Kansas pulls away from K-State with second-half run (+video)

Kansas’ 75-59 victory over Kansas State brought the usual large margin as is often the case when the teams meet in Allen Field House.

But this one was constructed in a different way.

Often, the Jayhawks have opened a large early margin and coasted home. Not this time.

Kansas State controlled the first part of each half, keeping things interesting.

But in the end, the trends continued: Kansas won its 36th straight home game and Kansas State dropped its 12 straight road conference game.

The crucial stretch occurred with 12 minutes remaining in the game. Stephen Hurt’s swish from the top cut the Kansas lead to 47-45.

But the Jayhawks, who had two points from the first 11 possessions of the second half, finally awakened. Wayne Selden answered with a three-pointer from the wing, and moments later Devonte Graham tipped away a pass, tossed a lob to Selden who laid it for a seven-point lead.

Kansas wasn’t finished. Svi Mykhaliuk, who hadn’t played in two of the previous three games, used a screen from Landen Lucas to score at the basket, and Perry Ellis came up with a steak and breakaway slam of his own and the lead was 56-45 with10:34 remaining.

The Kansas defense was active throughout the second half, coming up with five steals, three by Graham.

The scoring sources were a combination of the familiar and unfamiliar. Perry Ellis led the Jayhawks with 19.

Mykhailiuk played his best game of the Big 12 season, coming up with 10 points. Big man Landen Lucas, a rebounding and defensive specialist, chipped in eight.

Kansas ended the first half with a flurry.

Trailing 26-25 after Wesley Iwundu’s two free throws at the 3:03 mark, Kansas went on a tear. Devonte Graham’s three-point play got the run going, and Brannen Greene’s four-point play with two seconds remaining provided a 39-29 lead.

The play was set up when Jamari Traylor forced a turnover, giving the Jayhawks a final possession with 10 seconds remaining.

Frank Mason drove, drew the defense, and found Greene in the corner. Wildcats’ Brian Rohleder closed too late and got enough of Greene for the foul as the ball swished home. Greene’s free throw completed a 14-3 run to end the half.

Kansas also got a first-half boost from Mykhailiuk. He converted a traditional three point, rattled in a deep shot and came up with three steals before the break.

The Wildcats had jumped to a 16-7 early lead and things were even until the final three minutes of the first half.

The seventh-ranked Jayhawks improved to 18-4 overall and 6-3 in the Big 12 and allowed them to stay close in the lead race led by Oklahoma and West Virginia, with 7-2 records.

Kansas State entered the game as one of the Big 12’s hard-luck teams. The Wildcats came into Wednesday 13-8 overall and had lost overtime games to West Virginia and Baylor and were competitive in losses to Oklahoma, North Carolina and Texas away from Manhattan.

Bruce Weber’s K-State teams had been solid against ranked opponents, going 5-7 against AP top 25 teams last season and 6-3 in 2014.

But Wednesday’s loss dropped Kansas State to 0-7 in those contests this season. In the rugged Big 12, the wait is never long for another opportunity. Saturday, the Wildcats play host to top-ranked Oklahoma.

This story was originally published February 3, 2016 at 10:36 PM with the headline "Kansas pulls away from K-State with second-half run (+video)."