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The Honolulu Advertiser

Posted at 10:57 a.m., Saturday, December 22, 2007

CBKB: No. 3 Kansas pounds Miami, Ohio, 78-54

By DOUG TUCKER
AP Sports Writer

LAWRENCE, Kan. — Darrell Arthur and Darnell Jackson both had 14 points and No. 3 Kansas beat Miami of Ohio 78-54 on Saturday, becoming the first team in more than a year to exceed 69 points against the RedHawks.

Jackson and Sasha Kaun ignited a 13-0 run in the opening minutes, creating a 20-6 lead as the Jayhawks (12-0) remained unbeaten and raised their record in Allen Fieldhouse to 189-12 since 1994-95. It's the 10th time a Kansas team has started 12-0.

The RedHawks (6-5), perhaps fatigued a bit after a taxing 61-58 overtime victory at Illinois on Thursday night, shot 40 percent while Kansas stayed hot the entire game and hit 58 percent, including 6-of-15 from 3-point range.

The Jayhawks became the first team to score 70 or more against Miami in 45 games, the longest active streak in the country. They had not given up 70 since a 73-58 loss to Ohio on March 9, 2006, and were the only Division I team not to allow 70 points the entire 2006-07 season.

Miami also started the second half with three starters in foul trouble, including forward Tim Pollitz, who had two.

Arthur had 10 rebounds while Jackson had eight for the Jayhawks. Mario Chalmers and Brandon Rush both had 10 points.

Pollitz and Kenny Hayes both had 11 points for Miami. Michael Bramos, who came into the game averaging 19 points for the RedHawks, was guarded most of the time by Rush and finished with six points.

Throughout the first half, the RedHawks had success getting to the basket, but could not finish over the taller Jayhawks.

Miami was 0-for-5 during the decisive early run and the Jayhawks were 5-for-7.

Sherron Collins, apparently almost entirely recovered from the foot surgery that sidelined him for several games earlier in the season, hit a 3-pointer to ignite the surge and that was followed by five straight points by Kaun. Jackson had a three-point play and then Arthur's turnaround jumper made it 20-6 before Bramos finally stopped the streak with a 3-pointer.

The Jayhawks then outscored the visitors from the Mid-American Conference 19-11 the rest of the half. Jackson, a 6-foot-8 senior, hung in the air for an acrobatic tip-in that made it 35-13 and then a jump hook by the 6-9 Arthur put Kansas on top 35-13 and the only question remaining was whether the Jayhawks would break the RedHawks' streak of not allowing 70 points.

The streak was officially snapped with 3:43 to play when Collins fed Rush for a layup that made it 70-44.

The RedHawks shot 28 percent the first half, including 2-of-10 on 3-pointers.

The Jayhawks began increasing their lead with 13 minutes left when Collins and Rod Stewart made midcourt steals on consecutive possessions and drove in for layups that boosted the lead to 53-38.

With 8:49 left, Collins muscled inside for a layup that made it 61-31.