Jayhawks Turn Texas Inside-Out

Men’s Top 25

Top-ranked Kansas, still feeling snakebit after its closest game of the season two days earlier, was shocked by No. 22 Texas on Monday night when the Longhorns abandoned their running game to spread the floor.

The unbeaten Jayhawks managed to stay in the game in an ugly first half and then their defense keyed a second-half surge that led to an 86-61 victory in Lawrence, Kan.

“I was surprised as I’ve ever been. I was shocked,” Kansas coach Roy Williams said. “The Running Horns suddenly turned into the Walking Horns. We had made two changes in our defense just for that (running game) and then we had to make adjustments and go by the seat of our pants.”

Paul Pierce kept Kansas (14-0, 2-0 Big 12) in the game in the first half and Raef LaFrentz took charge inside in the second half for the Jayhawks, who had shot 29 percent in a 62-59 victory from Kansas State on Saturday.

The shooting didn’t improve right away against Texas (7-4, 1-1) as Kansas missed its first seven shots against Texas and 14 of its first 17.

But the key was when Kansas, known for its second-half runs, had one midway through the second half, scoring 13 straight points as Texas’ leading scorer, Reggie Freeman, sat on the bench with four fouls.

Pierce led Kansas with 17 points, while LaFrentz added 15.

Providence 91, (8) Villanova 68

Austin Croshere scored 27 points and Ruben Garces added a career-high 19 as the Friars (11-1, 3-1 Big East) topped the Wildcats (11-2, 3-1) in Providence, R.I.

Providence used a 15-0 run that straddled halftime to build a 48-29 lead and Villanova never got closer than 16 points the rest of the way.

Derrick Brown scored 18 points, Jamel Thomas added 14 and point guard God Shammgod had 11 assists and only one turnover as the Friars defeated their second Top 25 team within a week. Last week, Providence beat then-No. 18 Texas.

(14) Louisville 92, UNCC 81

DeJuan Wheat scored 21 points and the visiting Cardinals (12-1, 2-0 Conference USA) used a second-half defensive surge to hold off North Carolina Charlotte (8-4, 0-1).

Wheat added five assists and two steals as the Cardinals improved on their best start in 22 years.

Louisville’s Denny Crum (599-225) moved within one victory of becoming the 19th coach to win 600 games.

DeMarco Johnson had 27 points and nine rebounds for the 49ers.

Pac-10: ASU 89, Chaminade 54

In Tempe, Ariz., Mike Batiste scored 20 points and added 10 rebounds, and the Sun Devils (9-5) held the Silverswords (2-7) scoreless for 5:12 of the second half.

Batiste has scored at least 13 points in each of his six games with Arizona State.