Kansas Holds Off Nebraska, 68-62

Lincoln ? The Nebraska men’s basketball team forced Kansas into a season-high 21 turnovers, but the Jayhawks’ strong shooting when they weren’t turning the ball over allowed them to erase a five-point halftime deficit and hang on for a 68-62 win over the Huskers on Wednesday at the Bob Devaney Sports Center.

Kansas attempted a season-low 39 shots, but the Jayhawks hit 22 of them to shoot at a 56.4 percent clip for the game. Nebraska shot just 40 percent, as the Huskers hit just 9-of-30 from the field in the second half. NU saw its halftime lead erased after Nebraska hit just one field goal over the first 10:21 of the second half, opening the final period just 1-of-14 from the floor.

Despite the poor shooting and the Jayhawks’ hot touch, Nebraska was in front 50-48 with 7:01 remaining. Kansas took the lead for good on its next possession, but the Huskers were not finished. Trailing 63-56 with 1:31 left, Sek Henry hit back-to-back 3-pointers just 18 seconds apart to pull NU within one with 1:06 remaining.

Nebraska appeared to stop Kansas with less than 30 seconds left, but Ryan Anderson was called for a foul and Sherron Collins hit a pair of free throws to stretch the lead to three. With a chance to tie, Collins then stole a Husker inbounds pass with 16 seconds remaining. He then hit two more free throws to seal the victory.

With the win, Kansas improved to 16-4 and remained unbeaten in Big 12 play with a 5-0 record. The win was also the Jayhawks’ 11th straight over the Huskers, who dropped to 12-7 and 2-4.

Collins led two Jayhawks in double figures with 17 points, as he hit 6-of-11 from the field. Brady Morningstar hit 4-of-6 shots to finish with 11 points as seven of the nine Jayhawks who attempted a field goal shot 50 percent or better.

Ade Dagunduro paced Nebraska with a career-high 24 points, as he knocked down 10-of-16 shots. Steve Harley added 11 points and a game-high four steals, while Henry’s two late 3-pointers helped him reach double figures with 10 points. NU also got a nice contribution from Cole Salomon, who played 13 minutes ? one off his career high ? and finished with three points, three rebounds and two assists.

Nebraska attempted 21 more shots than Kansas in the game, but the Huskers had just two more field goals. The Jayhawks also connected on 19-of-27 free throws, while NU was just 7-of-14 at the line. Nebraska dished out seven more assists and committed 13 fewer turnovers, but Kansas finished plus-16 on the board after being outrebounded in the first half.

In the opening 20 minutes, the Huskers used an efficient offense and a harassing defense to build a 34-29 halftime lead. The Huskers hit 50.0 percent from the field in the first half and although Kansas shot 57.9 percent, the Jayhawks attempted only 19 shots. NU's defense recorded six steals and forced KU into 13 first-half turnovers, as the Huskers enjoyed a 15-5 advantage in points off turnovers.

Dagunduro scored the first four points of the game before a Chris Balham putback forced a Kansas timeout with NU out to an early 6-0 lead. Dagunduro scored another four straight points - including an alley-oop from Henry - to cap an 8-0 run that stretched Nebraska's lead to 21-9 with 10:36 remaining in the half. At the midway point, the Huskers had opened the game 10-of-17 from the floor, while KU was just 4-of-10 and had committed seven turnovers.

Kansas then found its form, connecting on its next five shots to open the game 9-of-15. The problem for the Jayhawks was the turnover, as they committed 11 turnovers over the first 16 minutes and had attempted only 15 shots, while NU had put up 26 attempts.

Collins ignited the Jayhawks' hot shooting and fueled an 8-0 run by scoring seven points over three consecutive possessions. Nebraska led 26-13 before KU's run trimmed the lead down to five.

Dagunduro ended the run with a jumper as Nebraska scored five of the next six points to move in front 31-22 with 3:29 left in the half. Morningstar then drilled a three from the corner to cut the lead to six, but Dagunduro answered it on the other end with less than a minute remaining. Two Jayhawk free throws and a basket as time expired trimmed Nebraska's lead to 34-29 at the half.

Kansas continued to cut into the lead in the first four minutes of the second half, as the Jayhawks hit five of their first seven shots to trail by just one five minutes into the half. Points became precious for the next several minutes before Markieff Morris tied the game at 40 with a free throw. KU took its first lead of the game when Collins ended a four-minute scoring drought with a bucket that capped a 9-2 run and put the Jayhawks in font 42-41 with 10:43 remaining.

The Jayhawks were able to take the lead as the Huskers went cold from the floor. Nebraska hit just one field goal over the first 10:21 minutes of the second half, including a 7:31 stretch without a field goal.

Cookie Miller broke the long drought and tied the game at 44 with a 3-pointer. Dagunduro then gave NU a 46-44 lead and forced a Kansas timeout with 8:19 left. The Jayhawks responded by scoring nine consecutive points during a larger 11-1 run that put KU ahead 59-51 with less than four minutes remaining.

Nebraska got as close as one following Henry’s second 3-pointer, but the Huskers would never regain the lead.

NU hits the road for its next contest, as the Huskers travel to Texas Tech on Saturday. Tip off is set for 7 p.m. and the game will be televised by the Big 12 Network.