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Jayhawks Take Down No. 10 Kansas State in Dillons Sunflower Showdown

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Jayhawks Take Down No. 10 Kansas State in Dillons Sunflower Showdown


Box Score | Season Stats

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Behind 22 points from freshman S’Mya Nichols and seven fourth-quarter points from super-senior Holly Kersgieter, the Kansas Jayhawks defeated No. 10 Kansas State by a score of 58-55 before a crowd of 9,007 at Allen Fieldhouse Sunday afternoon.

Kansas trailed 51-47 with 4:36 to play, but used an 11-1 to take the lead and closed the game by outscoring the Wildcats 11-4 to secure the victory.

With the win, Kansas improves to 16-11 overall and 9-7 in Big 12 play, which includes a 5-1 record in its last six outings. The Jayhawks are now 12-1 this season at Allen Fieldhouse and have won 20 of their last 21 home games, dating back to last season.

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The win is KU’s second over a top 10 opponent this season, after the Jayhawks previously defeated then-No. 4 Baylor, 87-66, on Jan. 10 at Allen Fieldhouse. This marks the first time since 2000 that the Jayhawks have defeated two top 10 teams in the same season.

Three players finished with double figures for Kansas, who was led by 22 from Nichols on 8-of-16 shooting. Taiyanna Jackson had 11 points, seven rebounds and eight blocked shots – one off her career high and the single-game school record. Kersgieter added 10 points and seven rebounds and was KU’s closer with seven points in the fourth quarter.

“That was an incredible atmosphere for college basketball,” Kansas coach Brandon Schneider said after the game. “Kansas State is a very good team, but I thought we really stuck together, never fragmented and had some players step up and make plays in big moments to help us win the game.”

Jackson started off scoring by running the length of the court and being rewarded with a fast break layup on an assist by Holly Kersgieter. Kansas nailed all three of its three-point attempts in the first quarter, as Wyvette Mayberry, Zakiyah Franklin, and Nichols each knocked down one in the quarter. Another Jackson fast-break layup forced K-State to call a time with a little over two minutes left in the first frame, with the Jayhawks leading 17-6.

The Wildcats went on a 9-2 run to shrink the Kansas lead to just four at the quarter break. This marks the second-highest-scoring quarter by the Jayhawks against a conference opponent this season since the 22 first quarter points against Cincinnati. Nichols was just a point short of double-digits as she collected nine points heading into the second quarter.

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Kersgieter hit her own three-pointer to start the second-quarter scoring, making KU four-for-four from beyond the arc. Kansas State stormed back and took its first lead of the game with 5:21 left in the second quarter. KSU’s lead got to 28-22 before KU junior Skyler Gill’s personal 4-0 run brought it back within a bucket. KU rounded out the quarter with a Franklin dish to junior Danai Papadopoulou to end the first half down 30-28, with seven different players contributing points in the box score.

Jackson earned her fifth block of the game, a rebound, and a bucket, all within 10 seconds for KU’s first points of the second half. Six-straight Nichols’ points, another Mayberry three-pointer and a Jackson jumper tied it up at 41-41 at the under-five media timeout. Nichols hit a free throw, and KSU scored another basket with the Jayhawks down a point, 42-43, going into the final frame of action.

Both squads traded off scoring in the fourth quarter, with Kansas State maintaining the upper edge before a 4-0 Kansas run tied it up 51-all with 3:31 left to play. Kersgieter nailed a jumper just in time to beat the shot clock to give Kansas its first lead of the quarter at 53-51. Kersgieter closed out KU’s scoring by going 3-4 from the line as Kansas completed a 11-1 run in 3:54 minutes of action. The Jayhawks held the Wildcats without a field goal for over four minutes before KSU hit a three with 12 seconds left to bring it to a final score of 58-55.

Next Up

The Jayhawks are on the road for the final time in the regular season on Wednesday, Feb. 28, with their first trip to Orlando, Florida, to face Big 12 newcomer UCF. Tipoff is set for 5 p.m. CT, and the game will be broadcast in Big 12 NOW on ESPN+.

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Will Flory Bidunga Return to Kansas, Enter the NBA Draft, or Transfer?

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Will Flory Bidunga Return to Kansas, Enter the NBA Draft, or Transfer?


The Kansas player with the biggest decision to make this offseason is sophomore big man Flory Bidunga. The Congo native just wrapped up his second year in Lawrence and will have to determine whether he wants to spend another year at the university.

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In 35 games this season, he averaged 13.3 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks per game en route to an All-Big 12 First Team selection. A breakout star, Bidunga took one of the biggest jumps of any player in the entire country.

Most mock drafts project Bidunga to be selected in the early-to-mid second round or even as early as the late first round, though you’d be hard-pressed to find many predictions like that. Is he a strong enough draft prospect to go pro after two campaigns?

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Evaluating Flory Bidunga as an NBA Draft Prospect

Bidunga’s biggest strength is as a rim protector and shot-blocker, evidenced by his conference-leading block number. His freakishly lengthy wingspan allows him to contest nearly any shot at the rim and forces opposing players to reconsider testing their luck against him.

