LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Devon Dotson had watched Iowa State torch the nets in Allen Fieldhouse long enough, so the do-everything Kansas guard began raining down 3-pointers and getting to the rim in what started out as a one-man scoring showcase.
The rest of the third-ranked Jayhawks eventually followed his lead.
Dotson finished with six 3-pointers and 29 points, but he wound up being just one of five Kansas players in double-figures scoring, helping the Jayhawks to a 91-71 victory over the Cyclones on Monday night to keep pace in the Big 12 race.
“When they’re hitting shots like they did, I mean, yeah, we’ve got to respond,” Dotson said. “I think every game we try to knock down our shots, but this game, people were rolling.”
Ochai Agbaji finished with 14 points, Udoka Azubuike and Christian Braun scored 13 apiece, and David McCormack had 10 points to send the Jayhawks (23-3, 12-1 Big 12) into a pivotal rematch with No. 1 Baylor with some serious momentum.
The Bears (23-1, 12-0) visit Oklahoma on Tuesday night before facing the Jayhawks at Ferrell Center on Saturday. Kansas hasn’t lost since the two teams met at Allen Fieldhouse in mid-January.
“We have a couple days to get rested for obviously the biggest game of the year,” Jayhawks coach Bill Self said.
Prentiss Nixon scored 20 points, Matt Jacobson had 13 and Rasir Bolton 12 for the slumping Cyclones (11-15, 4-9), who have lost 14 of their last 15 games at the Phog and still have not won a road game this season.
Their frustrating season was summed up by the first half, when they did just about everything right and still trailed 50-40.
Iowa State was 9 of 12 from beyond the arc in a torrid display of shooting, and at one point connected on 3-pointers on three consecutive trips down floor. The Cyclones committed nine turnovers but generally held onto the ball well, and they also hung tough on the glass against a team with a massive advantage in both size and depth.
Maybe a little better defense would have helped.
As good as the Cyclones were on offense, the Jayhawks were even better. They kept pounding the ball inside to the 7-foot Azubuike, who dunked his way toward 10 first-half points, and that opened things up outside. Dotson had 15 points by the break, and Braun came off the bench to hit a trio of 3-pointers and score 13 points in just 12 minutes.
“The first half I thought offensively we gave ourselves a chance to be in the game,” Cyclones coach Steve Prohm said. “You get 40 in a half at this place you’d think you’re in pretty good shape.”
Iowa State tried to mount a comeback in the second half by getting the ball to Solomon Young, who spent most of the first half on the bench with two fouls. But the big forward was hounded every time he touched the ball and never seemed to get an open look, and that forced the Cyclones into launching up another barrage of 3-pointers.
They also slapped on a full-court press, but crisp passing and Dotson’s smooth ball-handling easily broke it down.
