Howard Bison at Kansas Jayhawks

Mayo scores 19 as No. 1 Kansas beats Howard 87-57 in season-opener

Kansas led 46-19 at halftime and its biggest lead was 38 points.

The game was the second annual McClendon Classic, named in honor of Kansas graduate and Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame honoree John McClendon.

Kansas (1-0) used the game as a tune-up before a top-10 showdown with North Carolina on Friday night. The Jayhawks had 10 players score, with three in double-figures. Hunter Dickinson, who missed Kansas' scrimmage and exhibition games, had 16 points and six rebounds, and Flory Bidunga added 13 points and a game-high eight rebounds.

Blake Harper had 16 points to lead Howard.

Takeaways Howard: The Bison will take away plenty from the contest, mostly measured in guaranteed money they received from Kansas.

Kansas: The Jayhawks won their 52nd consecutive home opener, dating back to the final 10 years of Ted Owens’ career, through five years under Larry Brown, 15 under Roy Williams and 22 straight under Bill Self.

Key moment After falling behind 4-3 early, the Jayhawks used a 12-3 run to eliminate any thoughts of a Howard victory. Howard went almost nine minutes without a field goal, missing 10 straight shot attempts as Kansas methodically pulled away.

Key stat Howard shot just 24.1 percent (7 for 29) in the first half.

Up Next Howard visits Missouri on Friday, while Kansas hosts No. 9 North Carolina.

How can I watch Howard vs. Kansas?

• TV Channel: Howard at Kansas 2021 College Basketball, week 1, is broadcasted on ESPN+.
• Online streaming: Sign up for Fubo Free trial.
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