photo by: Brian Spurlock/KemperSports LIVE

Kansas Jayhawks coach Bill Self talks to his team during a game against the Tennessee Volunteers during the final round of the Allstate Maui Invitational on November 22, 2023, at the Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu.

Honolulu — After a lackluster showing Tuesday against Marquette consigned Kansas to the consolation portion of the Maui Invitational, the Jayhawks came back to the Stan Sheriff Center just about 13 hours later and took down No. 7 Tennessee, 69-60.

“We had to create our own energy out there,” super-senior guard Kevin McCullar Jr. said. “The fans traveled well for us, but really it was just on us to get back in the gym, bounce back after a short turnaround.”

Coming out of a timeout tied 49-49 with 12:43 remaining, the Jayhawks embarked on a 16-6 run bookended by two baskets each by Hunter Dickinson and KJ Adams Jr. to put away the Volunteers and earn third place in the highly competitive tournament.

In doing so, they also avenged a loss to Tennessee on the final day of the Battle 4 Atlantis in the Bahamas last November.

Dickinson, who had a double-double by halftime, turned in another 20-rebound showing and added 17 points. Adams had 13, including 9 in the second half, despite struggles at the charity stripe, and McCullar scored 14.

Santiago Vescovi led all players with 21 points, including five 3-pointers.

“It was just a terrific win, one that we’ll look back on in February being very thankful we got,” KU coach Bill Self said.

The Jayhawks had started slow against Marquette Tuesday, but scored in just four seconds Wednesday when Adams corralled the opening tip from Dickinson and dunked immediately, setting the tone for a strong opening stretch. With the Volunteers keying in on denying the ball to Dajuan Harris Jr. and McCullar, freshman Elmarko Jackson found the ball in his hands a lot early on. His aggression on both offense and defense helped KU take an 8-4 lead into the first media timeout.

KU found itself in a bit of a shooting slump as the period progressed, but well-timed double-teams stifled Tennessee’s own production and the Jayhawks maintained their narrow advantage.

The Volunteers pulled ahead midway through the half with an 8-0 run when Vescovi drained a pair of 3s, one from deep and one on which he dropped Johnny Furphy to the floor. KU pushed back initially, but Self took issue with a non-call on a close-range shot by Adams which led to a 3-pointer for Jordan Gainey, and then the refs issued Self a technical foul after he kept talking following a traveling call on McCullar.

Following the technical free throws by Knecht, KU went on a 15-4 run, featuring a hard-fought 3-point play for McCullar to tie the game at 28 with five minutes to go in the half, then a quick-release 3 by Dickinson to put the Jayhawks up 32-28.

However, Vescovi connected from deep on the Vols’ final possession to even the score once again at 35 entering the break.

“I thought my coaches did a good job getting them enthused, because even though the game was tied at halftime, we played pretty good the first half,” Self said. “I thought other than the early stretch when they went up 7 (following the technical foul), I thought we controlled the first half and didn’t have much to show for it.”

By halftime, eight Jayhawks had gotten on the scoreboard in an uncharacteristically balanced offensive performance.

“We all helped the other four be better what they are,” freshman Jamari McDowell said of the KU newcomers, who had some of their best showings of the year off the bench.

KU went up 42-40 after Adams put back a McDowell floater through a bump by Jonas Aidoo and finished the 3-point play. The two teams traded buckets as the Jayhawks struggled to lock down the perimeter, giving up more opportunities beyond the arc to Gainey and Vescovi.

But Dickinson made a hook shot and a baseline jumper to give the Jayhawks their first protracted period with the lead since the beginning of the game, and they never relinquished it again.

“We have a really unselfish team,” Dickinson said. “Coach draws up some good plays for me, but it’s really the guys out there being unselfish, being willing passers, giving me the ball in spots and just trusting in my abilities.”

Following a timeout with 4:20 remaining and KU up 10, neither team made a field goal for nearly three minutes until Vescovi hit from deep again, but it was too little, too late, even after a bout of poor free-throw shooting that inhibited the Jayhawks’ ability to extend their lead.

The Jayhawks, now 5-1, will get some much-needed rest as they return home to Lawrence for their next game, Tuesday night at 7 p.m. against Eastern Illinois at Allen Fieldhouse.

photo by: Brian Spurlock/KemperSports LIVE

Kansas Jayhawks coach Bill Self coaches on the sidelines against the Tennessee Volunteers during the final round of the Allstate Maui Invitational on November 22, 2023, at the Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu.

photo by: Brian Spurlock/KemperSports LIVE

Tennessee Volunteers guard Dalton Knecht (3) is guarded by Kansas Jayhawks guard Kevin McCullar Jr. (15) during the final round of the Allstate Maui Invitational on November 22, 2023, at the Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu.

photo by: Brian Spurlock/KemperSports LIVE

Kansas Jayhawks center Hunter Dickinson (1) is introduced before the game against the Tennessee Volunteers during the final round of the Allstate Maui Invitational on November 22, 2023, at the Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu.

photo by: Brian Spurlock/KemperSports LIVE

Kansas Jayhawks guard Nicolas Timberlake (25) slips to the floor against the Tennessee Volunteers during the final round of the Allstate Maui Invitational on November 22, 2023, at the Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu.