MANHATTAN — Landen Lucas was gone. Jamari Traylor too. And Perry Ellis again headed to the bench to nurse his second head blow of the second half.
Foul trouble and wayward hands had wiped away both the Kansas basketball team’s three primary big men and its 17-point lead late in Saturday’s game against Kansas State at Bramlage Coliseum. Coach Bill Self was looking for someone to stop the bleeding — and not just the kind emanating from behind Ellis’ right ear.
Enter Hunter Mickelson.
There was 1:19 left when the senior forward checked in, replacing Lucas and Traylor, who had both fouled out, and Ellis.