#3 Kansas Rebounds With 78-66 Win Over #9 Oklahoma

The third-ranked Kansas Jayhawks needed a bounce-back performance after a stunning loss at UCF on Wednesday night. Thanks to a big first half from KJ Adams and a big second half from Kevin McCullar, the Jayhawks got exactly that.

Adams scored all 15 of his points in the first half, McCullar scored 15 of his 21 in the second half, and Kansas sent ninth-ranked Oklahoma home from Allen Fieldhouse in their last visit as a Big 12 member on a losing note with a 78-66 victory.

Hunter Dickinson added his tenth double-double of the season for the Jayhawks, scoring 24 points and snaring 14 rebounds while also tying a career-high with five blocks. The win improves KU to 14-2 (2-1 Big 12 Conference) while dropping OU to 13-3 (1-2 Big 12).

KU sprinted out to a nine-point first half lead at 19-10, thanks in large part to the energy and effort of Adams, who was 5-of-9 from the field and grabbed eight boards in the game’s first 20 minutes. The Sooners reeled the Jayhawks back in with a 17-7 run to take their first lead of the game with 6:28 left. The two teams mostly exchanged baskets the rest of the half, with KU clinging to a 38-37 lead at the intermission.

TOUGH 😤#LevelUp x @kj_atx pic.twitter.com/pgLKqdUvQH

— Kansas Men’s Basketball (@KUHoops) January 13, 2024

In the second half, McCullar began to assert himself. Though he was just 3-for-7 from the field, he worked his way to the free throw line and went 8-of-9 from the charity stripe. He scored eight of 13 points in a 13-5 Jayhawk run that helped them build their first double-digit lead of the night at 61-51 with 9:48 left. The Jayhawks would not trail again and OU got no closer than seven points the rest of the night, with KU leading by as many as 16 en route to the victory.

Kev in the corner 👌#LevelUp x @Kevin_McCullar pic.twitter.com/88goslf52L

— Kansas Men’s Basketball (@KUHoops) January 13, 2024

The win ends the annual conference series of games between Kansas and Oklahoma, with the Jayhawks 53-7 against the Sooners at Allen Fieldhouse.

Kansas is back in action Tuesday night in Stillwater, Oklahoma, where they’ll take on Oklahoma State.