LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) – Junior Reid Travis scored a career-high 29 points, including a school-record 19 free throws to lead Stanford, but No. 4 Kansas outlasted the Cardinal, 89-74, Saturday afternoon in front of 16,300 fans at Allen Fieldhouse.
Travis, who also collected nine rebounds in the contest, finished 19-of-22 from the free throw line to break Todd Lichti's 29-year mark of 18 free throws against UC Santa Barbara (Dec. 28, 1987).
Stanford (6-3) and Kansas played even for most of the first half, before the Jayhawks used a 16-4 run to jump out to a double-digit lead in the closing minutes of the period. Stanford got back within eight at halftime, 43-35, with Travis leading the way with 12 points in the opening 20 minutes.
The game marked the return of Stanford head coach Jerod Haase to Lawrence. Haase was a standout player for the Jayhawks from 1995-97. He received a standing ovation when he was introduced to the soldout crowd at Allen Fieldhouse.
"Certainly an emotional day," Haase said. "My emotions right now are more frustrated we didn't play at a higher level, but for me personally, it means a lot -- the reception. I remember clearly walking into Allen Fieldhouse when I was first recruited," Haase said, "and I think I'll remember the feeling at shootaround today, walking into the arena."
Kansas' Frank Mason III scored 20 points, Devonte Graham delivered a three-point barrage to finish with 15, to allow the Jayhawks to extend their lead in the second half.
A Michael Humphrey dunk pulled Stanford with 10 (73-63) with 7:44 to play, but Kansas responded with an 11-3 run to stretch its advantage.
Josh Jackson and Svi Mykhailiuk added 15 points apiece for the Jayhawks (7-1), who won their 44th straight game at Allen Fieldhouse.
Travis also set records for makes and attempts in a game against Kansas. Rayford Young of Texas Tech hit 18 foul shots in February 1999 and Iowa State's Craig Brackins attempted 21 in January 2009.
"I felt like my teammates did a great job of establishing me early, getting me in the post," Travis said. "I knew I had to draw a lot of fouls, get us to the line early and get a rhythm going."
"He drew basically 17 fouls on four guys, so that just goes to tell you we didn't play the scouting report," Self said. "Our guys just played butt-behind and let him go wherever he wanted to go."
He couldn't do it alone, though, and the Jayhawks' superior depth paid off.
After falling into an early deficit, coach Bill Self began going with a bigger lineup to deal with Travis in the paint, and that seemed to open up Graham on the perimeter. He knocked down all five of his 3-pointers in the first half, helping the Jayhawks to a 43-35 lead.
Stanford returns home to California, where the Cardinal will take a 13-day break for final exams. Stanford will next face Cal State East Bay on Friday, Dec. 16, at 6 p.m. PT.
