And last week’s No. 1, Michigan State, figures to tumble after suffering its first loss Tuesday at Iowa.
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If the Jayhawks ascend to the top spot, they may host a No. 1 vs. 2 matchup Monday night. It’s 1 vs. 1. Their only loss this season came to the Michigan State team whose loss will let them become No. 1 in the country. Four years later, three Big Eight teams took turns atop the poll.
After the Bears scored the opening point on a free throw, the Jayhawks ripped off a 24-3 run over the next 10 minutes that forced Drew to burn two timeouts.
Isaiah Cousins has rewarded my faith in putting him on the preseason all Big 12 second team, as he’s shooting 46 percent from three. Self has guided KU to 11 straight Big 12 Conference titles during the regular season. The Sooners can claim the rare distinction of being an even better outside shooting team than Kansas, shooting 45.3 percent from three this season.
Thanks to a big performance from Wayne Selden, KU raced to a massive lead early and ultimately recorded a 102-74 victory over No. 23 Baylor at Allen Fieldhouse. Oklahoma won the game 87-83.
OU ranks ninth in the nation in field goal percentage defense (37%), including 20th nationally in 3-point field goal defense (29%). Mason’s 23 steals are second most on the team behind sophomore G Devonte’ Graham’s 25. In the 1957 NCAA title game, No. 2 Kansas lost to No. 1 North Carolina in triple-overtime.
Kansas opened as a 5-point favorite and was bet up to 7.5 points. Blocked Shots: 7 (Motley 2, Prince 2, Wainright, Gathers, Mills).
Junior G Brannen Greene is a 3-point specialist who scores 8.9 points per game.
Lester Medford had some key mistakes early in this game, but scored 15 nice points to try and singlehandedly keep the Bears in the game.
Ryan Spangler is averaging a double-double in points and rebounds. Freshman F Carlton Bragg Jr. Hield can single-handedly carry Oklahoma while Kansas relies on a much more balanced approach. The Sooner are coached by Lon Kruger who is 94-49 in his fifth season at OU and 573-353 in his 30th season overall. Sixth man Johnathan Motley also fouled out of the game with only eight points.
The Bears would regroup and the game would take on a more competitive feel in the second half.
Selden’s 24 points were one off a career high.
This Oklahoma team is absolutely loaded with some talent, and of course, the leader of this group is Buddy Hield. Sure, he had the big block and a couple of flashy plays against Baylor, but those did not make up for the three herky-jerky and contested jumpers (one of which he made) or the half a dozen times teammates or coaches had to tell him where to be on offense or defense. The Jayhawks have shot better than 40 percent from beyond the arc in 10 of their last 11 games. It’s not that he puts up big time numbers or blocks a ton of shots.
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) There is a nice bit of symmetry to the fact that Kansas and Oklahoma could be meeting Monday night at Allen Fieldhouse as the top two teams in the country. It’s been since February 2007 when two top teams met from split polls.
They’ll play each other Monday night at Allen Fieldhouse. The Jayhawks claimed their 25th straight win in league openers and improved to 14-0 all-time against Baylor in Lawrence.
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2 – Perry Ellis, once again, was among the Jayhawks’ leading scorers (17) and rebounders (6) in this one, but it was his aggressive play that stood out the most.
