KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Playing without coach Bill Self on the sideline, third-ranked Kansas turned to big offensive performances from Jalen Wilson and Dajuan Harris Jr. along with some stingy defense to pull away from West Virginia 78-61 on Thursday in the quarterfinals of the 2023 Phillips 66 Big 12 Men's Basketball Championship. 

Wilson had 22 points and 11 rebounds, and Harris had 13 points with eight assists, as the top-seeded Jayhawks (26-6) began the defense of their tournament crown by knocking off the Mountaineers for the third time this season.

They will play fifth-seeded Iowa State, which beat Baylor earlier in the day, in Friday night’s semifinals.

Erik Stevenson had 13 points to lead the No. 8 seed Mountaineers (19-14). Tre Mitchell and Joe Toussaint added 11 points apiece and Emmitt Matthews Jr. had 10.

Gradey Dick had 18 points for the Jayhawks. KJ Adams Jr. finished with 13.

The Jayhawks trailed midway through the half Thursday, but the Mountaineers turned the ball over 11 times over the first 20 minutes. That allowed the Jayhawks to reel off an 18-2 run and take a 31-23 lead into the locker room.

West Virginia got within 35-30 early in the second hal before the Jayhawks scored on seven consecutive trips down floor at one point. And after a tough bucket by Adams made it 60-48 with 8 minutes to go, the springy forward slammed down Harris’ alley-oop pass from just inside the midcourt line to punctuate the run.

Harris hit big man Ernest Udeh Jr. for another alley-oop jam a few minutes later as the Jayhawks secured the win.