Chalmers helps No. 4 Kansas avoid upset

Mario Chalmers had 23 points — and two of his team's four missed dunks — and a ragged No. 4 Kansas beat a plucky Missouri-Kansas City 85-62 Sunday night.

The Jayhawks (2-0) spent much of the night missing free throws and blowing assignments and led the Kangaroos (0-1) only 62-52 when Jeremiah Hartsook hit a short jumper midway through the second half.

Chalmers responded by hitting an open 3-pointer, his fourth of the night. But the Kangaroos, playing their first game under new head coach Matt Brown, refused to go quietly.

As the Kangaroos hung around and cut the lead to 67-55 on Dane Brumagin's 3-pointer, visions of Oral Roberts' 78-71 upset of then-No. 3 Kansas in the Jayhawks' second game last season came to mind.

But Darnell Jackson made a short shot and after Chalmers missed his second dunk, Jackson hit again, and then followed Hartsook's 3-pointer with another bucket.

With 4:20 left, Chalmers made a 3-pointer for a 76-58 lead, then connected again from beyond the arc.

The Jayhawks shot 31 free throws, making 16, while UNKC shot only 11. the Kangaroos, picked sixth in the Summit League, got 16 points each from Hartsock and Reggie Hamilton.

Kansas guard Sherron Collins left the game with about 10 minutes to go with an apparent ankle injury. He had 10 points.

The Jayhawks let UMKC stay close in the first half with miserable foul shooting, going only 13-for-21 from the line. Brent Stephens and Hamilton each hit 3-pointers and the Roos pulled within 22-21 with 8:13 left in the first half after Darrell Arthur's hook in the lane had made it 22-15.

But then Chalmers hit a 3-pointer and Collins stole the ball and drove in for a crowd-pleasing reverse layup and a 27-21 lead.

Collins, a sophomore who had 22 points in the season opener, was hurt with about 10 minutes left when he crashed to the floor under the Kansas basket.

The sellout crowd of more than 16,000 erupted into thunderous cheers during a second half timeout when the public address announcer said the unbeaten Kansas football team was No. 3 in the latest BCS standings. The big scoreboard also flashed the poll, triggering more cheers.

Chalmers was 6-for-9 from 3-point range while matching his career high with 23 points. Russell Robinson and Arthur each had 15 for Kansas, which is favored to win another Big 12 crown.

Brumagin and Brent Stephens each had 11 for UMKC.

The Jayhawks, who return most of the key players from the team that won last year's Big 12 title and advanced to the round of 16 in the NCAA tournament, have been less than impressive in both their games despite easy victories over undermanned opponents. They'll get All-Big 12 guard Brandon Rush around Dec. 1, six months after he underwent ACL surgery.