KU basketball vs. Texas recap: Jayhawks lose in Big 12 Conference tournament title game

KANSAS CITY — Kansas men’s basketball competed for the Big 12 Conference tournament title Saturday against Texas.

The No. 1-seed Jayhawks (27-6) came in after a win against 5-seed Iowa State. The No. 2-seed Longhorns (25-8) came in after a win against 6-seed TCU. Kansas and Texas split the regular season series the two programs played.

Were the Jayhawks able to sweep the Big 12’s regular season and tournament championships? Were the Longhorns be able to keep Kansas from doing that? The Jayhawks won the Big 12 tournament last season.

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Here's what happened inside the T-Mobile Center:

FINAL: Texas 76, Kansas 56

Texas leads 70-52 against Kansas with 3:47 left in 2nd half

At some point, Kansas needs to think about resting the starters it has in the game. Eighteen points, with the way this game has gone in the second half, is too much to overcome. And even if the Jayhawks do make a run, they'd likely run out of time.

Getting healthy ahead of the NCAA tournament is the most important thing Kansas should focus on right now. Just because it lost this game, doesn't mean it can't win back-to-back NCAA championships. All in all, it's just one game.

Texas leads 62-48 against Kansas with 7:57 left in 2nd half

It's just not Kansas' night at this point. The Jayhawks' scoring has been dominated by Jalen Wilson and Joseph Yesufu, and in the second half neither has been what they were in the first. Texas is up 14 points with a little less than eight minutes left in regulation.

It's evident, defensively, just how much Kansas is missing Kevin McCullar Jr. Of course, the officiating at times hasn't helped on either end. But this isn't all on the officiating, just like it never is all about the officiating.

Texas leads 53-43 against Kansas with 11:27 left in 2nd half

The crowd is trying to do its part to will Kansas back into this game. At different points during this most recent stretch, they've risen to their feet and gotten loud. But at this break, the Jayhawks are still down 10 points with about 11 and a half minutes remaining in regulation.

There's still plenty of time for Kansas to make a comeback, but it's unclear if the Jayhawks are going to have what it takes to make that happen. Doing better from behind the arc would help. Right now, Kansas is 0-for-4 on 3s in the second half.

Texas leads 49-41 against Kansas with 15:57 left in 2nd half

Dajuan Harris Jr. has yet to score. There's a little less than 16 minutes left in regulation, and Harris is 0-for-2 from the field. While Harris doesn't need to score to be an effective player, him doing so makes Kansas that much better and he also hasn't been the player elsewhere tonight that he normally is.

It's in part why Kansas trails by eight points right now. Texas appears to have all the momentum. The Jayhawks haven't led since they were up 28-25 in the first half.

HALFTIME: Texas 39, Kansas 33

Texas leads 30-28 against Texas with 3:34 left in 1st half

Now it's Kansas that's having an issue scoring the ball. The Jayhawks haven't scored in a little more than two and a half minutes. They've missed their last six shots from the field.

More trips to the free-throw line could help Kansas ensure those kinds of stretches from the field don't have the effect they are right now, but the Jayhawks haven't been able to get those calls. They're only 2-for-2 from the free-throw line, while the Longhorns are 6-for-6. Texas has been called for five fouls, and Kansas five fouls.

Kansas leads 24-23 against Texas with 7:46 left in 1st half

Kansas has made its last three shots from the field. Texas has missed its last for, not making one from the field for almost four minutes. And that's helped the Jayhawks get back into this, and take a 24-23 lead into a break with 7:46 left in the first half.

Ernest Udeh Jr. just showcased his guarding skills on the perimeter, forcing Texas' Tyrese Hunter to turn the ball over with the two matched up one-on-one. The Longhorns have three turnovers so far, that Kansas has yet to score any points off of. The Jayhawks have four turnovers so far, that Texas has scored four points off of.

Texas leads 19-16 against Kansas with 10:21 left in 1st half

Without Jalen Wilson and Joseph Yesufu offensively, Kansas would be in a rough position. The two each have seven points. Yesufu just recently hit a huge 3-pointer that ended what had become a 9-0 run for Texas.

Dajuan Harris Jr. and Gradey Dick each need to be more aggressive offensively for the Jayhawks. Harris is a great playmaker, and Dick a great shooter. Without them performing, it's going to be tough for Kansas to win.

Texas leads 17-13 against Kansas with 12:34 left in 1st half

Kansas was able to retake the lead at 11-10 after a great play by Joseph Yesufu offensively, and then extend that lead to 13-10. However, Texas just went on a 7-0 run. At a timeout with 12:34 remaining in the first half, the Longhorns are up 17-13 against the Jayhawks.

Ernest Udeh Jr. and Bobby Pettiford Jr. are Kansas' first two substitutions off the bench. They came in just now, for KJ Adams Jr. and Gradey Dick. That means the Jayhawks are playing with three smaller guards on the floor, in Pettiford, Yesufu and Dajuan Harris Jr., alongside Jalen Wilson and Udeh.

Texas leads 10-7 against Kansas with 15:49 left in 1st half

The Jayhawks are trailing early, but overall it hasn't been that bad of a start. With Kevin McCullar Jr. out, Joseph Yesufu has done well for himself on the offensive end. If that can continue, and Kansas can get some more stops defensively, things will trend in the Jayhawks' direction.

So far, Texas' Dylan Disu leads all scorers with six points. He's yet to miss a shot, from the field or from the free-throw line. The Longhorns haven't hit a 3-pointer yet, like Kansas, has, but haven't needed to.

The game is underway

Kansas won the opening tip-off.

This may feel a lot like a home game for Kansas

The crowd is leaning heavily toward Kansas as tip-off approaches. It's not Allen Fieldhouse, but it very well could feel like it at times for the Jayhawks tonight. There don't seem to be many Texas fans here, comparatively.

Bill Self is staying involved as he recovers

It doesn't look like Timmy Allen will play for Texas

Kevin McCullar Jr. is at the game, even though he won't play

It doesn't look like Kansas will have any surprises, with who's available

Without Kevin McCullar Jr., Kansas is turning to Joseph Yesufu

Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. He is the National Sports Media Association’s sportswriter of the year for the state of Kansas for 2022. Contact him at jmguskey@gannett.com or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Kansas basketball vs. Texas: Jayhawks went for Big 12 tournament title