Kansas vs. Texas Tech: Score and Reaction from 2017 Regular Season

Kansas' run of close games continued on Saturday with a narrow 80-79 victory over Texas Tech at United Supermarkets Arena. 

Josh Jackson's free throw with less than three seconds remaining gave the Jayhawks a victory after he was fouled by Zach Smith on a drive to the basket with the score tied at 79 and the clock winding down. 

Despite the score being closer than Kansas would have liked, Jackson will remember this game for a long time. The star freshman finished the game with 31 points and 11 rebounds, a stat line no Jayhawks player has put up in over five years, per ESPN Stats & Info:

At 22-3 and ranked No. 3 in the Associated Press Top 25 and the USA Today Coaches Poll, Kansas remains one of the nation's top teams. 

However, the Jayhawks have played a daring game of chicken lately. Dating back to January 29, their last five games—in which they've posted a 4-1 record—have been decided by a combined 18 points.

They have had a difficult schedule during that span, with games against Kentucky, Baylor, Iowa State, Kansas State and Texas Tech, who all own records of 14-9 or better this season. 

The narrow defeat won't mean much to a Texas Tech program that has now lost 16 straight games against Kansas, per NCAA March Madness. The Red Raiders' last victory over their Big 12 rivals was on March 4, 2009. 

Texas Tech did its damage on offense with the trio of Zach Smith, Niem Stevenson and Keenan Evans. They combined to score 68 of the team's 79 points and hit all six three-pointers the Red Raiders made in the loss. 

Evans' desperation heave from half court as time expired left Texas Tech one point short. It was a valiant effort by the Red Raiders, as they fought back from a 55-45 deficit with just over 13 minutes remaining in the second half. 

Per ESPN's Lisa Kerney, Texas Tech can take some solace in how close Saturday's final score was compared to what the gap has been in the previous 15 games of its losing streak against Kansas:

The unfortunate part of this defeat for Texas Tech, beyond losing in heartbreaking fashion, is that its Big 12 record falls to 4-8. Only Oklahoma (2-9) has performed worse in the conference. 

As an NCAA tournament bubble team with a 16-9 record overall, the Red Raiders badly needed one signature win for the selection committee. Baylor and West Virginia are next up on the schedule, but this was a golden opportunity for the team that came up just short.

Postgame Reaction

Kansas head coach Bill Self offered high praise of Jackson after the freshman's outstanding effort in the victory. 

"That was probably the most complete game he's played since he's been here," he said, via Kansas Basketball's official Twitter account. 

Jackson did offer some self-criticism for missing the first of his two free-throw attempts during that final sequence. 

"After I missed the first one, just tried not to think about me missing it too much because I find often that when I think about missing one, then I think about missing another one," Jackson told reporters, via the Associated Press (h/t ESPN.com). "And it just happens. So I just kept telling myself to knock it down."

Self does like how the schedule sets up for his team after Saturday's close call. 

"Any time you get it handed to you & then get another opportunity, that should serve as motivation," he said, via Kansas Basketball's official Twitter account.