KU postgame: Huge victory margin

Afterthoughts of Kansas’ 81-46 triumph at Texas Tech on Wednesday…

Odd game. Texas Tech jumped ahead 8-2 and was playing the type of game it needed to have chance. The Red Raiders milked the shot clock and got decent looks in the final seconds. But Billy Gillispie’s squad was unable to sustain the momentum for several reasons.

Tech missed some open three looks. Before the Jayhawks broke an 8-8 deadlock, the Red Raiders had missed four three-point attempts. Knock down one or two of those and perhaps the first half unfolds in a different way. Also in that stretch were a couple of bad passes by big man Robert Lewandowski, the Blue Valley West graduate who may have been pressing.

Also, Kansas defense was starting to clamp down. For an entire game, it probably was the best defensive effort of the season.

*With 15 points and five assists, Tyshawn Taylor played well. No guard on the team and few in the Big 12 can get to the basket like he can, but Taylor’s finishes at the hoop are like a stroll through an art gallery, some masterpieces and some stuff that defies description. Still, four turnovers against a Gillispie defense isn’t bad.

*When postgame compliments were passed out, Taylor made sure to mention Justin Wesley’s defense. Wesley was credited with one block and two rebounds in 13 minutes but he was active, as were all the reserves, who contributed 26 points and 14 rebounds.

*The victory margin was the largest on an enemy court since a 39-point victory at SMU in 1995.

The margin was a biggest for the Jayhawks in a road conference game since 1910. That KU team, led by first-year coach W.O. Hamilton won at Missouri 58-22.

The Tigers got some revenge, winning in Lawrence 41-10 in 1916, handing the Jayhawks their worst home conference defeat in history.

KU largest road victory margin by conference opponent:

36 at Missouri (58-22), 1919
35 at Texas Tech (81-46), 2012
34 at Colorado (87-53), 1994
33 at Iowa State (50-17), 1919
33 at Oklahoma State (80-47), 1966
32 at Nebraska (56-24), 1943
31 at Oklahoma (86-55), 1963
31 at Grinnell (42-11), 1920
30 at Texas (102-72), 1998
29 at Kansas State (94-65), 2000
26 at Baylor (82-56), 2007
22 at Washington U. (48-16), 1915
21 at Texas A&M (78-57), 2000