OAKLAND, Calif. Head-Royce scored 11 straight points to turn a one-point deficit into a 10-point lead, and the Jayhawks held on for a 47-43 win over Alaska on Tuesday, June 25, in a 2024 summer game. The win lifted Head-Royce to 7-2 and extended its winning streak to three games.
The game was close from the start. Micah Riebel scored the first basket on an assist from Micah Nyamuzuwe, but Alaska took a 9-6 lead on a 3-pointer, its largest lead of the night. Head-Royce answered with an 8-0 run. Andre Iguodala II scored inside, Nyamuzuwe turned a takeaway into a basket and added another on a pass from Nick Taubes, and Riebel scored a second-chance basket to make it 14-9.
After Alaska cut the gap to 14-13, the Jayhawks scored seven straight. Iguodala scored a second-chance basket, Riebel scored on a feed from Bryce Clepper, and Iguodala hit a 3-pointer off a turnover, also set up by Clepper, for a 21-13 lead. Alaska answered with five straight points to tie it at 25, and the teams traded baskets from there. The visitors went ahead 29-27, but Riebel tied it with a basket and made a free throw to put Head-Royce back in front. Alaska tied it again at 32 on a second-chance 3-pointer and moved ahead 34-32. Free throws by Nyamuzuwe and Jack Peay made it 36-34 before an Alaska 3-pointer gave the visitors a 37-36 edge.
Head-Royce took over from there. Riebel scored on an assist from Taubes to regain the lead at 38-37, and Nyamuzuwe hit a 3-pointer off a turnover, assisted by Luke Silva. Iguodala made two free throws, Peay scored a second-chance basket on a pass from Iguodala, and Iguodala finished a turnover with a basket for a 47-37 lead, the largest of the game for either team. Alaska closed with two 3-pointers to set the final margin. The game had three lead changes and eight ties.
Iguodala led Head-Royce with 15 points on 6-of-13 shooting and added three rebounds, three blocks and a steal without a turnover. Riebel scored 11 points on 5-of-7 shooting and had seven rebounds, four assists and two steals. Nyamuzuwe added nine points, two assists and two steals. Peay, a sophomore, had eight points and a team-high eight rebounds and made both of his free throws. Clepper had four points, seven rebounds (four offensive) and two assists. The starters scored all 47 points.
Head-Royce shot 40.4 percent (19 of 47) to 35.6 percent for Alaska (16 of 45). Alaska made 6 of 16 from 3-point range, while the Jayhawks made 2 of 17 and 7 of 19 at the free-throw line. Head-Royce made up the difference on the glass and with its defense. The Jayhawks outrebounded Alaska 33-22, grabbed 16 offensive rebounds and held an 8-5 edge in second-chance points. They forced 10 turnovers, made eight steals and turned those turnovers into 12 points, while Alaska scored two points off Head-Royce's eight turnovers.
Head-Royce improved to 7-2 on the summer with its third consecutive victory.