LAWRENCE, Kan. — Sherron Collins had career-high 33 points and made nearly every key play down the stretch, helping No. 1 Kansas pull out a gutsy 71-66 win over Cornell on Wednesday night.
Kansas (14-0) overcame a rare off night from the field — 36 percent — and shoddy defense in the first half, making just enough plays down the stretch in one of the toughest victories of its 51-game home winning streak.
Cornell (12-3), the two-time Ivy League champion, dictated the game from the start. The Big Red kept the fast-breaking Jayhawks grounded by turning it into a grind. Never intimidated by playing in one of college basketball’s most famous gyms, the Big Red forced Kansas to grit one out.
Ryan Wittman had 24 points, his outside shooting keeping Cornell in front well into the second half.
Trailing 58-52 with just over eight minutes left, Kansas put together the kind of run No. 1 teams make. Turning up the pressure at both ends, the Jayhawks went on an 11-4 spurt to go up 63-60.
The Big Red led 41-38, the first time Kansas has trailed at halftime this season.
