#1 KU Gives #18 Owls Both Barrels

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - Four players scored in double figures while the Kansas defense held No. 18/19 Temple to just 25 percent shooting from the field as the top-ranked Jayhawks defeated TU 84-52 Saturday evening.

With the win, Kansas remains undefeated at 13-0. Temple dropped to 11-3 as it suffered its first home loss this season.

 KU freshman Xavier Henry led all players with 15 points. He was joined in double figure scoring by senior Sherron Collins (14), sophomore Marcus Morris (13) and junior Cole Aldrich (10). Aldrich also pulled down a team-high 10 rebounds for his third-straight double-double and sixth of the season.

The Jayhawks' bigs dominated the inside game as Kansas scored 42 of its points in the paint compared to the Owls' 16 points in the lane. KU also out-rebounded Temple 43-31.

In the first half, the Jayhawks' made 61.5 percent of its shots, including 75 percent from three-point range, while they held the Owls' to 22.6 percent shooting.

Collins put Kansas on the board first as he opened the contest with a steal followed by a lay-up. Collins, who led Kansas with three steals, scored KU's first seven points to help get the Jayhawks off to a 10-3 lead to start the game.

Temple refused to go away and midway through the first half the Owls sank a shot from outside the arc to close the gap to just two points at 19-17. Just over a minute later, Collins drove to the hoop for a pair of points to jumpstart a 17-4 run by Kansas over the next four and a half minutes. As time expired, Marcus Morris and Aldrich each added a basket and the Jayhawks' closed out the half on a 21-6 run to give KU a 40-23 lead heading into halftime.

The Jayhawks' 40 first half points are the most points allowed in a half by a Temple opponent this season.

KU outscored Temple 26-6 in the paint through the first 20 minutes and held a 14-3 advantage in fast break points.

Kansas started the second half with just two points in the first three minutes but soon found its stroke again as the Jayhawks reeled off eight-straight points to keep a healthy lead at 51-27.

Temple continued to struggle from the field hitting one of its 13 attempts from beyond the arc in the second half.

Before the game was over, the Jayhawks strung together an 11-0 run and did not allow an Owl basket for the final three and half minutes as KU coasted to its 84-52 victory.

Kansas returns to the court on Wednesday, Jan. 6 to host Cornell at 7 p.m. The game will be televised on the Jayhawk Network.

Box Score

Story courtesy:  KUAC