LAWRENCE The Texas A&M team that Big 12 coaches identified as a co-favorite showed up Monday and gave Kansas all it wanted.</p><p>The fifth-ranked Jayhawks prevailed 64-54, surviving a challenge from an Aggies team that had slipped to near the bottom of the league standings.</p><p>But A&M didn&#x92;t play like a team looking up in the standings ... and fifth-ranked Kansas looked nothing like a team that&#x92;s leading the Big 12 at 7-0 and 17-3 overall.</p><p>&#x93;Soft, selfish and dumb,&#x94; is how coach Bill Self described a first half in which the Jayhawks, who scored the game&#x92;s first 11 points, found themselves trailing by two at the break.</p><p>In this grinder where nothing came easily Kansas won the game from the only spot where its shots weren&#x92;t challenged, at the free-throw line.</p><p>Kansas, a 65.5 percent free-throw shooting team on the season, went 20 of 23 from the line. Thomas Robinson made all 10 of his on his way to an 18-point game. It was the best free-throw shooting night for a Kansas player since Wayne Simien made all 11 in a game during his Big 12 player-of-the-year 2005 season.</p><p>Same stroke as always, said Robinson, who entered the game a 63.6 percent free-throw shooter on the year.</p><p>&#x93;Nothing new,&#x94; he said.</p><p>But all were needed. Robinson had three free ones in the game&#x92;s most important juncture.</p><p>The Jayhawks led 44-42 with about 7 minutes remaining. Only once had Kansas had more than a one-possession lead in the second half at that point.</p><p>Robinson scored inside and completed a three-point play, and he added two more freebies on the next trip that gave the Jayhawks some breathing room.</p><p>The game&#x92;s tempo favored A&M. </p><p>&#x93;I knew this wasn&#x92;t going to be an 80-point game,&#x94; Self said.</p><p>No way. Texas A&M, which fell to 2-5 in the league and 11-8 overall, had to ugly it up. On offense the Aggies were effective in bleeding the shot clock, and for a long stretch got many positive outcomes &#x97; an Elston Turner basket, or a foul. Turner finished with 24 points.</p><p>On defense, the ideas were to close lanes that have become scoring avenues for the suddenly offensive-minded Taylor and throw bodies at Robinson.</p><p>&#x93;We wanted to try and push him off the block, and just keep him off the boards&#x94; A&M forward David Loubeau said.</p><p>When Robinson kicked it out, or anytime the Jayhawks got the ball to its primary deep shooters, Elijah Johnson and Conner Teahan, the result wasn&#x92;t good. The duo combined to make one of 11 from behind the arc.</p><p>And A&M had something of a scouting advantage. First-year Aggies assistant coach Kyle Keller had been a member of the Kansas staff the previous three seasons.</p><p>&#x93;Every time I called a play or Coach called a play they called it out right after us,&#x94; Taylor said. &#x93;They pretty knew what we were doing.&#x94;</p><p>But some things the Aggies couldn&#x92;t overcome, like Jeff Withey&#x92;s defense. The 7-foot Withey blocked eight shots, including two on one sequence late against Loubeau.</p><p>The Jayhawks needed all of it. Not only was A&M without Khris Middleton, its second leading scorer who aggravated a knee injury in Saturday&#x92;s victory over Oklahoma, the second half unfolded with point guard Dash Harris limping.</p><p>Harris injured his foot late in a first half in which he had scored the final bucket on a drive, and had four assists and six rebounds by intermission.</p><p>&#x93;Dash is a warrior,&#x94; Aggies coach Billy Kennedy said. &#x93;For him to do what he did &#x85; we&#x92;ll give him a couple of days off and hope it doesn&#x92;t get any worse.&#x94;</p><p>Self thought Kansas looked tired. The Jayhawks had two big victories last week, Monday against Baylor and Saturday at Texas. The quick turnaround seemed to show.</p><p>Kansas struggled to score and allowed the Aggies to control the pace but the Jayhawks&#x92; defense played well in the second half. At one point, Kansas forced turnovers on four of five A&M possessions, including a shot-clock violation.</p><p>&#x93;It was ugly,&#x94; Taylor said. &#x93;But it&#x92;s in the conference and all conference wins are good.&#x94;