FORT MYERS ,Fla. – Despite having four players in double-digits, No. 6 Kansas dropped its season-opener to No. 1 Gonzaga, 90-102, in the Rocket Mortgage Fort Myers Tip-Off in the Suncoast Credit Union Arena on Thursday.
The Jayhawks were led by three scorers in double-figures, including a team-high 22 points on 7-of-9 shooting from senior Marcus Garrett. Garrett was joined in double figures by junior Ochai Agbaji (17 pts.), sophomore Jalon Wilson (11 pts.) and Bryce Thompson (12 pts.), while the team shot 53% (33-of-62) from the floor.
After what was a high-scoring first half, which saw Gonzaga outscore KU, 54-46, the Jayhawks bounced back in the second half by outscoring the Bulldogs 8-2 out of the break to even the game for the first time since the opening minutes. The teams battled back-and-forth in the second half before Gonzaga gained the advantage and pulled away.
With the victory, Gonzaga head coach Mark Few reaches 600 career victories, marking him 600-124 in his 22 seasons of coaching. The Bulldogs were led by a combined 48 points from sophomore Drew Timme and senior Corey Kispert.
STAT OF THE GAME
100 – Gonzaga scored 102 points against the Jayhawks on Thursday, marking the first time since November 11, 2016 vs. Indiana that a team scored 100+ points against KU. The Jayhawks fell in that game, 99-103.
Gonzaga’s 102 points marks the first time since February 27, 1990 that the Jayhawks have allowed 100+ points in regulation. The last time that happened was against No. 5 Oklahoma, in which Oklahoma won, 78-100.
NOTES (Full Notes)
- Kansas sophomore Jalen WIlson started his first-career game on Thursday, after missing most of the 2019-20 season due to injury. Wilson finished with 11 points and four rebounds.
- Redshirt senior Mitch Lightfoot made his first official game appearance since March 23, 2019, in the second round of the NCAA tournament against Auburn. Lightfoot finished the game with four points and four rebounds.
- Bryce Thompson made his Jayhawk debut at the 16:33 mark of the first half. The freshman guard from Tulsa, Oklahoma, recorded his first stats when he hit a jumper with 9:02 on the clock. He finished the first half with four points and ended the game with 12 points on 5-of-10 shooting from the field.
- Christian Braun connected on his first 3-pointer of the season with 15:39 on the clock in the first stanza. As a freshman, Braun made 32 of his 71 3-point attempts, good for a 45.1% clip from behind the arc, on the season.
- With his 22 points on Thursday, senior Marcus Garrett now has 25 games in double-figures scoring. A season ago, Garrett scored in double figures 13 times.
UP NEXT
The Jayhawks will be back in action on Friday, when they take on St. Joseph’s in the Rocket Mortgage Fort Myers Tip Off at 1 p.m., CT.