Via Kansas Athletics
LAWRENCE, Kan. – No. 1 Kansas men’s basketball hosted Fort Hays State in its final exhibition game of the 2023-24 season and earned a 73-55 victory at Allen Fieldhouse on Wednesday night. Redshirt senior Kevin McCullar Jr. scored 21 points and senior Hunter Dickinson logged a double-double with 17 points and a game-high 11 rebounds.
Kansas won the tip and started fast with a dunk from Dickinson, who scored the first six points of the contest. The Jayhawks held the Tigers to just 23 points on 26.7 percent (8-of-30) shooting from the floor in the first half, heading into the locker room with a 43-23 lead.
In the second half, the defense picked up intensity until McCullar Jr. knocked down a deep three. McCullar Jr. led the way, hitting four of Kansas’ six three-pointers.
Halfway through the second half, Kansas went on a 10-0 run to build a 20-point advantage.
Kansas’ defense showed up in front of their home crowd, forcing 13 turnovers which included seven steals and six blocks. Graduate senior Parker Braun led the Jayhawks with three blocks of his own and McCullar Jr. swiped three steals.
Kansas finished the contest shooting 45.3 percent (24-of-43) with 34 points coming in the paint. Led by eight assists from redshirt junior Dajuan Harris Jr., Kansas had 20 as a team and doubled its opponents’ total. Junior KJ Adams Jr. joined Dickinson and McCullar Jr. in double figures, scoring 14 points on 5-of-6 shooting.
UP NEXT
Kansas will officially open the regular season when it plays host to North Carolina Central on Monday, Nov. 6, at 7 p.m. CT. The contest will be televised on Big 12 NOW via ESPN+. Kansas and North Carolina Central will be meeting for the first time in men’s basketball.
The KU-UNCC game is part of the McLendon Classic, a Nov. 5-6 event honoring KU alum and two-time Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductee John McLendon. Besides the game, on Sunday, Nov. 5, at 5 p.m. CT, KU will host the McLendon Classic Community Event at the Lied Center. For more information on the McLendon Classic click here.
