LAWRENCE, Kan. — Tre White registered a season-best 23 points, and the No. 14 Kansas squad rebounded from an astonishing defeat by securing a 69-56 triumph over No. 5 Houston on Monday evening.
Promising first-year player Darryn Peterson additionally contributed 14 points, hitting 5 of 14 shot attempts in 30 minutes, for the Jayhawks (21-7, 11-4 Big 12). The team had previously slipped six positions in the latest AP Top 25 poll after suffering an 84-68 home setback on Saturday against unranked Cincinnati.
Bryson Tiller amassed 11 points, 10 boards, and three rejections for Kansas, a performance that dealt the struggling Cougars (23-5, 11-4) their third successive setback—each occurring against top-15 ranked rivals. Melvin Council Jr. also tallied 11 points, six rebounds, and four assists.
Kingston Flemings notched 16 points, making 6 of 18 shots, for Houston. The team had not suffered three successive defeats since January of 2017. The Cougars registered a field goal percentage of 32%, comprising 5 of 24 attempts (21%) from beyond the arc.
Kansas has not experienced successive home defeats since the 1988-1989 campaign, which marked Roy Williams’ inaugural season at the helm. The Jayhawks boast a 52-1 record during ESPN’s Big Monday matchups in Allen Fieldhouse, featuring an undefeated 41-0 streak under the tutelage of coach Bill Self. A fortnight prior, they overcame top-ranked Arizona in their home arena, The Phog.
Kansas capitalized on an early 12-0 scoring spree in the second half, transforming a narrow two-point lead into a dominant 49-35 advantage by the under-12 minute stoppage. The lead extended to 20 points before Houston embarked on a 7-0 burst, but the Cougars did not reduce the deficit to fewer than 10 points for the remainder of the contest.
The Jayhawks failed to convert nine of their initial ten attempts, enduring an 8-minute, 28-second drought without scoring a field goal. Nevertheless, they concluded the first half with an 11-0 scoring streak, establishing a 31-27 advantage heading into halftime.
The Associated Press furnished information for this report.