KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The No. 21 Kansas Jayhawks defeated the Missouri Tigers, 80-60, in the StorageMart Border Showdown at the T-Mobile Center on Sunday, fueled by a 20-point, 13-rebound double-double from senior Tre White. The victory improves Kansas’s season record to 7-3, while Missouri drops to 8-2.
Kansas controlled the scoreboard by holding the Tigers to a season-low 60 points and extended their all-time series lead over Missouri to 177-96. The win also marks the Jayhawks’ sixth victory in the last seven Border Showdowns.
White Leads the Charge
White’s stellar performance spearheaded an offense that saw four Jayhawks reach double-figure scoring. His season-high 13 rebounds accompanied a team-high 20 points. He was joined in double figures by an impressive outing from the freshman class: Darryn Peterson (17 points), Bryson Tiller (13 points), and Flory Bidunga (10 points).
The Jayhawks shot 46% (26-of-57) from the field, finding their offensive rhythm after trading runs and six lead changes in the first half. Kansas closed the half with a decisive 12-2 run, capped by White’s buzzer-beating 3-pointer that gave them a 33-25 lead at the break.
Second Half Stranglehold
Kansas quickly extended its advantage in the second half, pulling ahead by as many as 18 points just three minutes in after a pair of baskets from senior Melvin Council Jr. made it 44-26. The Jayhawks maintained the pressure, with Tiller and redshirt sophomore Jamari McDowell contributing 12 and 9 points, respectively, in the half alone. Kansas’s lead swelled to a game-high 20 points before securing the final 80-60 victory.
Up Next
The Jayhawks will return to the road to face North Carolina State on Saturday, December 13, at the Lenovo Center in Raleigh, N.C. Tipoff is set for 4:30 p.m. CT on ESPN. Kansas leads the overall series with NC State, 13-1.
