SAN DIEGO (AP) Perry Ellis scored 14 of his 20 points in the first half and No. 2 Kansas beat San Diego State 70-57 on Tuesday night.
Kansas (10-1), outmatched the Aztecs (7-6) from the start and took a 16-point lead with 4 minutes before halftime.
SDSU closed within four points twice in the second half. Each time, though, Kansas used its talent and size advantages to pull away.
Ellis had scored all 14 of his first-half points just more than 11 minutes in. His 3-pointer with 8:52 before halftime gave the Jayhawks a 26-13 lead. He had another 3-pointer earlier, as well as an assortment of other jumpers.
KU’s biggest lead was 35-19 after a fallaway jumper by Frank Mason III. It was 39-27 at halftime.
Mason scored 12 points and Wayne Selden Jr. and Devonte’ Graham had 10 apiece for the Jayhawks, whose only loss was to No. 1 Michigan State on Nov. 17.
Zylan Cheatham scored 12 and Jeremy Hemsley 10 for SDSU, which was coming off a stunning home loss to Grand Canyon, which is in just its third year in Division I.
San Diego State came out with more energy in the second half, getting back into the game with dunks by Skylar Spencer and Cheatham, and a jumper by Winston Shepard that made it 41-33.
The Aztecs then closed to 43-39 after Shepard and Cheatham each made two free throws.
SDSU could have pulled within a basket but Hemsley missed a layup after stealing the ball, and Shepard missed a dunk attempt off the rebound.
Jamari Traylor made two free throws for Kansas before Spencer had a slam dunk to once again get the Aztecs within four.
That was as closed as they’d get. Selden hit a 3-pointer and then made a layup, and Brannen Greene hit a 3-pointer for a 53-41 lead with 10:06 to go.
KU held SDSU to 37-percent shooting while making 42.6 percent of its shots.
TIP-INS
Kansas: This was the Jayhawks’ first true road game. They are 4-1 in neutral-site games.
San Diego State: The Aztecs couldn’t duplicate their 61-57 upset victory at Kansas on Jan. 5, 2014.
UP NEXT
Kansas hosts UC Irvine next Tuesday night.
San Diego State hosts Wyoming next Wednesday night in a Mountain West Conference opener.