• Recap
• Bleachers
• Game Tracker

San Diego State escapes Allen Fieldhouse with upset win over Kansas

Jan 6, 2014 - 12:49 AM Lawrence, KS (SportsNetwork.com) - Xavier Thames scored a game-high 16 points and hit 4-of-4 from the foul line down the stretch to help 21st-ranked San Diego State to one of the biggest regular season wins in program history as the Aztecs edged No. 16 Kansas, 61-57, in a non-conference clash on Sunday.

Skylar Spencer added 13 points, nine rebounds and six blocks and Josh Davis netted 10 with 14 boards as San Diego State (12-1) won its 11th straight overall. The Aztecs' lone loss came on Nov. 14 to current No. 1 Arizona.

The loss snapped Kansas' historic run of 68 straight non-conference wins at Allen Fieldhouse.

Andrew Wiggins and Frank Mason netted 14 apiece to pace the Jayhawks (9-4), who shot just 29.8 percent as a unit. Joel Embiid tallied his second career double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds.

Kansas looked out of sorts offensively in the early going, hitting just three shots in the opening 10 minutes. SDSU meanwhile got six points apiece from Davis and Spencer and led 16-11.

Thames' triple at 7:46 capped a 16-4 San Diego State run to make it 21-13. Kansas scored the next four points, but Winston Shepard's three-point play kept the momentum in the Aztecs' favor.

SDSU's swarming defense held Kansas to 6-of-29 shooting over the opening 20 minutes to boost the visitors a 29-23 edge at the break.

Dwayne Polee II potted a 3 6:16 into the second half, giving San Diego State its largest lead at 38-27. Wiggins and Jamari Traylor followed with layups to re-energize the home crowd, but the Aztecs had an answer.

Davis followed his putback at one end with a deflection on the other that led to a Spencer breakaway slam as the Aztecs re-established their 11-point advantage.

Kansas battled back, however, clawing to within five after Mason's corner 3 at 5:33. Less than a minute later, Embiid knocked down a pair of free throws and Wiggins finished a contested layup in transition to make it a two-point affair.

Out of the final media timeout with the Aztecs in front 52-48, Wiggins missed a quick 3 from the left wing, leading to Thames' trey at the other end.

Mason hit another 3-pointer to make it 57-55 with 1:21 to play. The Aztecs had an opportunity to put the game away from the stripe, but Shepard and J.J. O'Brien both missed the front end of a 1-and-1, and Kansas called timeout with 20 seconds left and no shot clock.

Bill Self called Perry Ellis' number out of the timeout, and the sophomore drew a foul but missed his second free throw. Thames made both of his tries on the other end with 8.3 remaining for a three-point margin. SDSU then fouled Mason instead of letting Kansas attempt a 3-pointer to tie it, and the move paid off with Mason missing his first free throw. Thames put it away with two more makes.

Game Notes

San Diego State has now won 104 straight games when leading with five minutes to play ... The Aztecs had just six assists as a team ... SDSU outrebounded the Jayhawks 51-39. It was just the second time this season Kansas has lost the rebounding margin ... The Jayhawks fell to 49-28 under Bill Self against ranked foes ... Kansas big man Tarik Black went scoreless to stay at 998 career points ... The Jayhawks open Big-12 play at Oklahoma on Wednesday.