Sharp Shooting Leads Jayhawks to 83-50 Victory over Red Raiders
Feb. 18, 2012
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Box Score 
LAWRENCE, Kan.–Junior Thomas Robinson’s team-high 16 points led the University of Kansas men’s basketball team to an 83-50 rout of the Texas Tech Red Raiders Saturday night in Allen Fieldhouse. Robinson shot 60 percent on the night and chipped in a career-high five assists as the Jayhawks cruised to victory.
KU is now 22-5 overall and 12-2 in the Big 12 Conference while the Red Raiders dropped to 8-18 overall and 1-13 in league play.
The shots were falling for Kansas, as the home team shot 56.3 percent from the field and a blazing 60 percent from behind the three-point arc.
In a game where every Jayhawk saw playing time, four players scored in doubles figures. Along with Robinson, junior guard Travis Releford knocked in 12 points, while senior Conner Teahan and junior Kevin Young chipped in 11 and 10, respectively. The bench saw significant playing time, leading them to contribute 31 of Kansas’ points, the most by the Jayhawk bench in league play.
The Red Raiders stuck with KU early, keeping the game within three with 17:11 to go in the opening period. Kansas responded with a 12-0 run, sparked by a long jumper from Robinson. A three from freshman guard Naadir Tharpe capped off the run, making the score 22-7 in favor of the Jayhawks with 10:39 remaining on the clock in the first frame.
KU was hot from behind the arc during the remainder of the opening half, with senior guards Tyshawn Taylor and Conner Teahan also dropping threes to extend the Jayhawks’ lead to 33-12 before the under-eight minute media timeout. Teahan would make another trey to end the first 20 minutes on a high note.
Led by Robinson’s eight first-half points, Kansas went into the lockerroom holding a 44-22 lead over the Red Raiders. All five starters had at least four points at the break thanks in part to KU’s shooting performance. The team shot 15-of-26 from the field, good for 57.7 percent shooting and a blistering 62.5 percent from behind the three-point line.
Kansas’ dominance inside was also evident in the opening period, with the home team grabbing 20 first half rebounds (11 defensive, nine offensive) and converting nine second-chance points. The Jayhawks’ dominance on the boards hindered Texas Tech’s inside game, as the Red Raiders only mustered six first half points in the paint.
The Jayhawks set a slower pace to start the second half, putting up six points over the first six and a half minutes. Withey took over on the defensive end again, posting two big defensive stops in a row. The San Diego, Calif., native posted one of his four key blocks and then took a charge to help keep it a double-digit ballgame, 56-34.
A dunk by Robinson sparked a 12-0 run for the Crimson and Blue, highlighted by another three from Teahan and giving the Jayhawks a 70-37 lead over the Red Raiders. Robinson followed with another slam, his final points of the evening, to extend the lead to 35 with 4:42 to play.
In the ending minutes of the game, senior guard Jordan Juenemann dominated the Kansas offense, putting up a career-high seven points in four minutes of play and steering the Jayhawks to victory.
Kansas returns to the road Wednesday as the Jayhawks travel to College Station, Texas, to take on Texas A&M in their final Big 12 meeting. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN2.
