The Sports Xchange
Nov 17, 2017
LAWRENCE, Kan. -- Senior guard Svi Mykhailiuk netted a career-high 27 points on 10-for-17 shooting as No. 4 Kansas wasted no time Friday destroying South Dakota State 98-64 in Allen Fieldhouse.
The Jayhawks missed their first jumper but canned their next eight shots to grab a 20-4 lead before five minutes elapsed. Consecutive 3-pointers by Mykhailiuk, Lagerald Vick and Malik Newman closed that flurry.
After shooting just 8-for-28 from behind the arc in a grind-it-out win over Kentucky in the Champions Classic, the Jayhawks (3-0) sizzled on 3-pointers against the Jackrabbits (3-1), who are picked as favorites in the Summit League.
Mykhailiuk scored 19 first-half points, including a 3-pointer to close the half, to give the Jayhawks a commanding 57-28 lead at the break. They closed with a 10-0 run despite playing the last 8:55 without center Udoka Azubuike.
Senior guard Devonte' Graham went scoreless in the first half, but distributed six assists. He finished with eight points and 11 assists, while the Jayhawks committed just seven turnovers.
Vick added 22 points and Newman 13 as the razor-thin Jayhawks again were unable to go deep into their bench but used all nine players who were available.
The scoring effort by Mykhailiuk could have been greater, but he left the game twice in the second half with a tweaked ankle and did not play after the midway point of the second half with the Jayhawks owning a comfortable margin.
Junior forward Mike Daum posted a double-double to lead South Dakota State, scoring 21 points and adding 11 rebounds.
Once Azubuike drew his second foul, Kansas went mini-small. Clay Young, a 6-5 senior walk-on guard, was used in the post. He scored a bucket and also distributed two assists.
Azubuike still finished with 17 points on 8-for-9 shooting and is 19-for-21 on the season.
. Vick and Newman each contributed 13 first-half points as the Jayhawks shot 63.6 percent on 21-for-33 shooting.
NOTES: Kansas F Billy Preston still has not played this season, missing his third game as the athletic department's compliance office attempts to get a "clearer financial picture" of the vehicle Preston drove when he had a one-car accident last Saturday on campus. ... Earlier this week, the Jayhawks signed Quentin Grimes, a combo guard, as the fourth member of the 2018 class. ... Several NBA scouts were in attendance, in part to see one of South Dakota State's standouts, F Mike Daum.