No. 11 Kansas easily gets past Rider
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Lawrence, KS (SportsNetwork.com) - Perry Ellis scored 17 points to lead No. 11 Kansas to an 87-60 win over Rider in a non-bracketed game of the Orlando Classic.
Brannen Green deposited 17 points off the bench and Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk supplied 10 points for the Jayhawks (2-1), who rebounded from a blowout loss to No. 1 Kentucky their last time out.
Xavier Lundy paced the Broncs (2-2) with 15 points and Teddy Okereafor added 10 in the setback.
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"We just needed to be able to come out and take the first initial punch and we kind of got off to a slow start," said Rider head coach Kevin Baggett.
Kansas will open the tournament Thursday in Orlando with a matchup against Rhode Island, while Rider will take on No. 20 Michigan State in its opener.
Ellis opened the game with a pair of free throws, then converted a layup minutes later that capped a 10-2 run to start the game.
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Kansas kept up the pace throughout the first half, with Mykhailiuk knocking down a 3-pointer for a 41-15 lead with less than 3 1/2 minutes remaining until halftime.
"That's the best half of basketball we've played this year," Kansas head coach Bill Self said of the first 20 minutes. "Of course we've only played in three games, but that was pretty good."
The Jayhawks brought a comfortable 51-22 lead into the locker room at the break and were never threatened in the second half.
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Game Notes
Kansas improved to 3-0 all-time over Rider ... The Jayhawks are 14-1 against MAAC teams ... Kansas made 59.6 percent of its shots and limited the Broncs to 40 percent -- including 28.6 percent (6-of-21) from beyond the arc.