Kansas blows out Holy Cross

Kansas guard Frank Mason III (0) pulls up for a three while defended by Holy Cross guard Anthony Thompson (2) during the first half, Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2015 at Allen Fieldhouse.

No number of prayers could help Holy Cross hold off a red-hot Kansas basketball team Wednesday night in Allen Fieldhouse, where the second-ranked Jayhawks rolled the Crusaders, 92-59.

The nature of the blowout provided KU coach Bill Self the opportunity to spread out the minutes and he did just that. Nine Jayhawks played 15 minutes or more in Wednesday’s blowout and none played more than 27.

?Two who did not play at all were big men Jamari Traylor (ankle) and Landen Lucas (toe). Both dressed and warmed up but were given the night off to rest their ailments. Had the contest been a must-win game, both likely would have played.

Starting in Traylor’s place was senior Hunter Mickelson, who was active and disruptive defensively early but also committed a couple of silly fouls and finished with 2 rebounds, 2 blocks, 2 assists and 2 steals in 15 minutes.

One game after getting out-rebounded by smaller Harvard, KU (7-1) dominated the glass against the HCU, 31-17.

Wayne Selden Jr. led Kansas with 15 points while Frank Mason III added 13 and Perry Ellis chipped in a dozen.

Junior guard Brannen Greene, who missed the past five games because of a suspension, returned to the KU lineup a game earlier than expected and scored 14 points in 17 minutes on 3-of-4 shooting from three-point range.

Here’s a quick look back at some of the action:

• The game turned when: Kansas refused to miss in the first half. The Jayhawks drained 19 of 27 shots in the opening 20 minutes, including 8 of 10 from three-point range and led by as many as 20 points (45-25) late in the half.

• Offensive highlight: With just over 10 minutes to play in the first half, freshman Carlton Bragg skied high for back-to-back offensive rebounds, the second of which led to a wide open three-pointer and make by Greene. The sequence pushed KU’s lead to 24-13 and the Jayhawks led by double digits most of the rest of the way.

• Defensive highlight: Full-court pressure by Kansas early in the second half after Holy Cross had trimmed a 20-point lead down to six led to an easy steal in the backcourt by Devonté Graham, who darted to the rim and flushed another two-handed dunk — the point guard’s second game in a row with a dunk — to push the KU lead back to double digits, 56-46, with 15:25 to play.

• Key stat: Points in the paint. KU shot a high percentage in this one largely because so many of the Kansas shots came at point-blank range. KU outscored Holy Cross 40-14 in the paint.

• Up next: The Jayhawks head east to Kansas City, Missouri, where they’ll take on Oregon State at 7 p.m. Saturday night inside Sprint Center.

— See what people were saying about the game during KUsports.com’s live coverage

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