Kansas basketball had its fair share of rough moments in nonconference play, but the glaring issues persisted in the Big 12 opener against West Virginia. After stringing together a few wins in a row, the Jayhawks had picked up some momentum and a chance to start conference play in the win column.
Facing off versus a depleted Mountaineer squad that had travel issues the day before, KU entered the contest as double-digit favorites. However, a slow start led the Jayhawks to trail by as many as 18 points, and they were unable to complete a late-game comeback as WVU stunned the Allen Fieldhouse crowd.
Oh my goodness, Javon Small baits Flory Bidunga into jumping and draws the foul with 1.8 remaining. West Virginia has a chance to take the lead late vs #7 Kansas in Allen Fieldhouse pic.twitter.com/LFK0tUfWr3
— NCAA Buzzer Beaters & Game Winners (@NCAABuzzerBters) December 31, 2024
Kansas basketball falls short vs. West Virginia despite comeback attempt
In a thrilling ending, Kansas rallied all the way back and cut the deficit to one point with 35 seconds to go. A David Coit steal on an inbounds pass gave KU an opportunity to take the lead, but KJ Adams missed a shot at the rim.
It was 61 all after Zeke Mayo tied the game with an and-1, but Javon Small baited freshman center Flory Bidunga into jumping and drew two free throws with 1.7 seconds left. The WVU standout missed the first foul shot, but he connected on the second. Kansas made a cross-court pass to Adams but he was unable to put it up in time.
Despite the comeback attempt, it was an abysmal showing by Kansas in front of the home crowd. The team shot 38.8% from the field and 25% from 3-point range, receiving most of its offense from free throws. The Jayhawks won the battle at the charity stripe (21 attempts to six) but could not hit shots in the early going.
It marks an unprecedented time for Kansas, a school that has not lost its Big 12 opener at home in over 30 years. WVU's victory was also the school's first in program history. KU's next meeting comes in Orlando against UCF, where it lost in an upset last year.