First half
University of Kansas
KU Notebook | Johnson helps McLemore
January 9
Key play: Iowa States Chris Babb hit a three-pointer in the final seconds before halftime, cutting KUs lead to 42-38.
Key stat: The Cyclones hit seven of their first 16 three-point attempts.
Second half
Key play: KUs Ben McLemore banked in a three-pointer with 1 second left, tying the game at 79-79. The Jayhawks would cruise in overtime.
Key stat: McLemore missed just two shots, including free throws, all night.
Johnson helps McLemore
• Kansas senior Elijah Johnson finished with a quiet double-double, finishing with 12 points, 10 assists and six rebounds. He also recorded six turnovers. But his biggest assist may have come in the first half, when he took McLemore aside and apologized for not getting him the ball more.
I just told him, Its my fault if you dont get going, Johnson said. So take the ball. I kept giving it to him.
Johnson also had a key layup in the final minute that cut the lead to one point and set up McLemores game-tying three-pointer after Iowa State made two free throws on the other end. Kansas coach Bill Self said he had instructed Johnson to go for a quick two-pointer if it was open.
• Even after McLemore finished with 33 points, Self was left wondering if he could have done more to get him involved in the offense. Self cited the first half, where McLemore had 13 points with nine coming off three-pointers that he had created for himself.
This is coaching, and we gotta do a better job, Self said. When a guy gets 33, thats impressive. But when he does it on 12 shots, you gotta get him more than 12 shots.
• Kansas will now hit the road for its first Big 12 road game at 3 p.m. on Saturday against Texas Tech.
| Rustin Dodd, rdodd@kcstar.com




