By Wendell Barnhouse
Big12Sports.com Correspondent
AUSTIN, Texas – Bill Self has coached Kansas in 413 games.
“That’s the best play I’ve seen since I’ve been at Kansas,” he said Saturday. “I don’t ever think there’s ever been a better hustle play than that one.”
No. 11 Kansas rolled into the Erwin Center (aka Club Erwin thanks to lots of “game presentation) and left with a 75-62 victory over No. 17 Texas. Coupled with Iowa State’s loss at Texas Tech, KU (16-3, 5-1) finds itself alone atop the Big 12 standings.
The Jayhawks’ victory flew on the wings of effort and hustle which was best exemplified by junior Jamari Traylor.
Self referenced a “play” but Traylor had a series of effort plays in a 43-second sequence. He had his shot blocked, then hustled to the defensive end to block a UT fat break layup, bounce back from out of bounds to have a subsequent rebound. Traylor then hustled to try to grab an offensive rebound and fell out of bounds.
On the Kansas end, Traylor again went flying out of bounds trying to grab a missed shot. Texas transitioned in the opposite direction, but missed another layup. The ball rolled toward midcourt where UT’s Demarcus Holland went to the floor … only to contend with Traylor, who had raced back into the play and dove to gain possession.
The Jayhawks then got a driving layup and three-point play by Frank Mason to give Kansas a 26-21 lead.
“You look at his stat line and the way he played today was as important as any of our guys,” Self said. “It was unbelievable. Plays like that give your team momentum and give your team confidence. That was a helluva play.”
Traylor’s modest production of two points and four rebounds in 20 minutes was highlighted by eight “floor burns” – specialty hustle stats kept by KU. Former KU player Wayne Simien Jr. Tweeted: “Tattoos are in style but floor burns are better.”
Couple the Jayhawks’ effort with their offensive efficiency and it was a formula for a road win. Kansas shot “just” 43.5 percent from the floor but they committed just three turnovers – none in the second half.
“There are lots of ways to look at stats,” Self said when his team’s shooting percentage was mentioned. “If you don’t turn it over very often, then your shooting percentage isn’t as big a factor. Our shot selection was good and I thought our offensive efficiency was the best it’s been all year,”
The Longhorns (14-5, 3-3) found themselves on the opposite side in the offensive efficiency discussion. UT’s starting front court of Jonathan Holmes, Cam Ridley and Connor Lammert combined to attempt 19 shots – and 10 of those attempts were 3-pointers (five each by Holmes and Lammert).
"We're one of the biggest teams in the country and we don't take advantage of it," said Holmes, who finished with 14 points. "I don't understand it."
Texas jumped to an 11-2 lead thanks to 3-pointers by Lammert and Isaiah Taylor. But over the first 13 minutes, half of the Longhorns’ shots were threes and Ridley didn’t attempt his first shot until 8:30 remained in the opening half.
“I really thought the way we started the game was not good,” said Texas coach Rick Barnes, whose team plays at Iowa State Monday. “I'm disappointed in the fact that we just settled for so many outside jump shots. I don't even think we had a post entry until about the 13-minute mark.”
Taylor, who finished with 23, got the Longhorns off to a fast start in the second half, scoring on runners on consecutive possessions. Freshman Myles Turner hit a spinning jumper in the lane to give Texas a 44-39 lead with 14:36 remaining but the Jayhawks went on a 12-2 run fueled by defense – two turnovers and a blocked shot – to go up 51-46 with 9:26 to play.
"This is a huge road win for us,” said Greene, whose contested 3-pointer from the corner pushed KU’s lead to 56-50 with just under seven minutes to play.
“That was two good teams playing,” Self said. “You try to steal one whenever you can. It used to be road wins were precious. Home wins are precious, too. In this league, anybody can beat anybody.”