Braun’s big shot, McCormack lead No. 23 Kansas over No. 15 Texas Tech 67-61

LAWRENCE, Kan. — Christian Braun hit a corner 3 with 24 seconds left, David McCormack scored 17 points and No. 23 Kansas beat No. 15 Texas Tech 67-61 on Saturday.

Ochai Agbaji had 14 points, and Jalen Wilson added 11. Braun’s 3 made it a two-possession game and essentially locked up the win for the Jayhawks (17-7, 11-5 Big 12).

“It was a big time shot, big time play,” Kansas coach Bill Self said. “That’s the best we’ve played since Christmas.”

Braun and Marcus Garrett each finished with 10 points.

Marcus Santos-Silva and Kevin McCullar each scored 12 points, Mac McClung had 11 and Micah Peavy had 10 for Texas Tech (14-7, 6-6), which played its first game in 10 days but has dropped two straight.

“I think we played hard to the end, so give our guys credit,” Texas Tech coach Chris Beard said. “We need every player to play their game this time of the year, and today we were just a few short.”

McCormack has scored in double figures in eight of his last nine games and started the game 7 for 7 from the field.

“I thought I had patience and had fun and played for others,” McCormack said. “We came out from the start, and we need to carry this moving forward.”

Kansas led wire-to-wire and remained unbeaten since its record 231-week streak of being ranked was snapped earlier this month.

“We are a better team now than we were then,” Self said about his team since the last time they played Texas Tech in December. “I think both of us are better teams, but we’re not close to where we want to be.”

Wilson scored 10 points in the second half, including a key put-back in the final minute. Garrett played lock-down defense on McClung, who scored his second fewest points since the new year.

Kansas is gearing up for its toughest test of the season, going to No. 12 Texas then hosting No. 2 Baylor next Saturday.

“We get to take on two teams that clocked us the first time,” Self said. “But I’m leaving here the best I’ve felt about this group that I have all season.”

BIG PICTURE

Texas Tech: Needed to shoot better from the 3-point line to have a chance. The Red Raiders have only won at Kansas once, the year they won the Big 12 in 2018.

Kansas: Winners of their last five games, the Jayhawks look to be hitting their stride at the right time. Their next two games against Texas and Baylor will be their toughest stretch of the season.

UP NEXT

Texas Tech travels to Oklahoma State on Monday at 6 p.m.

Kansas goes to Texas on Tuesday at 8 p.m.