Flory Bidunga scored 23 points and grabbed 10 rebounds as No. 9 Kansas handed top-ranked Arizona its first loss of the season, 82-78 on Monday at Lawrence, Kan.
The Wildcats (23-1, 10-1 Big 12) achieved the best start in Big 12 history at 23-0 overall before the defeat.
Kansas (19-5, 9-2) beat the No. 1 team at Allen Fieldhouse for the first time ever after losing five such games, including to Arizona the last time in 2003.
The Jayhawks won their eighth straight game overall despite playing without freshman star Darryn Peterson, who had flu-like symptoms. It was the 11th game Kansas played without Peterson, who has dealt with an ankle sprain, hamstring strain and chronic cramping.
Arizona led by 11 with 17:02 to go before Kansas rallied.
Bidunga made two free throws with 1:35 left to put the Jayhawks ahead 75-71.
Arizona’s Jaden Bradley missed a running jumper in the lane before Melvin Council Jr. made a driving shot to give Kansas a 77-71 edge with 51 seconds left.
A Bradley basket sliced into the gap, and after a turnover by Kansas on the inbound pass, Brayden Burries made a 3-pointer with 34 seconds remaining to pull Arizona within 77-76.
Council was fouled and made both free throws with 31.4 seconds left.
Burries’ drive to the basket was blocked by Bidunga, and Council was fouled.
Council, who had 23 points, six rebounds and six assists, made 1 of 2 free throws to give Kansas an 80-76 lead with 16 seconds left.
Arizona’s Motiejus Krivas followed with a jumper in the lane with 9.8 seconds remaining.
Kansas’ Tre White made both of his free-throw attempts with 5.1 seconds left to seal the win.
Bryson Tiller finished with 18 points and eight rebounds for the Jayhawks.
Burries had 25 points and Krivas added 14 points and 15 rebounds for the Wildcats.
Burries led a 7-0 run early in the second half with five of the points, putting Arizona ahead 55-44.
Kansas then scored seven unanswered points behind five points from Council.
The Jayhawks took their first lead, 65-64, with 9:32 remaining on a layup by Bidunga. That came in the midst of Kansas outscoring Arizona 25-9 to take a 69-64 edge with 6:56 left.
–Field Level Media
