LAHAINA, Hawaii (AP)—Dontell Jefferson hit a jumper with 16 seconds left to give Arkansas the lead and the Razorbacks blocked two 3-point attempts in the final 3 seconds in a 65-64 victory over Kansas on Tuesday in the consolation round of the EA Sports Maui Invitational.
The Razorbacks (2-1) will play No. 23 Maryland, which beat Chaminade 98-69, for fifth place on Wednesday.
Jefferson’s jumper provided the sixth lead change in the final 2:36 and the 17th of the second half.
Kansas (1-2) called a timeout with 12 seconds left and Arkansas called one as well before the ball was inbounded.
The Jayhawks worked the ball to the corner where Jeff Hawkins’ 3-point attempt was blocked out of bounds by Jefferson with 2.5 seconds left. Russell Robinson got off the Jayhawks’ final attempt at a win just before the buzzer but Steven Hill blocked that one out of the bounds.
Ronnie Brewer, who had a career-high 25 points in Arkansas’ 77-68 opening-round loss to No. 3 Connecticut, had 23 against Kansas, while Jefferson finished with 13 points, five assists, four steals and two blocks.
Freshman Brandon Rush led the Jayhawks, who lost 61-49 to No. 9 Arizona in the first round, with 20 points and C.J. Giles added 12. Hawkins had three points on 1-for-6 shooting and had 10 assists.
Rush’s 3-pointer with 2:36 left gave Kansas a 60-59 lead, the first of the late lead changes. Brewer scored six of the Razorbacks’ eight points over the final 4 1/2 minutes with Jefferson’s game-winning jumper accounting for the other two.
