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Kansas needs late foul shot to edge UCLA

Dec 3, 2010 - 8:32 AM Lawrence, KS (Sports Network) - Mario Little made a free throw with 0.7 seconds remaining, as the fourth-ranked Kansas Jayhawks snuck past the UCLA Bruins, 77-76, as part of the Big 12/Pac-10 Hardwood Series.

Tyshawn Taylor and Tyrel Reed each chipped in with 17 points for the Jayhawks (7-0), who extended the nation's longest active homecourt winning streak to 64 games. Marcus Morris added 16 points and six rebounds for the victors.

"I think [UCLA] controlled the game and certainly out-played us," Kansas head coach Bill Self said. "We made so many mental mistakes that gave them every opportunity to win the game. The crowd was great...They were the ones who won the game for us."

Tyler Honeycutt tallied 33 points and nine boards for the Bruins (3-3), who have lost three in a row. Joshua Smith finished with 17 points and 13 rebounds.

Trailing by four, 64-60, with 8:15 remaining, Kansas put together a 13-2 run to take the lead. Taylor tallied eight points during the burst, including a layup to give the Jayhawks a 73-66 margin with 2:55 to play.

It was a 75-69 game after Morris made two free throws with 2:08 left. Lazeric Jones then made a layup for UCLA to make it a four-point game.

Little missed three layups at the other end. The Bruins, though, failed to take advantage as Reeves Nelson turned the ball over. But Morris quickly turned the ball over at the opposite end.

Smith cut the gap to two, 75-73, with a layup. Taylor then made 1-of-2 from the foul line to give Kansas a three-point edge with 29.2 seconds to go.

After Jones missed a free throw, Reed turned the ball over to give UCLA a chance. Honeycutt set up the dramatic finish with a game-tying three-pointer with five seconds remaining.

The Jayhawks rushed the ball down the court and almost turned the ball over. With the clock showing seven-tenths of a second, UCLA's Malcolm Lee fouled Little. The play was reviewed to see if there was time left on the clock when Little was fouled. He made the first free throw to give Kansas the lead before intentionally missing the second.

"I was watching the replay of the foul at the end of the game on my computer inside the locker room. It was really a poor way to end the game on that call," cried UCLA head coach Ben Howland. "It was a loose ball, both (Mario) Little and Malcolm Lee are putting their hand on the ball at the same time...Normally, you wouldn't make that kind of call at that point in the game unless it was very obvious."

A tight first half resulted in a 42-39 Jayhawks lead.

Game Notes

UCLA still leads the all-time series with Kansas, 10-6...KU hasn't lost at Allen Fieldhouse since February 3, 2007 against Texas A&M (69-66)...Kansas improved to 7-0 for the third time in the last four seasons.