2nd - 16:09
Aldrich helps No. 18 Kansas extend home winning streak
Feb 19, 2009 - 4:49 AM LAWRENCE, Kansas (Ticker) -- A torrid start was all Kansas needed to keep its home winning streak intact.Cole Aldrich recorded 22 points and 11 rebounds as the 18th-ranked Jayhawks cruised to a 72-55 victory over road-weary Iowa State on Wednesday.
Sherron Collins also scored 22 points and freshman Marcus Morris added eight points and six rebounds for Kansas (21-5, 10-1 Big 12), which ballooned the nation's longest winning streak at home to 38 contests.
"I thought it was Sherron's game tonight," Jayhawks coach Bill Self said. "Even though he scored a lot of points late, he had six assists and no turnovers. He had a few steals. He played extremely well.
"He has been a guy that has shot well early at home and then not as well down the stretch. Tonight I think it was very good from a conditioning standpoint that he shot the ball better late than he did early."
Craig Brackins registered 20 points and 11 boards to pace the Cyclones (13-13, 2-9), who have lost eight of their last nine overall while dropping 14 in a row on the road in conference play.
"Holding them to 70 points on their home floor, especially with the way that they started, I thought that our defensive effort was good," Iowa State coach Greg McDermott said. "Our problem all year has just been finding enough ways to score baskets and obviously it just was not enough tonight."
The Jayhawks opened the game with a 16-2 run and finished with a 50 percent mark (28-of-56) from the floor, improving to 19-2 when outshooting opponents this season. They also built off two strong wins on the road against Missouri and Kansas State.
"It's just fun to get back home," Aldrich said. "It seems like we had what they call in the NBA, a West Coast swing. We were gone for a week and a half. It's great to finally get back."
After trailing by 11 at the midway point, Iowa State crept within 36-31 just 2:15 into the second half when Brackins converted his second free throw, but was unable to erase its shoddy start.
"He shot the ball almost every time that he got it," Morris said of defending Brackins. "If you limit his touches he can't really shoot as much. Last game I was kind of laid back because I didn't know his game and he was hitting tough shots.
"Our main focus was to limit his points and I knew if we did that we would win. I wasn't worried about scoring. I was just worried about defending him."
Aldrich later scored six points in an 83-second span midway through the second, handing the Jayhawks a commanding 51-38 lead with 9:26 to go.
"The guys are getting the ball inside," Aldrich said. "When I don't have it I am kicking it back out to them. Sherron (Collins), he played great tonight. He didn't have any turnovers. I probably had five of his turnovers. It was a good win for us."
Kansas benefited, once again, from hitting 50 percent or better from the floor and have now reached that mark in 13 games - including seven of 11 conference contests.
Such feats helped the Jayhawks overcome 18 turnovers in this contest, en route to reaching 10 conference wins for the 15th straight season.
- NCAA BB
FINAL 1ST 2ND TOTAL
--- --- -----
IOWA ST 25 30 55
KANSAS (18) 36 36 72 FINAL
Feb 18 9:58 PM - NCAA BB
IOWA ST 25
(18) KANSAS 36 HALFTIME
Feb 18 8:50 PM
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