Lawrence, Kan. - Jaxson Robinson and Dallin Hall combined for 36 points as BYU ended No. 7 Kansas’ 19-game home win streak on Tuesday evening with a 76-68 victory at Allen Fieldhouse.
BYU UPSETS NO. 7 KANSAS 👀
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) February 28, 2024
The Cougars pick up a massive win in Lawrence 🔥 pic.twitter.com/uPTk9e8aTo
“I think the guys agree that everybody knows what this place is,” head coach Mark Pope said. “This was my first time walking into a game like this where I’ve never seen an atmosphere quite like this. It’s actually really special. This is a great team. We’re grateful we got an opportunity to come compete here. We’re really blessed and fortunate to come away with a win.”
Robinson scored in double figures for the sixth straight game as the senior finished with 18 points going 6-of-15 from the floor, 4-for-9 from 3-point range and 2-of-2 from the charity stripe. Hall also finished with 18 points, 13 of those coming in the second half including a pair of 3-pointers late in the game.
Fousseyni Traore had six points, seven rebounds and tied a career-high with five assists. Noah Waterman chipped in nine points including two 3-pointers.
FULL GAME HIGHLIGHTS: BYU Basketball at Kansas pic.twitter.com/9UGJif3Vhm
— BYU Men's Basketball (@BYUMBB) February 28, 2024
The Cougars became the first unranked team to beat a Jayhawk team ranked in the Top 10 at Phog Allen since February 3, 2018, shooting 39.3 percent from the floor, 38.2 percent from three and 79.2 percent from the free throw line. The Cougars had 37 rebounds, 11 assists, eight steals and two blocks.
First Half
The Cougars trailed by five, 8-3, at the first media timeout of the game with Dallin Hall knocking down the only shot from the floor in the opening four minutes. Following a defensive stop, Hall knocked down BYU’s first 3-pointer of the game cutting the deficit to two.
A pair of free throws from Trevin Knell jump-started a 5-0 run for the Cougars that cut the Jayhawks lead to one, 14-13. Knell went 2-of-3 from the charity stripe before Robinson knocked down his first 3-pointer of the game and extended his 3-point streak to 15 games.
A 6-0 run for KU was ended by an Aly Khalifa 3-pointer before the Jayhawks scored nine of the next 11 points to push their lead to 25-18 with under eight minutes remaining in the first half. The Cougars responded with six straight of their own on 3-pointers from Spencer Johnson and Richie Saunders.
A Saunders offensive putback made it a one-point game, 27-26, at 5:13 which KU responded with an 8-0 run as the Cougars went scoreless for four minutes. Robinson ended the scoring drought by connecting on his second triple from the corner to send both teams into halftime with BYU trailing 35-29.
Second Half
A 6-0 run from KU pushed the home team's lead to double figures for the first time in the game, 41-29, before Khalifa made both free throws after being fouled down low by Hunter Dickinson.
The Cougars continued to chip away at the deficit as they held the Jayhawks without a basket for more than seven minutes to make it a one-possession game, 47-45, on another Robinson three and forcing a KU timeout. It continued to be a one-possession game until the Jayhawks went on a 5-0 run capped by a jumper from Parker Braun making it 56-50.
With less than six minutes remaining in regulation, Trevin Knell’s first 3-pointer of the game sparked a 5-0 run for the Cougars, helping them take their first lead of the game, 59-58. Hall’s pull-up jumper on the next possession regained the lead for BYU following a jumper from Kansas' Adams Jr. The teams traded 3-pointers over the next few possessions before BYU scored eight straight to make it 74-66 and secure their first victory over KU at Allen Fieldhouse.
BYU returns to the friendly confines of the Marriott Center on Saturday, March 2, when the Cougars host TCU. Tip is scheduled for 7 p.m. MT and will air on Big 12 Now on ESPN+. Listen to live play-by-play on BYU Radio Sirius XM 143, BYURadio.org/BYU Radio app or KSL 102.7 FM/1160 AM.