KANSAS CITY, Mo. — An uncommon ploy produced a common result Monday in Manhattan.
Kansas under Bill Self, known for its staunch man-to-man defense, played zone defense much of the second half. And it worked, as the Jayhawks ran away from the Wildcats 70-56.
Of course, most of everything works for KU in this rivalry. Self is 30-5 against Kansas State in his time with the Jayhawks.
"The first half we shot it great, but played bad," said Self. "I mean, we had 12 turnovers. And the second half we took care of the ball but shot it miserably."
It's true. KU shot 70 percent in the first half and has now won seven straight against KSU.
"We've gone against zone the last time Baylor zoned us," said Bruce Weber. "We carved it apart, moved the basketball, and was one of the best zone clinics I've ever been a part of."
It was a big win for Kansas as the Jayhawks hold on to sole possession of first place in the Big 12 Conference, a league they've won 13 straight seasons.
K-State drops to 5-4 in conference play.
