LAWRENCE, Kan. _ Jerod Haase stared intently at the center scoreboard high in Allen Fieldhouse, studying the pre-game video which included two clips of the Stanford head coach during his playing days at Kansas.
Haase, a combo guard at KU from 1994 to '97 who received a long, loud standing ovation during introductions, returned to his old digs on Saturday, suffering an 89-74 loss to the Jayhawks. He went 42-0 in the tradition-rich building as a Jayhawk player.
It was several current KU guards, not the visiting coach, however, who stole the show on this day. Devonte Graham cashed five 3-pointers in the first half in staking the Jayhawks to a 43-35 halftime advantage. He finished with 15 points. Frank Mason (20 points, five assists), who had eight points the first half, hit a spectacular driving, reverse layup (and ensuing foul shot) in the second half.
In addition, Josh Jackson rammed home a vicious one-handed slam off a pass from Graham the second half and totaled 13 points. Also, Svi Mykhailiuk went for 13 points including 10 straight (and 13 of his team's 14) the second half as Kansas opened an 84-66 lead with 3:28 left.
Stanford forward Reid Travis scored a career-high 29 points. He hit 19 of 22 free throws in setting a record for most free-throw attempts by a KU opponent. Craig Brackins of Iowa State had 21 attempts in 2009.
Stanford grabbed an early 17-11 lead at 13:14. Landen Lucas had four points and Jackson three in tying the game at 17.
KU used an 8-0 run to increase a 25-23 lead to 33-23 at 5:40. Graham iced two 3s and Bragg a two in the surge.
Former KU coach Larry Brown attended his second straight game and sat a couple rows behind the KU bench.
KU will next meet UMKC Tuesday in Allen Fieldhouse. It could be a big day for Bill Self, who is one win from his 600th in a 24-year career. He is 599-189 overall and 392-84 in 14 seasons at KU.
Stanford, which traveled 6,000 miles to play its season opener against Harvard in China, and also played three games 3,000 miles from campus in the Advocare Invitational in Florida, and also made the 2,000-mile trek from Stanford to KU, gets a break after this game.
The Cardinal, who have had five games in nine days, will meet Cal State East Bay on Dec. 16 at Stanford's Maples Pavilion.
