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Kansas battles past Arizona

Nov 28, 2010 - 6:35 AM Las Vegas, NV (Sports Network) - Marcus Morris' 16 points led six Jayhawks in double figures, as No. 6 Kansas fended off Arizona, 87-79, in the Las Vegas Invitational finale.

Markieff Morris added 15 points for Kansas (6-0), which had won its first five games by an average of 40.8 points but needed a late run to pull away from the Wildcats.

Derrick Williams carried Arizona (5-1) with 27 points and eight rebounds.

The Wildcats took their first lead of the game, 52-51, on Solomon Hill's bucket five minutes into the second half.

The Jayhawks found themselves down 60-56 before Tyrel Reed's three-point play opened a 9-0 spurt that Markieff Morris ended with a layup for a 65-60 edge with 6 1/2 minutes remaining.

Lamont Jones' jumper with under three minutes brought the Wildcats within 75-72, but Markieff Morris answered with a putback of Reed's missed three with 2:31 showing.

Hill missed consecutive shots at the other end, and after Markieff Morris' short try fell off the rim, his twin, Marcus, pulled down the offensive board and was fouled.

He made both at the stripe with 1:17 to go, and the Jayhawks sealed the win at the foul line.

Kansas led the entire first half, and Marcus Morris' three-pointer sparked a 12-0 run early on to build a 27-12 lead.

Just past the midway point, Arizona's Kyle Fogg drained a pair from behind the arc to make it a single-digit game, 33-24.

Jordin Mayes hit a late three-ball from Arizona to cut the deficit to 44-39 at the intermission.

Game Notes

Kansas, which improved to 8-0 all-time in the Las Vegas Invitational, leads the series, 8-4...Thomas Robinson scored 14 points for the Jayhawks, who received 13 from Reed and 10 apiece Tyshawn Taylor and Travis Releford. Taylor also handed out seven assists...The Wildcats were outscored in the paint, 42-28...Fogg and Lamont Jones ended with 18 and 11 points, respectively, for Arizona.