No. 1 Kansas 61, West Virginia 56: Jeff Withey and Travis Releford each scored 15 points as the visiting Jayhawks extended their NCAA-best winning streak to 18 games with a sloppy Big 12 Conference win.

Freshman guard Ben McLemore added 13 points for Kansas (19-1, 7-0 Big 12), which moved into the No. 1 spot in the USA Today Coaches' poll earlier in the day. The Jayhawks won despite shooting 52.9 percent (18-of-34) from the free throw line.

Aaric Murray, benched for much of the first half, led West Virginia (9-11, 2-5) with 17 points while Juwan Staten added 14.

Kansas was poised to blow the game open early, using a 14-0 run to take a 14-2 lead in the first seven minutes. The Jayhawks led by as many as 15 points after a pair of Kevin Young free throws with 9:22 remaining but the Mountaineers – taking advantage of nine Kansas first-half turnovers – rallied to close to within 38-30 on a steal and layup by Jabarie Hinds at the halftime buzzer.

West Virginia got as close as two points on four different occasions in the second half – the final time coming at 48-46 on a long jumper by Staten with 10:17 remaining. Kansas took control with a 9-0 run and the Mountaineers never got closer than four points the rest of the way.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Releford has scored in double figures in 16 straight games. ... Kansas, which entered the game No. 1 in the nation in field goal percentage defense, held West Virginia without a field goal for the first 7:24. ... West Virginia coach Bob Huggins used his 12th different starting lineup this season. Hinds, the only Mountaineer to start the previous 19 games, began the game on the bench in favor of forward Dominique Rutledge.