No. 7 Kansas erases 17-point deficit, hangs on vs. K-State

Halfway through Saturday's game between No. 7 Kansas and Kansas State, the Wildcats looked like the team considered to be a national title contender, not the in-state rival Jayhawks. But by the end, things looked a little more like they were expected to.

Kansas erased a 17-point second-half deficit to come storming back and beat K-State, 78-75. The Jayhawks trailed by 16 at halftime, and never led by more than the final three-point margin.

The Wildcats cruised for much of the first half, thanks largely in part to Nijel Pack. The sophomore guard poured in 22 points in the first half, drilling six of eight attempts from beyond the arc. The Jayhawks, meanwhile, couldn't buy a basket, at one point going more than four minutes between field goals.

Kansas chipped away at the lead in the second half, eventually getting it down to a one-possession game with just under seven minutes to go. The teams exchanged body blows until the final minute, with K-State keeping Kansas at an arm's length.

Then, with the Bramlage Coliseum crowd rocking, Ochai Agbaji took over. The Big 12's leading scorer was fouled on a deep shot with 55 seconds to go, but a controversial call ruled he was in front of the three-point line and he was awarded only two free throws. He knocked them both down to cut the lead to one.

After Markquis Nowell had his shot blocked by Christian Braun, he got the ball back and hoisted a three. Dajuan Harris corralled the miss, and after draining the clock, Agbaji drove to the cup and laid in the go-ahead bucket. Pack attempted a three to reclaim the lead but missed, and Agbaji was fouled and hit both free throws. K-State couldn't get a shot off in the final seconds as the game ended.