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Jayhawks runaway early to deal West Virginia another beating

LAWRENCE, Kan. —  Kansas scored 43 points by halftime. West Virginia had only 42 in the game’s final minutes.

That was the brutal recipe for the Mountaineers’ third straight blowout loss, this one 78-53 against No. 14 Kansas, in front of a sold-out Allen Fieldhouse.

Chase Harler’s 3-pointer with 2:11 remaining started a garbage-time 11-0 run that ensured the Mountaineers would score more than the Jayhawks (20-6, 9-4) did in the first half, when they raced out to a 43-16 lead.

“I felt like we were well prepared to come in and play a competitive game,” Harler said. “Things we did in practice, we didn’t carry it over into the game. We really need to work on that.”

BOXSCORE: Kansas 78, West Virginia 53

Down to nine scholarship players after this week’s dismissals of Esa Ahmad and Wes Harris, the Mountaineers (10-15, 2-10) struggled offensively.

For a third consecutive game WVU failed to shoot 40 percent from the field, making 20-of-59 overall. The 3-point results were far worse — 3-of 23.

Already faced with the persistent problem of turnovers — the Mountaineers had 24 against Kansas — and lacking defensive intensity, West Virginia coach Bob Huggins did not blame the lopsided game on the absence of Ahmad and Harris or the injuries that kept  Sagaba Konate and Beetle Bolden sidelined.

“No, I think it was because we played a very good team today and a very well-prepared team today,” he said. “They’re a very talented team. They’re a lot better than we are.”

With six regular-season games and the Big 12 tournament left, West Virginia may find it hard to win again, but Kansas coach Bill Self said Huggins will

“Absolutely this is a hiccup,” Self said. “I think fans and media look at it differently than coaches. [Huggins] doesn’t need to get it turned around. It’s still going in the right direction. This is a hiccup.

“They’re not going to need to change what they do. He’s lost four starters. You take four starters off any team in America — take Duke’s four starters or take Michigan State’s or Michigan’s or any four starters off — you’re not going to be as effective. I think it’s unfortunate and he’s dealing with more crap from that standpoint than he ever has in his whole career, but don’t ever feel sorry for Huggs at all, because they’re not going anywhere at all. This is just a step sideways for them.”

It was a sideways step that repeated the same mistakes.

Some passes landed three rows deep in the stands, and other times West Virginia players fumbled away simple passes. Dribbling in transition on one possession, Brandon Knapper tried to change direction and face-planted on the court.

Emmitt Matthews made his first career start but turned the ball over four times.

Andrew Gordon had the unfortunate distinction of picking up four fouls in the first half — three of them offensive — before fouling out midway through the second half. The sophomore’s stat line in 10 minutes of action: Zero shots, zero rebounds, four turnovers.

For guys looking to capitalize on more playing time without Ahmad and Harris, this wasn’t what they had in mind.

“Everyone had to play,” Harler said. “We just have to keep moving forward. We really need to work on some things on defense. We worked on some things this week, but it didn’t translate to the game.”

If not for that late 3-pointer by Harler and a couple of free throws from Lamont West and a garbage-time dunk by walk-on Taevon Horton, West Virginia’s offensive output would have been much worse.

Harler tied a season-high with 11 points and West contributed the same. Derek Culver grabbed 12 rebounds but finished 2-of-10 from the field with nine points.

The Mountaineers won’t have time to lick their wounds. They travel home for a Monday night game against No. 18 Kansas State, the Big 12 leader who lost 76-64  to Iowa State on Saturday.

Kansas, now just a half-game back of the Wildcats in the league standings, was led by freshman Devon Dotson’s 15 points and eight assists. He scored 13 in the first half.

“I thought he was just terrific in the first half,” Self said. “He was great.”