Kansas Holds On Late to Defeat Oklahoma 71-69
The game between No. 8 Kansas and Oklahoma tipped off at noon local time, KU’s defense showed up around 12:40 p.m., it’s free-throw shooting left early around 1:30 p.m., and the game concluded around 2:05 p.m. with Kansas holding on for a 71-69 win.
David McCormack started hot from the field, scoring 7 of KU’s first 9 points, but the Jayhawks’ defense was existent and the Sooners pulled out to a 24-16 lead. That lead would then get to 29-20 as Oklahoma shot 53% from the field in the first half and only turned it over three times.
With 1:30 to go in the half, Christian Braun hit a three-pointer for his first points in the half to make it 34-29 Oklahoma, and then the Braun and Jalen Wilson show arrived.
Just look at this sequence early in the second half. After OU pulled away to 40-33, Braun scored five quick points. Then, after a 3 from Tanner Groves (who is apparently impervious to foul calls and looked like Rasheed Wallace from the top of the key), Braun hit two free throws, stole the ball—which led to a Wilson layup—grabbed a rebound, and assisted on a McCormack basket to give Kansas the lead at 46-45.
But the difference in the game may have been the return of Zach Clemence. After Groves scored another 3 from the top of the key, Clemence came in for McCormack and played the best defense of any big man for the Jayhawks. Along with making life more difficult for Groves and pulling down three rebounds, Clemence also showed off his range with a big 3 to put KU up 58-57.
An 11-0 run by KU pushed the lead to 63-57, but the inability to put the game away came at the free-throw line, where Kansas was 10-19 in the second half. A Jordan Goldwire 3 with 22 seconds left cut the lead to 70-67 and a KU turnover and OU layup on the next possession made it a one-point game. Wilson hit one of two free throws at the other end and a contested, off-the-mark Goldwire jumper sealed the win for the Jayhawks.
Wilson led the way with 22 points and nine rebounds, while Braun had 18 and 8. Agbaji and McCormack each had 11. Kansas’ bench only scored three points for the game. The win made Bill Self now 107-15 all-time at KU following a loss and Kansas (20-4, 9-2) remains atop the Big 12 standings.
Kansas will host Oklahoma State for a Valentine’s Day showdown Monday.
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