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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Kansas hands Texas Tech another historic loss, 109-51

Associated Press

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Kansas players had a lot to celebrate on Senior Night. The No. 4 Jayhawks had 15 players score in a 109-51 rout of Texas Tech.

DICK WHIPPLE | Associated Press

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LAWRENCE, Kan. — The record for most lopsided loss in Texas Tech history stood for less than a week. Maybe Bob Knight knew when to leave.

Russell Robinson scored 15 points and No. 5 Kansas played everybody wearing a uniform in a 109-51 thrashing of the Red Raiders last night. The 58-point margin topped the 44-point pounding at Texas A&M last Wednesday that had gone into the record book as Tech's worst loss ever.

And what did the Red Raiders do in between historic setbacks? They beat then-No. 5 Texas, 83-80, halting the Longhorns' eight-game winning streak.

"I feel like someone put a meat necklace around my neck and threw me into a lion's den," said rookie coach Pat Knight, who succeeded his father, Bob, as head coach nine games ago.

"They killed us," Pat Knight said. "The thing that upsets me again, just like the A&M game, is that we didn't compete. I had guys that I honestly thought looked scared when they got out there on the court. Not one guy showed up tonight."

As a dejected Knight sat on the Texas Tech bench in the final 10 minutes, his Kansas counterpart seemed almost as glum. Bill Self kept hustling reserves onto the court on an emotional Senior Night before a packed crowd in Allen Fieldhouse. But he couldn't stop the Jayhawks from shooting almost 60 percent while Texas Tech (16-12, 7-8) shot a miserable 29 percent in the biggest rout in Big 12 history.

"I didn't like that. I have a lot of respect, and I really like Pat," Self said. "Nobody likes to be on that end. I apologized to Pat after the game. He's great. He said, 'It's not your fault.' "

All but one of Kansas' 16 players scored as the Jayhawks (27-3, 12-3) set a record for the most lopsided conference victory in their storied basketball history.

"We did play guys and everybody made shots and they couldn't throw it in the ocean," Self said. "But I didn't like that at all. I'm certainly glad we had a chance to play everybody. Still, nobody likes to win that way, by that margin."

Knight didn't make any of his players available to the media.

"I warn them, and I talk to them, and I beg them, but I can't play for them," he said. "What I need to do is have a heart and brain transplant during a timeout. But I can't do that. They have to learn from it. I told them you can't play casual basketball in the Big 12 or you'll lose by 20 or 40 points."

Sherron Collins had 13 points for Kansas, while Mario Chalmers and Cole Aldrich both had 11 and Darnell Jackson and Sasha Kaun had 10 each.

No. 24 Gonzaga 88, Santa Clara 54: Freshman Steven Gray scored 18 points the host Bulldogs (24-6, 13-1) crushed the Broncos (14-15, 6-8) for their eighth consecutive West Coast Conference regular-season title. Gray made six 3-pointers and Matt Bouldin added 14 points for the Bulldogs, who won their 10th league title in the past 11 seasons.

WAC

Utah State 79, Fresno State 66: Jaycee Carroll scored 33 points in his final home game to lead the Aggies (21-9, 10-4) past the Bulldogs (13-17, 5-10). Gary Wilkinson scored 17 and grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds for the Aggies. Stephen DuCharme dropped in 13 and Tai Wesley 10 for USU. Kevin Bell scored 31 to lead the Bulldogs.

NOTES

Arkansas State: Nolan Richardson says he is talking with Arkansas State officials about the school's basketball coaching vacancy. Richardson has been out of college coaching since being fired by Arkansas in 2002. "I have visited with them, and I will have some more visitations with the (athletic director) and the chancellor," Richardson said. "I will have some more dialogue with them here in the next day or so."

WOMEN'S TOP 25

No. 1 Connecticut 66, No. 4 Rutgers 46: Renee Montgomery scored 21 points and Maya Moore added 19 as the host Huskies (29-1, 15-1) beat the Scarlet Knights (24-5, 14-2) to win the Big East regular-season championship. Tina Charles added 15 points and 17 rebounds for the Huskies, who won their second straight regular-season championship and 13th in the last 15 seasons.

St. John's 61, No. 9 Notre Dame 51: Kia Wright scored 14 points and the host Red Storm (16-13, 7-9 Big East) stunned the Irish (23-7, 11-5). St. John's has won four of five, the only loss to top-ranked Connecticut when coach Kim Barnes Arico suspended six players for violating an unspecified team policy.

Syracuse 73, No. 14 West Virginia 51: Freshman guard Erica Morrow scored a season-high 25 points and Chandrea Jones added 22 for the host Orange (22-7, 10-6 Big East) in an upset over the Mountaineers (23-6, 12-4). West Virginia had beaten Syracuse six straight times.