LAWRENCE, Kan. — Flory Bidunga had a double-double and No. 9 Kansas defeated top-ranked and previously unbeaten Arizona 82-78 on Monday night.
Arizona (23-1, 10-1 Big 12) entered Allen Fieldhouse with the second-longest winning streak in Division I men’s basketball.
“We weren’t very good, but at least we made them play maybe not their best,” Kansas coach Bill Self told ESPN. “But we competed so hard.”
Self also saluted the crowd.
“This place won this game tonight,” he said. “Allen Fieldhouse won this game tonight.”
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Kansas (19-5, 9-2) played without freshman guard Darryn Peterson, who was a late scratch with flu-like symptoms. Peterson has missed 11 games with a combination of hamstring, calf and ankle issues.
Arizona held a three-point lead at halftime and led by as many as 11 before Kansas took its first lead of the game at the 9:32 mark in the second half.
Bidunga put the Jayhawks ahead with a layup, which capped a personal seven-point run. He finished with 23 points on 8-for-11 shooting and added 10 rebounds.
Arizona closed within one point with 34 seconds left in the game, but senior guard Melvin Council Jr. shot 3-of-4 from the line in the final minute and 10-of-11 in the game to help seal the victory for Kansas. He finished with 23 points. Tre White also added a pair of late free throws.
Four Kansas players scored double digits. Bryson Tiller finished with 18 points and Jamari McDowell added 10.
“Next-man-up mentality,” Self said. “And these guys did it.”
Freshman guard Brayden Burries led Arizona with 25 points. Motiejus Krivas scored 14 and Ivan Kharchenkov 13.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
