LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) – Jamari Traylor handed Kansas forward Perry Ellis a pair of navy blue scissors to take the final snips of the net, and with them the crowd in Allen Fieldhouse began to chant his name. Thinking about all the hard work and all the hours you put in and then it all pays off at the end. It all pays off in the end.
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Kansas clinched at least a share of its 12th consecutive Big 12 title when the Jayhawks beat Texas Tech on Saturday. UCLA won 13 straight in the 1960s and 70s, but John Wooden only coached the Bruins for nine of those seasons.
Kansas finishes with a trip to No. 25 Texas and a home game against No. 17 Iowa State. “This feels better than a relief”. “I’m just really proud of our guys”.
The Red Raiders, who had a five-game win streak snapped, managed a 10-0 spurt, but only got as close as seven points the rest of the way. “We turned the ball over 14 times”.
The victory marked Tech’s first season sweep of Kansas since the 2013 season, and the first true road win for the Lady Raiders since a 74-68 win at Kansas State on February 15, 2015.
Both teams rolled out to slow starts – Texas Tech committed a shot-clock violation on its first possession – and it wasn’t until Mykhailiuk got going that the Jayhawks found any sort of rhythm.
The sophomore sharpshooter hit his fourth 3-pointer to give Kansas a 37-29 halftime lead.
(3) Virginia 79, (7) North Carolina 74: In Charlottesville, Va., Malcolm Brogdon scored 26 points and the Cavaliers used a 16-5 second-half run to break open a tie game and hold off the Tar Heels for their 19th consecutive home victory. The five-game win streak Texas Tech carried into the game included wins over three ranked opponents. Gotcher was the catalyst for it, getting fouled by Mykhailiuk beyond the 3-point line with 9 minutes left and making all of his free throws. Then, moments later, Selden committed the first of three turnovers during the stretch, and Aaron Ross made two free throws to get within 56-46 with 7½ minutes left.
Mykhailiuk hit five three-pointers and didn’t miss a shot until the final minute, helping the Jayhawks (25-4, 13-3) extend their title streak.
“He looks like a pro”, Self said of Mykhailiuk.
“We just have an understanding to represent a streak that’s been made by other people who have come before us, and made possible by them”, junior power forward Landen Lucas said. “We needed him and he stepped up big time”.
While Kansas is on the verge of continuing its dominant run in the league, the Red Raiders reached a new high with Tuesday’s 83-79 comeback win over TCU, notching a fifth straight conference victory for the first time in their 20-year stay in the Big 12.
Kansas was upset by Bucknell in the first round of the NCAA tournament, but the 2004-2005 season was a season to remember for senior Wayne Simien.
“Everybody is selfish in their own right”.
Of all their Big 12 titles the past 12 years, none is more impressive than this one.
SIUE women close out regular season with win • Coco Moore scored 16 points to become the 23rd player in SIU Edwardsville history with 1,000 career points as the visiting Cougars beat Eastern Illinois 66-56.
Joe Burton scored a career-high 16 points to lead the Cowboys (12-17, 3-13), who have lost four straight and seven of eight. Oklahoma boasts the favorite for national player of the year, Iowa State boasts a top 10 offense, West Virginia boasts a top 10 defense, yet each of them are two or more games back of the Jayhawks entering the final week of the regular season.
(22) Utah 70, (9) Arizona 64: In Salt Lake City, Brandon Taylor scored 19 points, including an ankle-breaking move to free himself for a game-clinching 3-pointer with 41 seconds to play, as the Utes moved into a first-place tie with OR in the Pac-12. The Red Raiders, considered to be a bubble team for the NCAA Tournament, came in with seven scorers averaging between 8.6 and 10.9 points….
Jaysean Paige scored 17 points and Devin Williams had his 13th double-double of the season with 13 points and 15 rebounds to lead West Virginia over Oklahoma State.
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Kansas visits No. 25 Texas on Monday.
