The most frustrating thing about this defeat for K-State is that the Wildcats played well enough to win for much of the afternoon. But they fell behind 14-0 in the opening moments and were unable to cut the deficit closer than six the rest of the way.

When the Jayhawks needed their stars to step up, Hunter Dickinson and Dajuan Harris Jr. delivered, especially after recent struggles. Dickinson was dominant inside, scoring 25 points on 12-of-19 shooting while grabbing eight rebounds and dishing out three assists. He set the tone early and kept Kansas steady throughout.

The No. 9-ranked Kansas Jayhawks men’s basketball team is set to play in-state rival Kansas State on Saturday. Both teams are coming off losses: K-State fell to Texas Tech on Tuesday and KU stumbled at Iowa State on Wednesday.