that just goes to tell you we didn't play the scouting report," Self said. "Our guys just played butt-behind and let him go wherever he wanted to go."
The Jayhawks showcased their versatility in other areas, though.
Down the stretch, Jackson scored on a nifty dunk off an alley-oop pass, Mason got a tilting runner to go while crashing to the floor, and Mykhailiuk knocked down three-pointers from the wing that sent the lead ballooning toward 20 late in the game.
BIG PICTURE
Stanford's first-year coach played three seasons for the Jayhawks under Roy Williams, and later served as their director of basketball operations. Haase then followed Williams to North Carolina, but he was fondly received on Saturday, getting a massive ovation from an appreciative crowd.
"I remember clearly walking into Allen Fieldhouse when I was first recruited," Haase said, "and I think I'll remember the feeling at shootaround today, walking into the arena."
Kansas snapped a two-game skid against the Cardinal that included an NCAA Tournament loss in 2014, when Andrew Wiggins and Co. couldn't slow down Stanford in St. Louis. The Jayhawks were even able to get their benchwarmers some action for the third straight game.
STATS AND STREAK
Mason led the Jayhawks in scoring for the fifth time in eight games. ... Kansas had 20 assists and only nine turnovers. ... Travis was just 5 of 14 from the field. ... Stanford was 2 of 8 from beyond the arc. ... The Cardinal only had seven assists on 21 field goals.
UP NEXT
Stanford gets nearly two weeks off before playing Cal State East Bay on Dec. 16.
Kansas continues its six-game home stand against Missouri-Kansas City on Tuesday night.
