Kansas and Oklahoma gave us the game we needed. I say all that to say this: With the talent Lon Kruger has in his back court this season – Isaiah Cousins and Jordan Woodard flanking Hield – Oklahoma can play four around one and not have to worry about having a low-post scorer all that much.
Advertisement
Ellis had 27 points and 13 rebounds for the Jayhawks (13-1, 2-0 Big 12), who had chances to win in regulation and the first two overtimes.
But it was two Hield turnovers that turned the game the Jayhawks’ way in the final minute of the third OT.
A triple overtime epic between the top two teams in the country and Hield was the star. Oklahoma kept that lead and was up eight as late as 13 minutes into the second half, before Devonte’ Graham, Wayne Selden Jr., and finally Ellis combined to tie the game up.
Perry Ellis – who, yes, hasn’t graduated yet -was responsible for 27 points, 12 rebounds and three assists in the win Monday.
Then on an inbounds play with 11 seconds left, Hield had his pass deflected and stolen. The Jayhawks entered No. 1 in the AP Poll.
In the coaches poll, the Sooners were #1, with Kansas #2.
Self told reporters: “If we’d have lost, I would have walked into the locker room and said, ‘You’ll never forget that one.’ It was that good”. SMU is not eligible to play in the postseason this year due to the sanctions against Larry Brown, and while SC is a pleasant surprise out of the SEC, they haven’t played anyone as of yet that is truly impressive.
Arizona Wildcats (13-1): The only thing that’s certain about the Pac-12 in the early going is that Sean Miller’s team is the favorite. That one might be a damn good sequel. The home team has won six of the last seven in this series and Kansas is 6-2 against the spread in the last 8 games of this series.
This year, so far, he’s done it twice – first against Villanova on December 7 and then Monday in Oklahoma’s 109-106 triple-overtime loss at Kansas. His 46 points matched the second-most by a Kansas opponent, and trumped Oklahoma State’s Randy Rutherford for most by an opposing player in the fieldhouse. Oklahoma was first in the USA Today coaches poll, and Kansas was on top of the AP media poll. The Huskies have a busy week with three games over the next seven days. This is my last time playing in this building. “We wanted to pick up the win and we couldn’t, but we have to split that one and win the league”. This was the best team that either team had played up to this point, which set up for the game to be a great one.
So that just happened.
Ultimately, Hield’s brilliance was outmatched by the Jayhawks’ balance.
Woodard responded after his turnover by making a 3-pointer to give OU a 75-73 lead with 1:47 remaining in regulation. “It would have been tough to step in there and get in the flow”. He gathers himself, steps back beyond the arc, drains a 3-pointer.
In the end, they seemed to be the fresher team.
“Probably the best game I have ever been a part of during the regular season, maybe ever”. It is also ESPN’s second-highest rated Monday night men’s college basketball game on record behind the Pittsburgh vs. CT game (2.0 HH / February 16, 2009).
Advertisement
Get ready for tonight’s big Kansas Oklahoma game by find the TV details, live streaming info and start time below.
