MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) – Kansas’ Flory Bidunga and Melvin Council Jr. each recorded double-doubles, while five Jayhawks scored in double-figures as No. 19 Kansas outlasted Kansas State, 86-62, in the Dillons Sunflower Showdown on Saturday night.
Bidunga led the Jayhawks with 21 points and 10 rebounds, while Council scored 17 points along with a career-high 12 assists. Freshman Bryson Tiller had 16 for the Jayhawks (15-5, 5-2 Big 12), who ended the game on a 27-7 run.
Kansas State was led by P.J. Haggerty, who had 18 of his 23 points in the second half to lead the Wildcats (10-10, 1-6). Andrej Kostic added 12 points.
Kostic was among those pressed into more minutes. And the freshman from Serbia delivered right away, hitting four 3-pointers in a span of about four minutes in the first half, helping to keep the Wildcats within 37-35 at the break.
Kansas was still clinging to a 59-55 lead after Haggerty’s 3-pointer with 7:50 to go, but Bidunga proceeded to score seven points during a 15-3 run. It was highlighted by a rim-rattling ally-oop dunk by Bidunga that helped to put the game away.
The Jayhawks won their fourth straight game while snapping a three-game skid against Kansas State in Manhattan. They also have won 16 of the past 20 overall in the second-longest active rivalry played in Division I men’s basketball.
Up next
Kansas plays No. 13 BYU at Allen Fieldhouse next Saturday.
Kansas State heads to West Virginia on Tuesday night.
