Via Kansas Athletics
MORGANTOWN, W. Va. – No. 22 Kansas basketball fell on the road to West Virginia, 86-75, inside Hope Coliseum in Morgantown, West Virginia on Saturday afternoon.
The loss drops Kansas to 11-5 (1-2 Big 12) this season, while West Virginia improves to 11-5 (2-1 Big 12). The Jayhawks were led by 23 points on 6-of-17 from the field and six rebounds from freshman Darryn Peterson, but the Jayhawks came up short after a second half run by the Mountaineers.
Both teams traded punches throughout the first half on Saturday, as neither team was able to find an advantage. Kansas led for a majority of the opening half but would only lead by as many as four points after a Peterson buzzer-beater which took Kansas into halftime with the lead at 43-39.
But the Jayhawks would work their lead up to eight points in the second half at 59-51 as senior Tre White hit a 3-pointer with 14:55 remaining. However, Kansas’ lead was short lived as West Virginia went on a 16-0 in just under five minutes to take a 67-59 lead with 8:36 remaining.
Kansas would find points from senior Jayden Dawson and redshirt-sophomore Elmarko Jackson to cut into West Virginia’s lead at 73-67, but it would be as close as Kansas could get as the Mountaineers were able to stifle the Jayhawks and lead by as many as 14 late in the second half. West Virginia would go on to win the contest, 86-75, handing Kansas its second-straight Big 12 Conference road loss.
Along with Peterson’s 23 points, White (18 points) and senior Melvin Council Jr. (11 points) scored in double-figures for the Jayhawks, while sophomore Flory Bidunga added a team-high four blocks.
West Virginia outshot Kansas, 48% (27-of-56) to 43% (26-of-61), and were led by 23 points from Honor Huff, who shot 4-of-11 from beyond the arc.
Kansas will return to Allen Fieldhouse for two-straight Big 12 Conference home games against No. 3 Iowa State on Tuesday, Jan. 13 at 8 p.m. CT and against Baylor on Friday, Jan. 16 at 7 p.m. CT.
