Nebraska Falls To No. 8 Kansas

Lawrence, Kan. (AP)-- Luke Axtell scored 15 points and No. 8 Kansas remained unbeaten at home with a 97-82 victory over Nebraska on Saturday night.

Axtell, a 6-foot-10 transfer from Texas, made three 3-pointers and hit a pair of free throws that kept the Jayhawks (14-2 overall, 3-0 Big 12) in charge with a 66-46 lead with 12:43 remaining. It was the first time Axtell had led his new team in scoring.

The Cornhuskers (7-9, 0-3), trying to avert their first 0-3 start in the conference in seven years, trailed by only two until Kansas went on a 17-2 run at the end of the first half. The Jayhawks then scored the first four points of the second half to open a 53-32 lead.

Until then, the biggest lead Kansas could manage was eight when Axtell made a 3-pointer for a 32-24 lead. The Huskers then scored the next six points and trimmed the lead to 32-30 before Kenny Gregory's bucket and Kirk Hinrich's 3-pointer ignited the 17-2 run in the last three minutes of the half.

Nebraska, 1-16 in its last 17 trips to Allen Fieldhouse, was led by Kimani Ffriend's 23 points and 14 rebounds. Cary Cochran had 17 points, including five 3-pointers.

Louis Truscott's free throw sliced Kansas' lead to 60-45 before Drew Gooden hit a pair of free throws and Axtell followed with two more. Gooden, a 6-foot-9 freshman, brought the sellout crowd of more than 16,000 to its feet with a follow shot at the 11:47 mark that gave the Jayhawks a 69-48 lead.

A few minutes later, reserve Ashante Johnson scored six of Kansas' next eight points as the Jayhawks improved to 8-0 at home.

Gooden and Gregory had 14 points for Kansas, while Nick Collison had 13.

The Huskers outrebounded Kansas 55-48.