AMES, Iowa — Kansas senior guard Ochai Agbaji, who had started 97 consecutive games for Kansas, a stat that ranks No. 8 on KU’s all-time ironman list, was ruled out of Tuesday night’s game against Iowa State on Tuesday morning because of COVID-19 protocols.
Stepping up without the Big 12’s leading scorer, as well as without senior guard Remy Martin, whose bone bruise (in right knee) now has him ruled out indefinitely according to KU coach Bill Self, the Kansas Jayhawks, nonetheless managed a 70-61 victory over Iowa State at Hilton Coliseum.
David McCormack scored 14 points and grabbed 13 rebounds while Dajuan Harris had 14 points and eight assists for the Jayhawks (18-3, 7-1), who bounced back from Saturday’s 18-point blowout loss to Kentucky in the Big 12/SEC Challenge.
Christian Braun contributed 13 points on Tuesday, as did Jalen Wilson while Joseph Yesufu had seven points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals for the No. 10 Jayhawks.
It was Kansas’ sixth straight victory in Big 12 games, getting back on the winning track after Saturday’s setback to the No. 5 Wildcats.
Iowa State (16-6, 3-6) was led by Izaiah Brockington (24 points, 11-of-28 shooting) and Gabe Kalscheur (11 points).
KU, with former Iowa State standout Jalen Coleman-Lands in the starting lineup, led by as many as 10 points (24-14) and took a 30-24 lead into halftime.
Brockington had eight points on 4-of-12 shooting in the half with four rebounds. McCormack had eight points and eight boards and Harris eight points on 4-of-4 shooting for KU, while Braun had seven points in the half on 3-of-7 shooting. Coleman-Lands hit two early 3s, good for six points.
KU led despite committing 16 first-half turnovers to Iowa State’s nine.
KU had a 40-28 lead dip to 44-39 at 13:17. However KU built the lead to 54-42 with 9:37 to play.
At that point, Yesufu had his shot blocked and Tyrese Hunter scored on the other end to make it 54-44 KU. Then Braun charged into Kalschur with 7:20 left and KU up 10.
Wilson and Harris scored to give KU a 14-point lead, 60-46, at 5:06. KU led 62-50 at the final TV timeout (3:52).
Self before the game confirmed Agbaji and redshirt Kyle Cuffe tested positive for COVID-19 in recent days. Self said he could not predict yet when Agbaji would return to action.
“We had a couple players who had symptoms over the weekend and they tested positive and then we’ve done all the other precautions to make sure everybody else is good to go,” Self said on his pregame radio show.
“He (Agbaji) is actually feeling OK but he’s going to be out for an indefinite period of time. We certainly hope that’s on a very short number of days as opposed to extended, but we don’t know that right now.”
Of Martin, Self said he could be out “an extended period of time,” the exact amount to be determined with the goal to get the knee close to 100% before his return to game action.
KU completed a regular-season sweep of the Cyclones (16-6, 3-6). KU stopped Iowa State, 62-61, on Jan. 11 at Allen Fieldhouse.
Iowa State defeated Missouri on Saturday in the Big 12/SEC Challenge and had won two straight games overall since a loss at TCU on Jan. 22 in Ames.
KU won its third straight game at Hilton Coliseum. KU overall has won on five of its last six trips to Ames.
