photo by: AP Photo/Charlie Riedel

Kansas guard Elmarko Jackson (13) shoots over Wichita State forward Dalen Ridgnal (10) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Dec. 30, 2023, in Kansas City, Mo.

Kansas City, Mo. — In one of its most balanced all-around showings of the season thus far, the Kansas men’s basketball team dispatched in-state foe Wichita State without incident 86-67 in its nonconference finale at the T-Mobile Center.

The Jayhawks were off the mark on offense for nearly seven minutes of the first half Saturday afternoon before freshman guard Elmarko Jackson supplied seven straight points to break a tie, end a drought and give KU an advantage it did not relinquish.

Jackson scored a career-high 12 on a successful afternoon overall for the Jayhawks’ freshman.

“He’s stepping up big-time,” guard Kevin McCullar Jr. said. “It’s past Christmas break now, so he’s not a freshman anymore.”

Hunter Dickinson (22 points, 13 rebounds) and McCullar were their usual reliable selves.

“You don’t even think that he’s really done much, and you look up and he’s got 20 points and seven rebounds,” KU coach Bill Self said of McCullar, who was 10-for-10 at the free-throw line.

KJ Adams Jr. added nine points and a season-high 11 boards.

WSU struggled for much of the night but, when it scored, did so in a balanced fashion behind Dalen Ridgnal (13 points), Xavier Bell (11) and Quincy Ballard (10) and two more players with at least eight points.

KU seized an early 8-2 lead on a pair of 3-pointers from an unusually aggressive Dajuan Harris Jr. Dickinson was also firing away from long range, but he started out just 1-for-4 with a deep 2.

The Jayhawks were able to hold WSU scoreless for three minutes around the first media timeout before a 3-pointer by Colby Rogers from the left wing. At that point, it was KU’s turn to embark on a scoring drought of nearly four minutes, and Rogers hit another pull-up jumper to draw the Shockers as close as 10-9. The Jayhawks eventually snapped out of it on a pair of free throws from McCullar with 11:17 to go in the half and two more from a returning Johnny Furphy.

KU continued to struggle for any sustained momentum on offense and allowed WSU to tie the game on a corner 3 from Ridgnal, but Jackson got an acrobatic layup to fall in transition, then finished a high-flying dunk a moment later to put the Jayhawks back ahead. He also drained a 3 soon after out of a timeout to extend the lead to 21-14.

“Just playing within the offense and the fast break was big,” Jackson said. “I just ran, got to open spots and my teammates found me.”

Despite a bit of a defensive downturn for KU as the pace of the game increased, the Jayhawks maintained their margin and eventually pushed it to double digits on a pair of Dickinson putbacks with four minutes left in the half.

Not long after, Adams found Furphy on the wing and the freshman sank a 3 through a light foul by Harlond Beverly, although he was unable to complete the four-point play. Adams then zoomed through the entire WSU defense on a breakaway for a coast-to-coast dunk, and set up a layup for Parker Braun soon after to put KU up 43-27 entering the half.

“The thing about it is, if he rebounds it, that means he can dribble it up the floor,” Self said, “and I think he’s figured that out, because we’re actually best when he brings it up as far as playing with pace and everything.”

Out of the break, Dickinson and Jackson added 3s within a minute, then McCullar finished a hard-fought transition layup to force a timeout from the Shockers just 78 seconds in.

“We got to do that every time we come out from halftime,” McCullar said.

The ensuing 24-point margin remained fairly consistent until a lob from Harris to Braun and a pair of free throws from McCullar brought the margin to 65-37 with 13:21 to go. But a bench-heavy lineup with Braun, Furphy and Nick Timberlake stagnated and the Shockers cut back into their deficit, with a three-point play by Beverly as the cornerstone of a 12-4 run.

They got as close as 16 on another and-1, this time by Isaac Abidde, and a 3 from Kenny Pohto with five and a half minutes to go.

Jackson added to his account with a pull-up jumper and Dickinson made a rare corner 3 as the Jayhawks reasserted their advantage.

The Jayhawks will open conference play against TCU at Allen Fieldhouse next Saturday.

Box score

photo by: AP Photo/Charlie Riedel

Kansas guard Dajuan Harris Jr. (3) shoots over Wichita State guard Colby Rogers during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Dec. 30, 2023, in Kansas City, Mo.

photo by: AP Photo/Charlie Riedel

Kansas guard Elmarko Jackson dunks the ball during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Wichita State Saturday, Dec. 30, 2023, in Kansas City, Mo.

photo by: AP Photo/Charlie Riedel

Kansas head coach Bill Self motions to his players during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Wichita State Saturday, Dec. 30, 2023, in Kansas City, Mo.

photo by: AP Photo/Charlie Riedel

Kansas guard Kevin McCullar Jr. shoots over Wichita State center Quincy Ballard (15) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Dec. 30, 2023, in Kansas City, Mo.

photo by: AP Photo/Charlie Riedel

Kansas guard Elmarko Jackson (13) shoots over Wichita State forward Dalen Ridgnal (10) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Dec. 30, 2023, in Kansas City, Mo.

photo by: AP Photo/Charlie Riedel

Kansas center Hunter Dickinson (1) shoots during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Wichita State Saturday, Dec. 30, 2023, in Kansas City, Mo.

photo by: AP Photo/Charlie Riedel

Kansas guard Kevin McCullar Jr. (15) gets past Wichita State forward Ronnie DeGray III (3) to dunk the ball during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Dec. 30, 2023, in Kansas City, Mo.

photo by: AP Photo/Charlie Riedel

Kansas forward Parker Braun dunks the ball during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Wichita State Saturday, Dec. 30, 2023, in Kansas City, Mo. Kansas won 86-67.

photo by: AP Photo/Charlie Riedel

Kansas forward K.J. Adams Jr. dunks the ball during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Wichita State Saturday, Dec. 30, 2023, in Kansas City, Mo. Kansas won 86-67.

photo by: AP Photo/Charlie Riedel

Kansas center Hunter Dickinson celebrates after making a basket during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Wichita State Saturday, Dec. 30, 2023, in Kansas City, Mo. Kansas won 86-67.