MANHATTAN, Kan. (Interstat) — In a commanding display of offensive execution and defensive pressure, the Kansas Jayhawks pulled away in the second half to defeat the Kansas State Wildcats 86-62 in a Big 12 Conference men’s basketball game Saturday night at Bramlage Coliseum.

The Jayhawks, who led by just two points at halftime, outscored the Wildcats 49-27 after the break, turning a tight contest into a decisive road victory before a crowd of 9,111.

The most important part of the game was Kansas’s overwhelming dominance in the paint and its ability to stifle the Wildcats’ offense after halftime. The Jayhawks scored 46 points in the paint compared to just 18 for Kansas State, establishing a consistent interior presence that the Wildcats could not counter. This interior advantage, spearheaded by Flory Bidunga’s 21 points and three blocks, allowed Kansas to control the tempo and create higher-percentage shots.

Kansas guard Melvin Council orchestrated the victory with a masterful all-around performance, scoring 17 points and dishing out 12 assists. His playmaking was pivotal in breaking down the Kansas State defense, particularly during the second-half surge. Alongside Council, Elmarko Jackson provided a critical scoring punch off the bench with 19 points, and Bryson Tiller added 16.

The Wildcats were led by PJ Haggerty’s game-high 23 points, but he received limited support. Andrej Kostic scored 12 points, but Kansas State’s offense struggled with consistency, especially from beyond the arc. The Wildcats also committed a series of turnovers and shot-clock violations in the second half as Kansas tightened its defensive grip.

The game was competitive early. Kansas State’s Andrej Kostic hit three first-half 3-pointers to keep the Wildcats close, and the teams traded leads several times. A late first-half layup by Haggerty sent Kansas State into the locker room trailing only 37-35, having weathered an early Kansas push.

The momentum shifted decisively early in the second period. Kansas opened with a 9-2 run, capped by a Council-assisted layup from Bidunga. The Jayhawks’ defense then locked in, forcing difficult shots and turnovers. A technical foul assessed to the Kansas State bench at the 14:55 mark seemed to galvanize Kansas further, with Tre White sinking both free throws to extend the lead to double digits, a margin the Wildcats would never threaten.

Kansas methodically expanded its lead throughout the remainder of the half. Council consistently found cutters and open shooters, while Bidunga and Tiller finished efficiently inside. The Jayhawks’ final margin of victory was their largest of the night, achieved in the closing seconds on a Bryson Tiller jump shot.

With the win, Kansas improves to 15-5 overall and 4-3 in the Big 12. The Jayhawks have now won four of their last five games. Kansas State falls to 10-10 overall and 2-5 in conference play, having lost three of its last four.

Kansas next hosts BYU on Jan. 31. Kansas State travels to face West Virginia on Tuesday.