National Basketball Association
Kansas 63, Oklahoma 59
When: 4:30 PM ET, Saturday, January 9, 2021
Where: Allen Fieldhouse, Lawrence, Kansas
Officials:
# Jeb Hartness, # Terry Wymer, # Terry Olgesby
Attendance:
2500
By Field Level Media
David McCormack led Kansas in scoring for the second straight game with 17 points Saturday, including a game-clinching shot with 13 seconds left as the No. 6 Jayhawks edged Oklahoma 63-59 in a Big 12 game in Lawrence, Kan.
Ochai Agbaji added 14 points as the only other scorer to net double figures for Kansas (10-2, 4-1 Big 12), which returned home for the first time since suffering a stunning, 25-point loss in Allen Fieldhouse against Texas a week earlier.
Oklahoma (6-4, 2-3) almost sprung another surprise after leading as late as the 2:41 mark on a jumper by Austin Reaves, who led the Sooners with 20 points and nine rebounds.
Nonetheless, the Sooners saw their string of defeats at Kansas extended to 20, a streak that began in 1994. Oklahoma failed to secure the upset despite forcing 16 turnovers and holding the Jayhawks to 30 percent from deep.
A 3-pointer by Jalen Wilson with 1:28 remaining gave Kansas a 61-57 margin. Oklahoma countered with a dunk by Kur Kuath with 37 seconds left.
Rather than foul, however, the Sooners elected to get a defensive stop, but McCormack connected from the lane to provide the final difference.
Wilson, the Jayhawks' top scorer, did not make a field goal until canning a 3-pointer with 5:05 remaining. He finished with nine points and a game-high 11 rebounds, but he committed seven turnovers.
Reaves scored 15 points to key a 33-31 halftime lead for Oklahoma, which forced turnovers on the Jayhawks' last three possessions of the half as Kansas failed to score over the final 3:34.
The Jayhawks finished the half with 10 turnovers, including six on Wilson, who went 0-for-2 from the field but finished 2-for-4 with his two late 3-pointers.
McCormack scored eight first-half points to lead Kansas despite sharing time in the post with backup Mitch Lightfoot.
Oklahoma played without starter Brady Manek and backup Jalen Hill. Both missed the game after being placed in COVID-19 protocol. It marked the fourth straight matchup for the Sooners against an opponent ranked in the top 15.
--Field Level Media
Top Game Performances
Oklahoma |
|
Kansas |
Austin Reaves 20 |
Scoring |
David McCormack 17 |
Austin Reaves 3 |
Assists |
Marcus Garrett 4 |
Austin Reaves 9 |
Rebounds |
Jalen Wilson 11 |
Austin Reaves 4 |
Free Throws Made |
Ochai Agbaji 3 |
Elijah Harkless 3 |
Steals |
Marcus Garrett 2 |
Kur Kuath 2 |
Blocks |
Mitch Lightfoot 2 |
Team Stats Summary
Team |
Points |
FG% |
3PM-3PA |
FTM-FTA |
Assists |
Rebounds |
Blocks |
Steals |
Turnovers |
Oklahoma
|
59 |
38.3 |
6-20 |
7-10 |
11 |
30 |
3 |
10 |
9 |
Kansas
|
63 |
48.9 |
6-20 |
11-19 |
13 |
34 |
6 |
5 |
16 |