LAWRENCE, Kan. - Sherron Collins scored 18 points and No. 3 Kansas finished the first half on a 15-2 run after an outburst by coach Bill Self and beat Loyola of Maryland 90-60 on Tuesday night.

Kansas guard Sherron Collins (4) looks to pass while covered by Loyola guard Marquis Sullivan during the first half of a basketball game in Lawrence, Kan., Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2008. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner)

The Jayhawks (15-0) had hoped for an easy win in their last nonconference game before their Big 12 opener Saturday at Nebraska. They got it, though it took a while.

Playing without injured guard Mario Chalmers, Kansas seemed disjointed early without his on-the-ball defense and steady decision-making, allowing Loyola to stay close with careless passes and poor shot selection.

Self accepted the early struggles but was clearly fed up when Gerald Brown hit a 3-pointer that cut Kansas' lead to 26-22 with just over five minutes left in the half. He immediately called a timeout to chew out his players and the Jayhawks responded, picking up the defensive pressure and getting easy shots on offense to start a 29-5 run that put them up 55-26 early in the second half.

Kansas kept going from there, improving 15-0 for the sixth time in school history and first since starting the 1989-90 season 19-0.

Darrell Arthur and Sasha Kaun added 14 points each for the Jayhawks who remained one of six undefeated Division I schools.

Brown had 13 points for Loyola (6-9) which was playing a ranked team for just the 18th time in more than 2,200 games. It was their highest-ranked opponent since facing No. 3 La Salle in 1953. The Greyhounds are 0-18 against ranked teams.

But the tough test was by design.

Loyola coach Jimmy Patsos likes to schedule a difficult opponent just before the start of conference play, a ploy that worked last season when the Greyhounds reeled off six straight Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference wins after a close game against Michigan State.

Loyola seemed headed toward another confidence-booster, staying close with solid defense and the hot shooting of Brown, who hit four 3s in the first half, including the one that set off Self.

Then things fell apart.

The Greyhounds started trying to dribble through traffic and made poor passes into the post instead of working the ball around the perimeter. Kansas' increased defensive pressure didn't help and Loyola failed to hit a shot over the final 5:08 as Kansas built the lead to 41-24.

Pestos flew into a rage several times during the closing drought, most notably in the final two minutes, when he tore off his coat and threw it in the lap of guard Brett Harvey, who looked at it quizzically for a second before handing it to an assistant coach.

The Greyhounds shot 33 percent and were outscored 38-12 inside.