MENS BASKETBALL

Texas Tech 79, Kansas 50

ASSOCIATED PRESS

LUBBOCK, Texas - Darrion Williams scored a career-high 30 points on 12-of-12 shooting, including four of Texas Tech’s 10 3-pointers, and the Red Raiders never trailed in a 79-50 win over sixth-ranked Kansas.

Williams, a sophomore transfer from Nevada, also had 11 rebounds. He hit a 3 on the first shot of the game by the Red Raiders (18-6, 7-4 Big 12), who were 8 of 12 from long range over the first 13 minutes while jumping ahead 27-14.

It was a frustrating night for Kansas (19-6, 7-5), which played its second game in a row without Big 12 leading scorer Kevin McCullar Jr., while guard Dajuan Harris wasn’t at full strength after rolling his left ankle late in a 64-61 home win over 12th-ranked Baylor two days earlier.

Jayhawks coach Bill Self was ejected with 5:49 remaining after getting two technical fouls while expressing his displeasure about an offensive foul against Hunter Dickinson.

Pop Isaacs made all four free throws after Self left the court for a 63-43 lead.

Warren Washington had 11 points for Tech.

Nicolas Timberlake and Johnny Furphy each had 13 points for Kansas. Harris finished with seven points on 2-of-8 shooting, while Dickinson was limited to five points while missing 10 of his 12 shots.

McCullar, who averages 19.5 points, 6.4 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game, is in his second season with the Jayhawks. He started 49 of his 78 games while part of two NCAA Tournament teams in his three seasons at Texas Tech from 2019-22.

Texas Tech made its first three 3s, and was up 12-4 on Joe Toussaint’s shot four minutes into the game. Kansas got even with eight consecutive points after a timeout, but that was the game’s only tie. The Red Raiders went ahead to stay on back-to-back 3s by Kerwin Walton and Isaacs.

BIG PICTURE

Kansas: Without McCullar and with Harris not completely healthy, the Jayhawks needed a lot of depth pieces to come through — and they didn’t. They shot a season-low 32.7% (17 of 52) from the field and their 50 points were also the fewest this season.

Texas Tech: The Red Raiders improved to 13-1 at home. None of the current players were on the roster two years ago when Tech also won at home against Kansas. ... Texas Tech had lost three in a row before its win at home Saturday over UCF, and fell out of the new AP poll earlier Monday.

Texas Tech athletics press release

February 12, 2024