Nov. 25, 2009
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LAWRENCE, Kan. - Senior Derick Nelson set a career-high with a 4-for-5 performance from beyond the arc and finished with 19 points, while junior Keith Benson scored a game-high 20 points and blocked four shots, but the top-ranked Kansas Jayhawks (4-0) proved to be too much for the Golden Grizzlies (2-3), winning 89-59, to extend the nation's top home court winning streak to 44 at Allen Fieldhouse in front of a sellout crowd (16,230) on Wednesday night.
"I liked the way we played," said OU coach Greg Kampe. "We controlled the tempo in the first half, had the game where we wanted it, and then a freshman made a freshman mistake and raced up the floor and we shot a three. We missed and they raced up the floor and got a dunk, steal, then dunk and the lead went from seven to 14 points."
Senior point guard Johnathon Jones dished out seven assists to tie The Summit League's all-time assists record with 626 in his career, matching Valparaiso's Bryce Drew. Benson moved into fifth all-time in league history pushing his blocks total to 146.
Freshman Xavier Henry had 19 points and sophomore Marcus Morris tallied a career-high 19 points and grabbed 11 boards to lead the Jayhawks. Tyrel Reed posted 11 points off the bench.
The Golden Grizzlies played solid defense through the first 13 minutes as Oakland trailed by just seven points, 23-16, with 7:12 left until halftime. KU then used a 14-5 run over a five-minute span to take a commanding 35-19 lead with just under three minutes to go.
Junior Will Hudson missed a pair of front-end one-and-one free throws to try and slice into the lead and KU scored nine straight points, before Benson's offensive rebound and dunk stropped the run, as the Golden Grizzlies trailed 37-22 at the half. Benson and Nelson scored 17 of Oakland's 22 points in the first half.
Nelson began the second half with a 3-pointer from the wing and Wright drained one from the corner as the Golden Grizzlies cut the lead to 11 points, 39-28, with 17:22 left in the game. The Jayhawks responded by outscoring OU 30-15 over the next five-plus minutes to take a 26-point lead.
OU fought back with a 10-0 run sparked by a pair of 3-pointers by Jones and Nelson as the Golden Grizzlies were down by 16 points (71-55) with 5:27 on the clock. KU extended the lead up to 30 points by the end of the game as the Grizzlies managed four points over the final five minutes to fall to the Jayhawks.
The Golden Grizzlies will play their third game of the Hall of Fame Showcase on Saturday, Nov. 28 when they host Central Arkansas. Tip is scheduled for 6 p.m. inside the Athletics Center O'Rena.
