No. 9 Kansas Basketball Suffers Ugly 17-Point Loss to No. 2 Iowa State

The Jayhawks take a pounding on the road in Ames.
Jan 15, 2025; Ames, Iowa, USA; Iowa State Cyclones guard Keshon Gilbert (10) splits the defense of Kansas Jayhawks guard Dajuan Harris Jr. (3) and Kansas Jayhawks center Hunter Dickinson (1) in the first half at James H. Hilton Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Reese Strickland-Imagn Images
Jan 15, 2025; Ames, Iowa, USA; Iowa State Cyclones guard Keshon Gilbert (10) splits the defense of Kansas Jayhawks guard Dajuan Harris Jr. (3) and Kansas Jayhawks center Hunter Dickinson (1) in the first half at James H. Hilton Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Reese Strickland-Imagn Images / Reese Strickland-Imagn Images

The No. 9 Kansas Jayhawks turned in one of their most lackluster performances of the season, falling 74-57 to No. 2 Iowa State on Wednesday night at Hilton Coliseum.

The defeat was marked by poor shooting, defensive lapses, and a general lack of rhythm, as Kansas struggled to keep pace with the Cyclones’ efficient attack.

Offensive Woes for Kansas

Kansas shot just 40.7% from the field (24-for-59) and an abysmal 31.3% from beyond the arc (5-for-16).

The team’s struggles from the free-throw line (4-for-11, 36.4%) further compounded their inability to generate offense.

While Zeke Mayo led the Jayhawks with 17 points on 7-for-19 shooting, his inefficiency from deep (3-for-9) really highlighted the team’s larger issues from deep.

Hunter Dickinson, expected to be a dominant force, managed only six points on 3-for-10 shooting, while grabbing eight rebounds.

KJ Adams Jr. chipped in four points and six rebounds but failed to make a significant impact.

Dajuan Harris Jr. contributed eight points and seven assists but couldn’t spark a consistent offensive flow and had three turnovers.

Bench Fails to Provide a Spark

The Jayhawks’ bench offered little relief on a night where the starters struggled.

Flory Bidunga was efficient with six points on 3-for-3 shooting, but turnovers and fouls limited his impact.

AJ Storr’s struggles continued as he finished with just five points on 2-for-6 shooting while committing four fouls.

Rylan Griffen added seven points, but it wasn’t enough to offset the Cyclones’ dominance.

Rebounding and Turnovers Prove Costly

Kansas lost the rebounding battle, managing just 33 boards compared to Iowa State’s 43.

Turnovers were another critical issue, with the Jayhawks committing 17, leading to easy points for the Cyclones.


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Mathey Gibson
MATHEY GIBSON

Mathey Gibson is the Managing Editor for the Kansas Jayhawks On SI. A graduate of the University of Alabama, he has extensive experience covering major college sports, including reporting on Crimson Tide athletics since 2019 for outlets like Alabama Crimson Tide On SI, The Crimson White, and Tide Illustrated. Now focused on Kansas, Gibson has covered significant events such as the NCAA Tournament, College World Series, and the College Football Playoff, bringing a deep understanding of collegiate athletics to one of the nation’s premier programs.