By JIM VERTUNO
Texas forward Myles Turner, right, goes up and blocks the shot of Kansas forward Perry Ellis, left, during the second half an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Jan. 24, 2015, in Austin, Texas. Kansas won 75-62. (AP Photo/Michael Thomas)
Rick Barnes
Texas head coach Rick Barnes calls out a play to his team during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Kansas, Saturday, Jan. 24, 2015, in Austin, Texas. Kansas won 75-62. (AP Photo/Michael Thomas)
Jonathan Holmes, Wayne Selden
Texas forward Jonathan Holmes (10) looks to shoot against Kansas guard Wayne Selden (1) during the second half an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Jan. 24, 2015, in Austin, Texas. Kansas won 75-62. (AP Photo/Michael Thomas)
Kendal Yancy
Kansas guard Frank Mason III, left, looks to pass against Texas guard Kendal Yancy, right, during the second half an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Jan. 24, 2015, in Austin, Texas. Kansas won 75-62. (AP Photo/Michael Thomas)
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AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Over the last two weeks, No. 17 Texas had supposedly re-established itself as tough guys on the Big 12 block.
Kansas picked that apart again Saturday with a 75-62 victory in which the No. 11 Jayhawks dismantled Texas with efficient passing, nearly flawless handling of the ball and a willingness to fight for every inch under the basket.
Cliff Alexander had 15 points and nine rebounds, and three other Jayhawks scored in double figures. Kansas also tied a school record with just three turnovers, none in the second half.
Isaiah Taylor scored 23 for Texas in his best game since returning from a long layoff with a broken wrist. But Texas (14-5, 3-3) showed little offensive flair beyond Taylor’s scoring and he had just one assist as Texas’ big frontcourt all but disappeared for long stretches.
Cam Ridley, a 6-foot-9, 285-pound center who averaged nearly 15 points the previous two games, took just one shot in the second half, and had just four overall. Freshman Myles Turner, who is 6-11 and came in as Texas’ leading scorer, scored eight on 4-of-11 shooting, but the Big 12’s best free-throw shooter didn’t get to the line.
“We’re one of the biggest teams in the country and we don’t take advantage of it,” Texas senior forward Jonathan Holmes said. “I don’t understand it.”
Kansas coach Bill Self compared Texas’ size to top-ranked Kentucky, a team that blew out the Jayhawks by 32 back in November.
“Against Kentucky, we shied away from it,” Self said. “Today we didn’t.”
The loss is a tough blow for Texas’ conference title hopes, which could all but end if the Longhorns lose at No. 9 Iowa State on Monday night.
Texas did what it could Saturday to energize its best home crowd of the season. The Longhorns’ mascot “Hook’Em” dropped about five stories down to the middle of the court and thousands of balloons were released from the rafters just before tipoff.
Texas bolted to an 11-2 lead but a Kansas program that has won 10 consecutive Big 12 titles isn’t one to be rattled by a little showmanship.
The Jayhawks (16-3, 5-1) slowly broke down Texas’ zone defense with 3-pointers before picking it apart from the inside. Perry Ellis scored eight points and Alexander had consecutive dunks to help the Jayhawks to a 32-30 halftime lead.
The teams traded the lead seven times in the opening minutes of the second half before Jonathan Holmes’ 3-pointer put Texas up 42-38. The Jayhawks responded with an 8-0 run behind consecutive 3-pointers from Wayne Selden Jr., and Brannen Greene.
Greene’s fourth 3-pointer pushed the Kansas lead to six with just under seven minutes to play. The Jayhawks steadily pulled away to earn a victory that could prove critical to winning another league title.
“This is a huge road win for us. It was big,” Greene said.
TIP-INS
Kansas: The Jayhawks not only silenced the Texas frontcourt offensively, they also handled themselves well on the boards. The Jayhawks outrebounded Texas 37-36 and grabbed 24 offensive boards.
Texas: Home hasn’t been friendly for the Longhorns over the last month. The Longhorns have lost three of their last five at the Erwin Center.
BLOCK PROBLEMS
Texas is lauded for its shot-blocking and the Longhorns had nine more against Kansas, five by Turner. But coach Rick Barnes sees a flaw in all those swats.
“We’re one of the best shot-blocking teams in the country. That also tells you our perimeter guys are getting beaten a lot. Our guard play has got to be better,” Barnes said.
DUNK CITY
Alexander had no trouble establishing his territory among Texas’ big men under the basket. Five of his six baskets came on dunks. He didn’t sound impressed by Texas’ Turner, who came into the season hyped as one of the top recruits in the country.
“He’s kind of thin,” Alexander said. “I played against Turner all the time in high school. I played against Ridley too … It was nothing to it.”
UP NEXT
Kansas visits TCU on Wednesday.
Texas visits Iowa State on Monday.