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NEW YORK (AP) -- Kansas has the script for early season games down pat.
|  | | Eric Chenowith scored eight points for Kansas, but only played 15 minutes before fouling out. |
For the second straight night the Jayhawks (No. 6 ESPN/USA Today, No. 7 AP) had a
hot-shooting first half then held on down the stretch, this time for an 82-74 victory over St. John's on Friday night to win the Coaches Vs. Cancer Classic.
"For the atmosphere this was more like March Madness, something
we had to adjust to early in the season," said Kansas' Kenny
Gregory, the tournament's MVP. "We let two big leads get away when
teams made their runs but we showed a lot of composure. That's a
big compliment to our team."
Kansas opened 2-0 for the 10th straight season and extended its
November winning streak to 31 games, dating to a 1990 loss at
Arizona State.
In their 99-98 opening-round win over UCLA (No. 19, No. 17), the Jayhawks
shot 65 percent in the first half and then held off the Bruins with
offensive rebounding and perfect free-throw shooting.
It wasn't exactly that way against the Red Storm (1-1) before a
crowd of 19,528 at Madison Square.
Kansas shot 63 percent in the first half, but had only two field
goals over the final five minutes and went 5-for-10 from the line
over the final 2:13.
"It was a team concept and a lot of guys did things to help
us," coach Roy Williams said. "It was really special that we
didn't back up when they kept making plays, we made our own."
Drew Gooden had 22 points and nine rebounds for Kansas, while
Gregory added 17 points and 10 rebounds.
"This is a real stepping stone for our season," Gooden said.
"We beat two legitimate teams."
Anthony Glover, whose three-point play with five seconds left
gave St. John's a 62-61 win over No. 12 Kentucky on Thursday night,
had 19 points against Kansas.
Freshman point guard Omar Cook, who had 18 points and five
assists in the opener, had 17 points and six assists against the
Jayhawks, and classmates Kyle Cuffe and Willie Shaw had 16 and 13
points, respectively.
"This is a group of guys who really, really compete," St.
John's coach Mike Jarvis said. "I see a team with unbelievable
potential. I see the makings of a heck of a basketball team."
Kansas could never pull away in the second half, but did lead
72-62 with 5:53 left on a three-point play by Nick Collison.
Glover, Cuffe and Cook had their own 7-0 run to get the Red
Storm within three at 72-69 with 4:59 to play. Gregory made one of
two free throws 19 seconds later, and Glover had St. John's within
two with 3:45 left on an offensive rebound.
Collison scored down low with 2:48 left to make it 75-71 and
Glover again got St. John's within two when he scored on a strong
move off a nice play by Cook. Glover missed the chance to complete
this three-point play and Gooden scored down low with two seconds
left on the shot clock to make it 77-73 with 42 seconds left.
Kansas then made five of eight free throws to seal the win.
"When I called that timeout with 21 seconds left I challenged
my team," Williams said. "I said let's see how tough we are. We
talked about it now let's see it."
Jarvis wasn't at all unhappy.
"We had a chance to win and that's extraordinary considering
who we were playing," he said. "In a situation where the other
team has a chance to put you away and you don't let them it's
defense that does it. If people thought last night's comeback was
something, tonight's would have been unbelievable."
Cook, who finished 4-for-16 from 3-point range, also had six
steals.
"Their guards were way out there," Cook said of Kansas'
defense, which included some zone. "I tried to play as hard as I
can but they were on me and I had to shoot further back."
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ALSO SEE
Mens College Basketball Scoreboard
Kansas Clubhouse
St Johns Clubhouse
Bruins survive late-game collapse, top Kentucky in OT
Katz: Coaches vs. Cancer a sizzling start
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Kenny Gregory finds Drew Gooden wide open for the alley-oop.
avi: 773 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Eric Chenowith shows his presence inside the paint.
avi: 547 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Willie Shaw gets the basket and the foul.
avi: 606 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Anthony Glover takes the sweet pass from Omar Cook for the bucket.
avi: 898 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
 Roy Williams was pleased with his team's rebounding.
wav: 118 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
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