Final
  for this game

Kansas fends off feisty Toledo

Dec 31, 2013 - 7:47 AM Lawrence, KS (SportsNetwork.com) - Perry Ellis had 21 points and 11 rebounds as No. 16 Kansas defeated Toledo 93-83 on Monday night.

Naadir Tharpe registered 20 points and eight assists, while Andrew Wiggins tallied 20 points and five boards for the Jayhawks (9-3), who have won three in a row since a 1-3 stretch. Joel Embiid added 14 points and 10 rebounds in the triumph.

Nathan Boothe had 15 points and five assists for Toledo (12-1), which suffered its first defeat of the season.

"Not many teams have won here, or are going to win here this year," Toledo head coach Tod Kowalczyk said.

Toledo stayed close throughout most of the opening half.

Julius Brown knocked down a triple in transition following a Wayne Selden turnover, and a Wiggins giveaway led to a Rian Pearson jumper to give the Rockets a quick 5-0 lead.

Kansas head coach Bill Self took a quick timeout.

"I should have taken a timeout five seconds into the game after our first turnover," Self said.

The tilt was played within a five-point window from there, until a 6-0 Jayhawks spurt finally allowed the hosts to cause some separation during the latter stages of the half.

After Jonathan Williams nailed a jumper to pull Toledo within 31-30, Ellis made a jumper, Selden hit a 3 and Ellis split a pair of foul shots for a 37-30 Kansas margin with 3:40 to play.

Kansas took a 43-36 cushion into the break.

Tharpe sunk a pair of triples and Embiid tallied five points during an 11-2 Jayhawks surge, which was capped on Embiid's three-point play for KU's largest spread of 68-52 with 12:05 left.

The hosts cruised the rest of the way.

Game Notes

Kansas shot 56.3 percent (36-of-64) from the field and were 7-of-14 from beyond the arc ... The Jayhawks outrebounded the Rockets, 44-28.