Two years ago, Kansas handed then No. 2 Connecticut its first loss of the season, 88-59, at Kansas City. Sunday, against an undermanned Connecticut team, the unbeaten Jayhawks figured to win easily again.
It didn't happen, although the No. 1 Jayhawks won. This time, Kansas needed eight points by reserve guard Billy Thomas late in the game to hold off the Huskies 73-65 for its 18th victory of the season.Thomas, who finished with 11 points, scored all of Kansas points during an 8-2 run that gave the Jayhawks a 65-57 lead with 1:54 left.
The Jayhawks then went 8-for-8 from the free throw line in the final 53 seconds, capping a second half in which they made all 16 of their free throws. They were 18-for-19 from the line for the game.
The Huskies (11-4) played without starters Kirk King and Ricky Moore, who were declared ineligible earlier in the week.
Connecticut started three freshmen, a sophomore and a junior college transfer and the Huskies didn't miss them early, taking a 23-7 lead seven minutes into the game, before Kansas rallied.
Paul Pierce and Raef LaFrentz each had 14 points for Kansas. Rashamel Jones led the Huskies with 22 points and Richard Hamilton scored 21.
In Sunday's other early games involving ranked teams, No. 10 Louisville downed No. 23 Texas 85-78 in overtime, No. 14 Xavier defeated Temple 68-64 in overtime and No. 18 Michigan beat Iowa 79-71.
No. 10 Louisville 85,
No. 23 Texas 78, OT
At Austin, Eric Johnson hit a 3-pointer at the end of regulation, then made two free throws with 23.4 seconds left in overtime as Louisville (15-1) erased a 15-point second-half deficit and beat Texas (9-5). Reggie Freeman led Texas with 34 points. Nate Johnson topped Louisville with 21 points.
No. 14 Xavier 68, Temple 64, OT
At Cincinnati, Gary Lumpkin scored seven of his 13 points in overtime, and Lenny Brown had 20 points as Xavier (12-2, 3-1 Atlantic 10) outlasted Temple (8-5, 2-2).
No. 18 Michigan 79, Iowa 71
At Ann Arbor, Michigan (13-4, 4-2 Big Ten) got effective play from its guards - Louis Bullock had 19 points, Brandun Hughes 18 and Travis Conlan scored four of his seven down the stretch - in beating Iowa (14-4, 5-1), snapping the Hawkeyes' eight-game winning streak. Andre Woolridge led Iowa with 25 points, but missed two 3-point shots in the final 30 seconds.