KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Zeke Mayo excelled with five 3-pointers, contributing 26 points to the scoreboard, while Hunter Dickinson recorded an impressive 21 points and 14 rebounds. No. 10 Kansas managed to return to winning ways after two consecutive defeats, overpowering NC State 75-60 on Saturday afternoon.
Dajuan Harris Jr. also made a notable impact, adding 15 points along with six assists for the Jayhawks (8-2). Kansas started strong, scoring 15 unanswered points at the beginning of the game. However, it wasn’t until the second half, when Dickinson scored eight straight points, that the game began to tilt firmly in their favor, leaving the Wolfpack behind.
The victory marked Kansas’s 20th consecutive win in nonconference home games and prevented the team from suffering its first three-game losing streak since the 2022-23 season. On the other side, the Wolfpack (7-4) had key contributions from Ben Middlebrooks with 14 points and Brandon Huntley-Hatfield with 12 points. Unfortunately for NC State, this defeat extended their losing streak to 13 games against Kansas, dating back to their lone victory at Allen Fieldhouse on December 20, 1958.
In terms of key takeaways, NC State effectively engaged the Kansas big men in foul trouble, which allowed Middlebrooks to find success underneath the basket. However, the Wolfpack struggled to make an impact from the 3-point range, as both Dontrez Styles and Marcus Hill faced difficulties securing points. Conversely, Kansas demonstrated their ability to navigate through foul difficulties. While Dickinson faced three fouls, KJ Adams Jr. and Flory Bidunga each accumulated four fouls with 12 minutes remaining. Ultimately, the Jayhawks’ guards, notably Mayo, managed to take control of the game’s momentum.
One pivotal moment occurred when Kansas led 48-41 with just over 13 minutes on the clock. Mayo sunk a 3-pointer from the corner, followed quickly by a free throw and a driving layup that expanded Kansas’s lead to 54-41 with 12 minutes left on the clock.
A significant statistic to note is that Harris scored a layup with 18:14 remaining, marking his 1,001st career point. He became the fifth player on the Kansas team to achieve this milestone, joining the ranks of Mayo, Dickinson, David Coit, and Shakeel Moore.
Looking ahead, NC State will face Rider on December 22, while Kansas is set to play against Brown on the same day.