LAWRENCE, Kan., Sporting Alert – Devonte’ Graham scored a career-high 35 points as four Kansas starters reached double figures in scoring in the No. 2 Jayhawks’ comfortable 96-58 win over Toledo on Wednesday.
Graham went 14 of 19 on shooting from the field, including 5 from 8 from behind the 3-point line, while adding five rebounds and five assists in the third Hoophall Miami Invitational campus battle for Bill Self’s side.
“I’ve been putting up some shots at night,” said Graham. “Just listening to [assistant coach Kurtis Townsend] and getting in the gym.”
Malik Newman added 17 points on 7 of 10 shooting, while Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk hit five 3-points in his 15-point performance and Udoka Azubuike ended with 12 points for Kansas (6-0), which shot 59 percent from the floor.
Kansas v Toledo college basketball statsThe Jayhawks were also 60 percent from behind the 3-point line on 12 from 20.
Toledo forwards Nate Navigato and guard Tre’Shaun Fletcher each scored 12 points in the defeat, as the Rockets (3-3) dropped three straight – all away from home – and 12 straight against ranked teams.
Toledo stats against Kansas in a college basketball game.Fletcher, who leads the team in scoring, assists and rebounds this season, had six boards and three helpers against Kansas.
“That’s a very, very good basketball team,” Toledo coach Tod Kowalczyk said.
“I’m not a Kansas basketball historian by any stretch, but in 30 years of coaching, that’s as good a team as I’ve seen.
“They are on ice skates,” he said, “and everyone else is in sneakers. They’re that fast.”
As a team, Toledo shot 40 percent (20 of 50) overall and was 41.4 percent (12 of 29) from beyond the arc.
The visitors also outscored the home side 21-10 in bench point.
Kansas, which led by as many as 51 points midway through the second half, finished with a 32-7 advantage in points off turnovers, 38-12 in points in the paint and a 22-6 lead in fast-break points.
“I thought we did some really nice things,” Self said. “I thought our shot selection was really good.
“I think you could count on one hand the number of marginal shots we took.”
The win means the Jayhawks improved to 3-0 all-time against Rockets in this series.
