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No. 4 Kansas tops Kansas State

Feb 14, 2012 - 6:26 AM Manhattan, KS (Sports Network) - Tyshawn Taylor totaled 20 points, five rebounds and five assists as No. 4 Kansas got past Kansas State, 59-53, at Bramlage Coliseum.

Jeff Withey added 18 points with 11 rebounds and blocked nine shots for the Jayhawks (21-5, 11-2 Big 12), who held on late to win their third consecutive game.

Jamar Samuels posted 20 points and 12 boards for the Wildcats (17-8, 6-7), who received 12 points and eight rebounds from Rodney McGruder in defeat.

"The effort was good tonight. We just did not come up with a win. It is always tough for our guys because we try hard," Samuels said.

McGruder's bucket with 1:15 to play pulled KSU within 55-51, but after Taylor missed the front end of a 1-and-1 on the next possession, Will Spradling missed a three-pointer and Jordan Henriquez failed to convert the offensive board.

Taylor grabbed that rebound but lost the ball, and Angel Rodriguez had his layup try blocked by Withey. Taylor kept with it, and was fouled after coming down with the ball.

He again missed his free-throw try, but Spradling couldn't get his shot to fall. Thomas Robinson got the rebound and made both his attempts for a six- point spread with 18 seconds left.

Rodriguez missed from beyond the arc but McGruder followed up to cut the deficit to 57-53. Connor Teahen made two from the line to seal it after Rodriguez was forced to foul.

Kansas led by as many as 12 in the first half and went to the break up 28-18. K-State opened up the second half on a 16-6 run to tie the game on a Henriquez layup just before the six-minute mark, then moved ahead 37-36 on a Thomas Gibson free throw.

"Our first half defense was terrific," Kansas head coach Bill Self said. "[Then] they totally out whipped us to start the second half for about 10 minutes."

But the Jayhawks seized control, scoring the next 11 points, and took a 47-37 edge on a Taylor jumper to cap the surge with 6 1/2 minutes remaining.

Game Notes

Kansas has won 44 of the last 47 meetings over its intrastate rivals, and swept the Sunflower Showdown in 2011-12...Robinson ended with 10 points and nine boards but committed five turnovers...Rodriguez turned the ball over a game-high seven times...Spradling turned in 10 points, four rebounds and four assists...Kansas State shot just 22.6 percent (7-of-31) in the first half and hit 38.8 percent (20-of-65) for the contest.