Jan 2, 2004

Box Score

By DOUG TUCKER
AP Sports Writer

LAWRENCE, Kan. - Keith Langford scored seven points in a tiebreaking 23-5 run and No. 13 Kansas then withstood a late rally for an 86-79 victory over Villanova on Friday night.

The Jayhawks (8-2) made 35 of 41 free throws, just three off the school record.

Langford wound up with 24 points as Kansas beat an unranked opponent at home for the 51st straight time.

Villanova (8-3) rallied three times as the Jayhawks attempted to pull away in the first half, and then tied it 43-all on Mike Nardi's contested 3-pointer early in the second half.

J.R. Giddens then hit a 3-pointer for Kansas and the Jayhawks quickly mounted a 7-point lead on foul shots by Langford and Wayne Simien, who had 23 points.

By the time Jeff Hawkins hit a 3-pointer and Langford canned two free throws to cap the big run, the Jayhawks led 66-48 with 8:58 left.

But the scrappy Wildcats came back, closing to 80-75 with 55 seconds left on two free throws by Allan Ray, who had 22 points.

Aaron Miles answered with two free throws for the Jayhawks a few seconds later, then Ray glided under the basket for a bucket that made it 82-77 with 38 seconds to go. Miles went back to the foul with 34 seconds remaining and made both, putting Kansas ahead 84-77.

Curtis Sumpter had 18 points for Villanova, while Nardi had 16 and Randy Foye 11.

Raye drilled a 3-pointer at the halftime buzzer to pull the Wildcats even at 38. Every time the Jayhawks appeared to be pulling away in the first 30 minutes, either Sumpter or Allan wound respond.

Simien, early in the half, personally outscored the Wildcats 9-0 to give the Jayhawks a 22-12 lead. But Foye hit a free throw and then canned a 3-pointer a few minutes later to get the lead down to 22-18.

Simien's basket capped a 6-0 run and gave the Jayhawks another 10-point lead with 3:47 to go. But two 3-pointers by Sumpter helped whittle the lead down to three, and then Ray tied it.

David Padgett had 15 points and nine rebounds for Kansas.