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No. 8 Kansas escapes Texas Tech thanks to Wiggins

Feb 19, 2014 - 5:30 AM Lubbock, TX (SportsNetwork.com) - Andrew Wiggins' put-back layup with 1.7 seconds left in regulation was the difference as No. 8 Kansas survived Texas Tech, 64-63, on Tuesday.

"My heart was just racing," Wiggins said. "They're a great team, though. They're a lot better than their record is."

Wiggins finished with 19 points and Joel Embiid added 18 with nine rebounds for the Jayhawks (20-6, 11-2 Big 12), who have won four of their last five outings.

Five different players scored in double figures for the Red Raiders (13-13, 5-8), losers of two in a row after winning three straight. Jordan Tolbert topped the list with 16 points and Dejan Kravic totaled 13 in the setback.

Embiid's dunk off a Wiggins miss gave the Jayhawks a 62-61 edge with 25.5 seconds remaining.

Embiid then fouled Robert Turner in the paint, who sank both ends of a 1-and-1 with 16.5 showing for a one-point edge. Kansas called timeout with 12.8 to play, and had little trouble advancing the ball downcourt.

Embiid's initial try from right under the bucket failed, but Wiggins put-back in close provided the Jayhawks with the winning margin.

"I'm disappointed for them that we didn't get this win because we played so hard. We played a lot smarter. We got the tempo the way we wanted to. We've got to regroup," said Red Raiders coach Tubby Smith.

A Wiggins trey inside of the seven-minute mark of the contest provided a 17-7 edge for Kansas. The lead was later seven, 28-21, on an Embiid jumper, but Texas Tech finished the half on a 7-2 surge and trailed 30-29 thanks to a Kravic bucket.

The hosts continued their roll to start the second half, going up 37-32 just after the three-minute mark after a Tolbert lay-in. Wiggins completed a three- point play less than a minute later to pull the Jayhawks even, and the game remained close until the final stages.

Turner hit a jumper and the Red Raiders were ahead 61-58 with 1:39 to play, then Embiid hit two from the line to make it a one-point margin on the next possession.

Game Notes

Kansas has won 26 of the 30 all-time meetings with Texas Tech and six in a row ... Turner finished with 11 points, while Jaye Crockett and Dusty Hannahs totaled 10 points each in the loss.