Hunter Dickinson’s 13 points and 16 rebounds, along with Kevin McCullar Jr. and KJ Adams contributing 17 points each, propelled No. 2 Kansas to a 73-64 victory over rival Missouri on Saturday.
Kansas sealed the first half with a 14-0 run ignited by Elmarko Jackson’s 3-pointer, turning a 2-point deficit into a commanding 41-29 halftime lead.
Kansas coach Bill Self acknowledged the Jayhawks’ slow start but emphasized the pivotal 14-0 run: “They were better than us to start the game, but that run was the difference in the game. We made a lot of good basketball plays in the last six minutes of the first half.”
McCullar Jr. posted 14 points and six rebounds in the first half alone. Sean East II led Missouri with 21 points, and Nick Honor added 17. However, the absence of guard Caleb Grill, averaging 8.4 points and nearly six rebounds per game, due to a wrist injury impacted Missouri’s lineup.
Missouri stayed competitive in the second half, outscoring Kansas 35-32. Still, it wasn’t enough to upset their border rival and former Big 12 adversary.
Kansas dominated in the paint with 42 points but struggled with turnovers, committing 16, allowing Missouri to stay in the game during the first half.
Head coach Dennis Gates of Missouri acknowledged his team’s growth but pointed out the need for consistency: “We had an excellent game plan but weren’t able to put a full 40 minutes together. I thought our guys grew up a little bit today. I think we had multiple guys make big plays.”
Kansas improved to 9-1, shooting 25 of 56, while Missouri went 24 for 58 from the floor, falling to 7-3.
Before the game, Thomas Robinson had his No. 0 jersey retired in honor of leading the Jayhawks to the NCAA title game in 2012 and earning Consensus All-America First Team recognition.
Missouri is set to host Seton Hall next Sunday, while Kansas will travel to Indiana the following Saturday.
