Kansas Jayhawks at Syracuse Orange

Graham's 35 carries No. 2 Kansas past Syracuse, 76-60

Graham matched his career-high with 35 points for the second consecutive game, Lagerald Vick added 20 and No. 2 Kansas remained unbeaten by topping Syracuse 76-60 in the HoopHall Miami Invitational on Saturday night.

"It's still nice to play in these type of arenas," Graham said.

Graham shot 10 for 17 from the field and 7 for 13 from 3-point range for Kansas (7-0), which is off to its best start in seven years.

"We're better when we have balance and he'd probably agree with that," Kansas coach Bill Self said. "But on a night where basically we didn't have much going on, he needed to do that. He picked his spots well."

Tyus Battle scored 22 points for Syracuse (6-1), which was playing away from the Carrier Dome for the first time this season. Frank Howard scored 15 and Oshae Brissett had 13 for Syracuse.

Kansas made 11 3s, but needed 31 tries to get there.

"Kansas was averaging 90-something points per game or something," Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim said. "Our defense wasn't the problem."

Svi Mykhailuk added 11 points for the Jayhawks, who shot 49 percent and held Syracuse to five baskets in the first half. Kansas used guard Clay Young at times against Syracuse's 7-foot-2 center Paschal Chukwu, and even that worked.

The Orange trailed by 21 early in the second half before a 16-2 run over 2 1/2 minutes got Syracuse within 49-42, with Battle and Howard combining for 14 points during that stretch.

Graham connected on a deep straightaway 3 to end that Orange flurry, and Syracuse went cold quickly. The Orange managed only five points in the next 6 minutes, and Kansas rebuilt a 17-point lead on a dunk by Vick with 7:39 left.

The Orange didn't get closer than nine again, and finished shooting only 32 percent.

"This game was a great game for us," Boeheim said. "It was a great experience to figure out what we need to do in certain situations and when you get down 21 to a team like Kansas and you can come back ... we'll learn something there."

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Syracuse: Faces Connecticut in the Jimmy V Classic at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday.

Kansas: Faces Washington in the Jayhawk Shootout at Kansas City, Missouri on Wednesday.

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