You could say that Kansas coach Bill Self missed on Oklahoma senior Buddy Hield, the reigning Big 12 player of the year. Kansas defeated Baylor 102-74. Not only are the rankings on the line, should Oklahoma win, they’ll be in the driver seat for the regular season conference title.
Advertisement
Oklahoma is a ideal 12-0 after holding off Iowa State 87-83 on Saturday in the Sooners’ Big 12 opener.
Maryland and Virginia both moved up one spot to third and fourth while Michigan State, which was No. 1 for the last four weeks, fell to fifth.
The Jayhawks, meanwhile, have a short turnaround, as they face Oklahoma at home Monday in what could be a matchup of No. 1 versus No. 2.
The Big East has the other two meetings: St. John’s and Georgetown one month apart in 1985. Top-ranked Oklahoma beat No. 2 Kansas, 95-77, in the 1990 Big Eight Tournament. Selden averaged 19.3 points per game, won a gold medal and was named the event’s Most Outstanding Player. OU ranks No. 9 in the nation in field goal percentage defense (.370), including 20th nationally in 3-point field goal defense (.290). They believed he could be a program player, a nice addition who could help the Jayhawks in time. The Jayhawks are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 home games and 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games overall.
Goodman: Kansas has to make sure Wayne Selden is aggressive and is looking for his shot. Kansas can keep up with the Sooners bucket-for-bucket so the Jayhawks need to make sure they don’t dig themselves a hole early. Diallo is averaging 10.1 points and 6.1 rebounds.
During the streak, the Jayhawks went a combined 28-0 against former Big 12 members Nebraska and Colorado. He is coming off a seven-point, six-rebound and three-blocked shot performance against Baylor (1/2). Purdue 13-2 450 14 21. In this game, it did not happen, and Baylor was crushed from start to finish. The Cyclones (11-2) are ranked 13th in the new AP poll. Xavier 13-1 1,001 6 11.
When it began in 2005 with a shared title in Self’s second season on the sideline, current Kansas freshman Carlton Bragg was 9 years old.
There are three unbeaten Division I teams and they are sprinkled throughout the Top 25. Graham took a pass in transition and was fouled at the other end, converting both free throws to give Kansas the lead. Mason finished with 15 points and six assists…. Hield’s 90.5 free throw percentage is second in the league.
Oklahoma has four players – Hield, Isaiah Cousins, Jordan Woodard and Ryan Spangler – that have each started the last 80 games. He pulls down 4.5 rebounds per game and has made 24 3-pointers.
Saturday’s game, though, was a preamble to what could be college basketball’s game of the year on Monday. He’s shooting 54.3 percent from the field. Oklahoma is ranked No. 1 in the Coaches Poll, however, while Kansas ranks No. 2. Thus in a game between two teams with elite backcourts, the difference might turn out to be which frontcourt produces more. Kansas is very tough to beat at home, Oklahoma still hasn’t lost yet this season and they have played very well to date.
Advertisement
Monday night saw an exciting-as-hell throwback to a different time for college basketball: the two best teams in the country facing off, each led by a senior. That being the case, it feels appropriate that he averaged the same number of points (19.3 ppg) at the Maui Invitational as he did in South Korea over the summer.
