Once again, Kansas got the best of Memphis. The fourth-ranked Jayhawks responded in their first big showdown of the season, the nation’s best shooting team hitting 57.1 percent of its shots in an 81-68 victory over the No. 14-ranked Tigers in the Jimmy V. Classic at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Kansas (8-0) had already beaten Memphis in the 2008 national championship game, and downed the Tigers last November. Tuesday, four Jayhawks scored in double figures and Kansas held Memphis (7-1) to 37.5 percent shooting.

The Jayhawks won their first seven games this season by an average of 30.4 points per game, shooting an NCAA-leading 56.9 percent.

After a tight first 10 minutes, Kansas used a 14-6 run to build a 33-25 lead on Thomas Robinson’s layup with 3:58 to go before halftime. Then the Tigers reeled the Jayhawks back in, Chris Crawford’s layup with 1:18 left tying the contest at 35-35.

Ahead 37-35 at halftime, the Jayhawks scored 11 of the first 15 points of the second half. Tyrel Reed’s 3-pointer gave Kansas a 48-39 advantage four minutes into the half. Memphis cut the gap to six points with 12 minutes to go but got no closer than nine points inside the final eight minutes.

Marikeff Morris led the Jayhawks with 16 points. Will Barton paced Memphis with 16 points.

Kansas plays host to Colorado State on Saturday. Memphis is off until playing host to Austin Peay on Dec. 16.