- Associated Press - Saturday, December 30, 2023

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Hunter Dickinson had 22 points and 13 rebounds, Kevin McCullar Jr. added 20 points, and second-ranked Kansas routed Wichita State 86-67 on Saturday in the first matchup between the in-state rivals in nearly nine years.

Elmarko Jackson added a career-best 12 points for the Jayhawks (12-1), who have won 25 straight games in December and will take an eight-game winning streak into Big 12 play when they take on TCU next Saturday.

Dalen Ridgnal scored 13 points for the Shockers (8-5), who also lost to Kansas State at T-Mobile Center last week.

Kansas and Wichita State first played in 1908, but, despite being separated by just 161 miles, the schools have met only 16 times over the years, including a pair of NCAA Tournament games. The most recent meeting was in 2015, when the Shockers beat the Jayhawks in a Midwest Regional game in Omaha, Nebraska.

Kansas never gave them a chance to make it two wins in a row.

The game was tied 14-all when Jackson scored three straight baskets, including a fast-break dunk, to give the Jayhawks the lead. Dickinson added back-to-back baskets off his own misses. By the time Parker Braun scored an easy layup off a slick assist from K.J. Adams Jr., the Jayhawks had taken a 43-27 lead heading to the locker room.


PHOTOS: Dickinson's double-double helps send No. 2 Kansas to 86-67 win over Wichita State


Dickinson opened the second half by drilling a 3-pointer from the top of the key. Jackson added his own 3 from the wing. And when Dickinson picked the pocket of Harlond Beverly and McCullar scored in traffic at the other end, the Kansas lead had grown to 51-27 and Shockers coach Paul Mills was forced to call timeout.

The Jayhawks led by as much as 28 in the second half before cruising to the finish.

UP NEXT

Wichita State opens American Athletic Conference play against North Texas on Thursday night.

Kansas welcomes the Horned Frogs to Allen Fieldhouse next Saturday.

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