Huskers Fall at No. 3 Kansas

Lawrence, Kan. – Despite a game-high 22 points from Tai Webster, Nebraska ran into a hot-shooting Jayhawk squad, as the Huskers fell 89-72 to the third-ranked Jayhawks at Allen Fieldhouse.

Kansas shot 59 percent for the day, including a blistering 65 percent in the first half, as the Jayhawks improved to 9-1 with their ninth consecutive win.

Webster finished with 22 points and five assists to pace three Huskers (5-5) in double figures. Ed Morrow Jr. added 16 points on 7-of-10 shooting and seven rebounds while Jordy Tshimanga added career bests of 10 points and eight rebounds in a losing effort.

Frank Mason III led five Jayhawks in double figures with 18 points and seven assists, while Josh Jackson added 17 points and six rebounds for Kansas in the first meeting between the schools since Nebraska joined the Big Ten in 2011-12.

In the second half, the Huskers whittled a 24-point second-half deficit with a 12-3 spurt to close to within 63-48 on Glynn Watson’s 3-pointer with 14:45 left. NU had a chance to get closer on the next possession, but was unable to convert, and Kansas responded with a 3-point play from Mason to stretch the lead back to 18.

The Huskers made one more run, using a 6-2 spurt to pull within 68-54 after an Anton Gill dunk to force a Jayhawk timeout. That would be as close as Nebraska would get as Josh Jackson scored two quick baskets to push the lead back to 18, and NU was unable to get within 15 the rest of the way.

Kansas shot the lights out in the first half, shooting 65 percent in the half in taking a 54-34 halftime lead. Sviatoslav Mykhailuk scored 13 of his 15 points in the opening stanza, while Mason III and Devonte’ Graham added nine apiece.

Nebraska led 10-7 before Landon Lucas came off the bench and scored six of his 12 points in a 9-0 Jayhawk spurt as Kansas built a 16-9 lead. The Huskers, who got a combined 19 first-half points from Webster and Morrow, were within 28-23 after a 3-point play from Webster at the 9:38 mark, but Kansas took control from there. The Jayhawks took control with a 16-5 spurt to push the lead to 44-26. Nebraska used a late 5-0 spurt to cut the deficit to 17 in the final seconds of the half, but Graham capped the Jayhawks’ first-half outburst with a long 3-pointer to beat the buzzer to stake KU a 54-34 lead.

The Huskers, who have faced three teams currently in the top-10, will be off for final exams before returning to the court on Sunday, Dec. 18, against Gardner-Webb.

Postgame Notes
*-Today’s game is NU’s first regular-season matchup against a Big 12 team since the Huskers joined the Big Ten.
*-Tai Webster posted his fifth 20-point game of the season and seventh of his career with 22 points and five assists. Webster has now finished in double figures in 11 straight games dating back to last year’s Big Ten Tournament.
*-Jordy Tshimanga finished with career highs in both points (10), rebounds (eight) and blocked shots two).
*-Evan Taylor came off the bench and scored a career eight points in 19 minutes. His previous high was five in the season opener against Sacramento State.
*-Ed Morrow. Jr. has grabbed at least six rebounds in all 10 of Nebraska’s games, as he finished with 16 points and seven rebounds
*-Nebraska falls to 0-3 against ranked teams, including 0-2 vs. top-10 teams.
*-Kansas set opponent highs for both points (89) and field goal percentage (.596), as Kansas became the first team in six games to reach their scoring average.