KU storms back from 15-point deficit, defeats Boschee’s Pitt State Gorillas 94-63
Jeff Boschee smiled and waved to the fans who stood and cheered the former Kansas basketball standout during introductions prior to Thursday night’s KU-Pittsburg State exhibition game in Allen Fieldhouse.
The goodwill carried over to the actual contest, too, as Boschee’s Div. II Pitt State Gorillas rolled to leads of 12-0 and 21-6 before the defending national champion Jayhawks woke up and rallied for a 94-63 victory in the only practice game of the preseason for both teams.
Jalen Wilson scored 23 points on 9-of-17 shooting, while Kevin McCullar had five steals, three assists and three rebounds to go with 13 points. Freshman Gradey Dick scored 20 points for the Jayhawks, who took a preseason No. 5 ranking into the game against a team picked to finish 10th in the 14-team MIAA.
Dick, from Wichita, hit 7 of 9 shots, including 3 of 5 from three-point range. McCullar, a senior transfer from Texas Tech, hit 6 of 12 shots. He was 1 for 4 from three-point range.
As a team, KU hit 8 of 20 threes to the Gorillas’ 13 of 32.
Wilson scored 13 points on 6-of-13 shooting in the first half. McCullar had nine points and three steals as KU overcame that early 15-point deficit to lead 39-34 at halftime.
Deshaun English had nine points and seven rebounds in the first half for the Gorillas and R.J. Forney hit a trio of threes for nine points. English finished with 14 points. Forney and Quentin Hardrick had 12 points apiece.
KU went with a starting lineup of Ernest Udeh, KJ Adams, McCullar, Wilson and Harris.
KU will meet Omaha at 7 p.m. Monday at Allen Fieldhouse in the Jayhawks’ regular-season opener,
Longtime KU assistant Norm Roberts will make his KU head coaching debut in that game, as head coach Bill Self will serve the first game of a four-game suspension. KU is holding out Self and Kurtis Townsend out the first four games of the season in response to the NCAA’s investigation into KU hoops, which has now stretched into a third year.
This story was originally published November 3, 2022 at 9:01 PM.