Almost all of Bidunga’s points come within six feet of the basket or the free-throw line, where he has shot a lifetime 61.8% in the NCAA. Since he has such an impressive vertical for his size, he can rise up for several dunks a game and might have thrown down more alley oops than any other player in the country this season.

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Mar 3, 2026; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Kansas Jayhawks forward Flory Bidunga (40) against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Desert Financial Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Despite his long arms, Bidunga is still quite undersized as a true five. He stands at 6-foot-9, which is rather short for someone with the skill set he possesses.

Bidunga is a traditional big who specializes on the defensive end and on the defensive glass. Still, it is difficult to see why an NBA team would want to spend an early draft pick on a center who doesn’t have much of a post game or imposing size.

He feels like someone who can carve out a long career in the league as a backup big man, which is a perfectly fine role to have. For him to become anything more than that, he’ll have to expand his game outside the paint and build more muscle to avoid being bullied by stronger centers.

Could Flory Bidunga Play Collegiately at a Different School?

While Bidunga will certainly be looking to impress NBA Draft scouts with his ability, going pro is not the only option for him. He could return to Kansas for his junior year or even enter the transfer portal to explore other collegiate opportunities.

Last year, Bidunga briefly entered the transfer portal before returning to the university and staying with Kansas. His reasoning was that he had concerns after playing sparingly in his freshman year behind Hunter Dickinson and may have also been seeking a larger NIL payout.

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Before the season even ended, there was speculation that Bidunga might be eyeing opportunities from other schools that could offer more in NIL compensation. This has led to widespread uncertainty about his future as a Jayhawk.

Head coach Bill Self has refused to comment on these rumors in the past, but the uncertainty surrounding his own future at the school adds another layer to Bidunga’s situation. He has played for Coach Self in both of his collegiate seasons and may not be willing to stick it out with KU if a new face takes over the program.

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We should learn more about these circumstances in the coming weeks, but Bidunga’s decision is one to monitor more closely than anyone else’s on the team. What he decides this offseason could ultimately shape the trajectory of his basketball career.



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Kansas City barbecue pitmaster Arthur Lee Sr. killed in hit-and-run crash while riding his scooter

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Kansas City barbecue pitmaster Arthur Lee Sr. killed in hit-and-run crash while riding his scooter


KSHB 41 reporter La’Nita Brooks covers stories providing solutions and offering discussions on topics of crime and violence. She also covers stories in the Northland. Share your story idea with La’Nita.

Kansas City barbecue pitmaster Arthur Lee Sr. was killed in an early morning hit-and-run crash while riding his scooter March 21.

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Kansas City barbecue pitmaster Arthur Lee Sr. killed in hit-and-run crash

Lee was turning left from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard onto Eastwood Trafficway when a car ran a red light and hit him. A small memorial now grows at the intersection.

Chris Morrison

Arthur Lee Jr, son of Arthur Lee Sr.

“Devastated. Everybody’s hurt, it was really unexpected,” his son Arthur Lee Jr. said. “I loved him to death. My dad was like my best friend.”

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Lee was well known in the barbecue community, working as a pitmaster at Gates Bar-B-Q for the past eight years after spending two decades at Arthur Bryant’s Barbeque.

“He loved working at Gates,” Rose Qualls, Lee’s sister-in-law, said. “He was always making us slabs and turkey sandwiches.”

Rose Qualls, Lee's sister-in-law

Chris Morrison

Rose Qualls, Lee’s sister-in-law

The morning of the incident, Lee was preparing to move into a new home with his wife and children, getting ready for a fresh start before a tragic end.

“He was really special, you know. He was one of a kind and everybody that he was around just loved him,” Qualls said. “It’s just a sad situation.”

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Lee was 60 years old. His family said while his life was cut short, his flame will burn forever.

“My sister, she is really going through it, we all are,” Qualls said. “And I’m here for her, whatever she needs, when she need a shoulder to cry on, I’m here.”

Kansas City barbecue pitmaster Arthur Lee Sr. killed in a hit-and-run crash while riding his scooter

Courtesy of Arthur Lee Jr.

Kansas City barbecue pitmaster Arthur Lee Sr. was killed in a hit-and-run crash while riding his scooter.

The family is pleading for answers and for the driver, who fled the scene, to come forward.

“I would pray that they would have some type of compassion, some type of heart, possibly turn themselves in,” Lee Jr. said.

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This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

La'Nita Brooks





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Kansas felon sold meth to undercover officer multiple times

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Kansas felon sold meth to undercover officer multiple times


Fleming photo KDOC

WICHITA, KAN. – A Kansas man was sentenced to 120 months in prison for selling methamphetamine to an undercover police officer, according to the United State’s Attorney.

According to court documents, Wayne F. Fleming, 41, of Wichita pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of a controlled substance.

In May 2021, Fleming sold drugs multiple times to an undercover officer with the Wichita Police Department. Testing by the Sedgwick County Regional Forensic Science Center showed the total amount Fleming sold to the officer to be more than 200 grams of pure methamphetamine. 

“Mr. Fleming was federally indicted in 2021, but before a plea agreement was reached, Mr. Fleming went to state prison to serve time for offenses unrelated to the federal case,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “The Department of Justice doesn’t forget. Not long after his release from a state prison, Mr. Fleming is now an inmate in a federal prison.”

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The Wichita Police Department investigated the case.



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