Jayhawks hold off Cyclones 83-77

Kansas dug itself out of an early hole to come back and beat Iowa State 83-77 in Hilton Coliseum on Tuesday night.

Iowa State took early leads of 6-2, 14-9, and 19-14 before the Jayhawks got their act together. KU took a 24-21 lead with 8:17 before halftime on a Svi three. Iowa State would retake the lead at 28-27 with 4:00 to go, but Kansas answered and went into halftime up five, 39-34.

Kansas quickly extended its lead following the break, going up double digits, 47-36, following a Udoka Azuibuke bucket with 17:05 to go. ISU closed to within 58-55 with 11:10 to go, but Kansas was up to the task and re-extended its lead. An Azubuike dunk with 4:50 to play gave Kansas a 13-point, 76-63 lead, and for all intents and purposes ended the game right there as KU held on for an 83-77 victory.

All five Kansas starters scored in double figures, with Doke leading the way with 19 points on 9-10 shooting.

One issue of concern continues to be Devonte Graham’s offense. Graham shot just 3-16 from the field, but added six rebounds and five assists against zero turnovers.

Svi also struggled for the second consecutive game, hitting just 3-10 from the field. Quick math tells you that Graham and Svi combined for 6-26 from the floor. That’s, uh, not good, and will make it difficult to beat teams should that trend continue.

Up next, Kansas will return to Allen Fieldhouse to host West Virginia with ESPN’s College Gameday in town. The game tips at 5 PM Jayhawk time.