LAWRENCE, Kan. — Only a dozen times in their storied histories had North Carolina and Kansas met on the hardwood.
They made sure No. 13 would be memorable.
The top-ranked Jayhawks raced to a 20-point first-half lead Friday night, led by All-American center Hunter Dickinson and a highly touted class of transfers. And the ninth-ranked Tar Heels mounted a big second-half comeback, led by All-American guard RJ Davis and the rest of their elite backcourt, eventually pulling ahead as time was winding down at Allen Fieldhouse.
But just as they have so often at the Phog, the Jayhawks made the plays that mattered in the end.
Dickinson scored the go-ahead basket with 1:15 to go, added a foul shot with 12 seconds left and watched as North Carolina’s Elliot Cadeau missed a 3-pointer as time expired that allowed the Jayhawks to escape with a 92-89 victory.
“Total class on both sides. It was cheer your team but don’t get after the other team,” said Kansas coach Bill Self, who matched building namesake Phog Allen for the most wins at the school with his 590th. “Even though we didn’t play our best, we found a way to win. I think it was a good game for both programs.”