21 February 2023
FORT WORTH, Texas (KSNT)- KU is inching closer and closer to a Big 12 title.
The Jayhawks beat TCU 63-58 on Monday in Fort Worth. The win serves as sweet revenge after KU suffered a rare home blowout against the Horned Frogs earlier this season. TCU beat KU 83-60 in Allen Fieldhouse on Jan. 21.
The game started slow. Very slow. In fact, neither team got on the board until Gradey Dick hit a three-pointer 3:36 into the game to put Kansas on time. Dick would score the game’s next basket, too, and Kevin McCullar followed that up with a layup to boost Kansas to a 7-0 lead.
TCU stormed back to tie the game just over halfway through the first half, then took the lead with 8:59 to play in the first. The Horned Frogs opened up a four-point lead in the final five minutes of the half, but then it was KU’s turn to respond.
The Jayhawks closed the half on a 12-4 run to lead 33-29 at the midway point.
Similar to the first half, the second started rather uneventfully. Kansas continued to lead, but TCU lingered. The Jayhawks lead fluctuated between one and six through the first eight minutes of the second half.
TCU tied the game at 48 with 10:14 to play. Kansas had an answer again, quickly opening its lead back up to four. The back-and-forth was far from over though. KU opened up the biggest lead, by either team, of the night with a Jalen Wilson layup to go up 60-53 with under five minutes remaining.
TCU hit a pair of free throws to pull back within two with 1:44 left. KU’s KJ Adams made one of two free throws next, but TCU missed a layup that would’ve made it a one point game with 29 seconds left.
However, the Horned Frogs got the ball back with 21 seconds left down just three points. A three-pointer, then layup, from TCU in the final ten seconds both missed. Kevin McCullar Jr. made a pair of free throws with two seconds left to secure the KU win.
Gradey Dick was on fire in the win. The freshman, and Kansas native, scored 14 points in the first half and finished with 19. Kevin McCullar Jr. also stepped up big, scoring 15 points and grabbing seven rebounds.
The Jayhawks move into sole possession of first place in the Big 12 with the win, at least for now. Kansas is 22-5 overall and 10-4 in the Big 12.
The Jayhawks have now won seven of their last eight games.