Kansas basketball vs. TCU recap: Jayhawks win Big 12 thriller 63-58

FORT WORTH, Texas — Kansas men’s basketball’s 2022-23 regular season continued Monday with a Big 12 Conference game on the road against TCU.

The No. 4 Jayhawks came in after a win at home against now-No. 10 Baylor. The Horned Frogs came in after a win at home against Oklahoma State. It was the second time Kansas and TCU have played this season.

Was coach Bill Self’s Jayhawks squad able to keep itself atop the Big 12’s regular season standings? Was coach Jamie Dixon’s Horned Frogs squad able to complete a regular-season sweep of its visitor? Last season, TCU beat Kansas when the two sides met up in Fort Worth.

RELATED:Dajuan Harris Jr. sparks Kansas basketball’s second-half comeback in win against Baylor

RELATED:Bill Self calls Gradey Dick ‘the best freshman shooter’ he’s had with Kansas basketball

Here’s what happened:

FINAL: Kansas 63, TCU 58Kansas leads 60-55 against TCU with 3:27 left in 2nd half

There have been opportunities for TCU to make this a one-possession game again, but Kansas has continued to maintain some control on this one after jumping out to a seven-point lead recently. Seven points is the Jayhawks’ largest lead on the night. And with as well as they are doing defensively on the Horned Frogs, it might mean that TCU will run out of time trying to get a lead itself.

Jalen Wilson hasn’t shot the ball well at all tonight, but he’s close to a double-double still. So far, he has seven points and 11 rebounds. One bucket from behind the arc would do it, and potentially ice this game depending on when it happens.

Kansas leads 54-53 against TCU with 6:38 left in 2nd half

This looks like it’ll be a battle to the finish. With about six and a half minutes left in regulation, Kansas still only leads by one point. TCU isn’t going anywhere.

Something to watch for, is how much of the time that’s left has KJ Adams Jr. in the game for the Jayhawks. The starter has four fouls, so he is only one away from fouling out. So, these will continue to be key moments for Ernest Udeh Jr. in Adams’ relief.

Story continues

Kansas leads 47-46 against TCU with 10:29 left in 2nd half

Now the Jayhawks are on a scoring drought that’s lasted about two and a half minutes. The Horned Frogs have used that to cut Kansas’ lead to one point with about 10 and a half minutes left. And TCU certainly seems to have the momentum right now.

After this break, Kansas will see Kevin McCullar Jr. go to the line for a couple free throws. Regardless of how many he makes the Jayhawks will have attempted half of the number of free throws the Horned Frogs have. TCU is 8-for-14 on free throws, while ahead of McCullar’s trip his side is 4-for-5.

Kansas leads 47-41 against TCU with 12:51 left in 2nd half

MJ Rice just hit a layup and forced a timeout from TCU, which trails Kansas by six points with a little less than 13 minutes left in the second half. The Horned Frogs have missed their last five shots from the field. They haven’t scored on the Jayhawks in more than two and a half minutes.

Neither side is shooting the ball all that well from behind the arc as a team, so far. Kansas is at 23.1%, while TCU is at 33.3%. If the Jayhawks can start to hit some more, or the Horned Frogs can, that may determine this one.

Kansas leads 42-39 against TCU with 15:27 left in 2nd half

These two sides are trading baskets right now, and the Jayhawks lead by three points with about 15 and a half minutes left in regulation. Gradey Dick leads Kansas with 19 points. Mike Miles leads TCU with 10 points.

Something to watch, is the Jayhawks’ Jalen Wilson has three fouls. He picked up his third before two minutes had even been played in the second half. But Bill Self didn’t immediately take him out, so it looks like Wilson is going to be trusted to not soon pick up that fourth foul.

The second half is underway

TCU opened the second half with possession of the ball.

Check out some of the actionHALFTIME: Kansas 33, TCU 29Kansas leads 29-27 against TCU with 2:25 left in 1st half

Kansas has had its issues offensively at times tonight. Whether it’s not making the most of some easy opportunities or something else, it’s in part why TCU has been able to stick with the Jayhawks and even lead at times. But Kansas has shot 4-for-4 from the field its last four attempts, and is back in front by two points with about two and a half minutes left until halftime.

Something to watch, is the Horned Frogs are 3-for-7 from the free-throw line so far. Not only are they not making the most of their opportunities there, they aren’t taking advantage of the fact the Jayhawks are just 1-for-1. It’s something that could put TCU on top by night’s end, or deliver the home side its latest loss.

Kansas leads 20-19 against TCU with 7:16 left in 1st half

The Jayhawks have their top two offensive options in foul trouble, as Gradey Dick and Jalen Wilson have each picked up two fouls in the first half. Somehow, though, Kansas has been able to stay in it and is actually in the lead. The Jayhawks lead by a point with a bit more than seven minutes left before halftime.

Bill Self has gone with a lineup that features Bobby Pettiford Jr., Joseph Yesufu and Dajuan Harris Jr. all on the court together. They were out there with Kevin McCullar Jr. and KJ Adams Jr. And that group has certain limitations offensively, especially when it comes to 3-point shooting.

Kansas leads 14-9 against TCU with 11:53 left in 1st half

Gradey Dick has already reached 10 points for the Jayhawks, as Kansas leads by five points with a little less than 12 minutes left before halftime. He’s 4-for-6 from the field, including 2-for-3 from behind the arc. And those have been some key buckets, as the Jayhawks are 6-for-15 from the field and 2-for-4 from behind the arc for the game so far.

Ernest Udeh Jr. and Bobby Pettiford Jr. were Kansas’ first two substitutions off the bench. The Udeh news isn’t that big of a deal, but it feels like it is for Pettiford. Pettiford hasn’t been nearly 100% recently in the games he’s appeared in, since missing some time due to injury, so this shows he’s really progressed as postseason play approaches.

Kansas leads 7-4 against TCU with 15:11 left in 1st half

The Jayhawks have brought a lot of energy into this one early, and lead by three points almost five minutes into the game. The Horned Frogs have gone on a little run after missing their first eight shots, but Kansas still has the majority of the momentum early. A lot of that is due to Gradey Dick.

Dick, who got the scoring going with a 3-pointer, has five points to lead all scorers. He’s also drawn a charge on the defensive end. And the level to which the Jayhawks are being intentional about getting him looks early is a positive sign for this matchup against TCU.

The game is underway

TCU won the opening tip-off, and this game has started.

Kyle Cuffe Jr. is, once again, unavailable for KansasHere are the startersIt looks like Kansas will have 11 scholarship players available against TCUNo surprises in who’s available so far for KansasGradey Dick will enter the game having earned another honor

Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. He is the National Sports Media Association’s sportswriter of the year for the state of Kansas for 2022. Contact him at jmguskey@gannett.com or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Kansas basketball vs. TCU recap: Jayhawks took on the Horned Frogs