LAS VEGAS — In a resilient showing to cap off their trip to the desert, the Kansas Jayhawks erased a double-digit second-half deficit to defeat previously unbeaten No. 17 Tennessee, 81-76, securing third place at the Players Era Championship on Wednesday night.
Fueled by a career-best performance from Elmarko Jackson and steady scoring from Melvin Council Jr., Kansas (6-2) outscored the Volunteers 47-35 in the second half to turn the tide.
Jackson and Council Lead the Charge
Both Jackson and Council Jr. finished with 17 points apiece to lead the offense.
Jackson, a redshirt sophomore, was instrumental in the comeback, shooting a perfect 7-for-7 from the free-throw line. Tre White contributed 14 points before fouling out, while freshman Flory Bidunga added 13 points, proving crucial in the game’s final seconds.
For Tennessee (7-1), Nate Ament led all scorers with 20 points. Jaylen Carey and Ja’Kobe Gillespie each chipped in 11, while J.P. Estrella added 10 in the losing effort.
The Comeback
Tennessee appeared to be in control early in the second half, building a 12-point advantage with 15:06 remaining. However, the momentum shifted when Jackson sparked the Jayhawks’ offense. He scored eight straight points—including two 3-pointers and two free throws—to cut the deficit to 55-51 with just over 12 minutes to play.
While the Volunteers managed to rebuild a six-point lead, Melvin Council Jr. responded with back-to-back layups and free throws, knotting the game at 62-62 with 7:25 on the clock.
Kansas finally overtook Tennessee for good with 5:36 remaining on a layup by Paul Mbiya. Jackson followed up shortly after with a driving layup to extend the lead to 68-64.
Closing it Out
The game remained tense in the final minutes. Kansas led 75-68 with 2:02 left, but the Volunteers refused to go quietly, cutting the lead to a single possession at 75-73 with less than a minute remaining.
In the decisive moment, Flory Bidunga stepped up for Kansas. The freshman sank two clutch free throws and then secured the victory by stealing a pass with 20 seconds left, allowing the Jayhawks to hold on for the win.
The victory capped a perfect 3-0 week for Kansas in Las Vegas. After defeating Notre Dame on Monday and Syracuse on Tuesday, Coach Bill Self’s team heads home with momentum after knocking off a ranked opponent.
Kansas Returns home to host powerhouse Connecticut on Tuesday.
