USATSI
No. 5 Kansas survived a challenge from No. 4 UConn on Friday night, needing a rally over the final nine minutes for a 69-65 win in a battle of college basketball’s past two national champions. Kevin McCullar Jr. led the Jayhawks with 21 points as KU outlasted a Huskies team that entered with the nation’s longest winning streak at 13.
Tristen Newton put UConn on his back with 31 points as he repeatedly hit contested 3-pointers late in the shot clock to zap some of the life from a sold-out Allen Fieldhouse. But he couldn’t keep the Jayhawks at bay late.
After falling behind 52-47 with 9:09 remaining, Kansas used an 14-2 run over the next five minutes to regain control. Spearheading the late charge was McCullar, who hit three 3-pointers over the game’s final six minutes.
The Jayhawks needed his marksmanship withstand a barrage from Newton, who made 6 of 9 attempts from beyond the arc. Alex Karaban was the only other UConn player in double figures at 10 points, but he fouled out with 1:49 remaining.
It was another signature early season win for KU, which entered with victories against No. 12 Kentucky and No. 10 Tennessee; its lone loss is to No. 1 Purdue.
For UConn, it marked the end of the nation’s best winning streak at 13 games, a run which dated back to the team’s national-title run last season. UConn also saw its record streak of 24 straight double-digit victories against nonconference opponents snapped.
CBS Sports will update this story soon with takeaways from Kansas’ win over UConn.
