KU MBB: No. 6 Jayhawks Outlasts Oklahoma
(Courtesy of Kansas Athletic Department)
LAWRENCE, Kan. – No. 6 Kansas bested Oklahoma, 63-59, behind superb team defense, David McCormack’s 17 points and Ochai Agbaji’s 14 points inside Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, Kansas, on Saturday.
In a game with either team’s largest lead being just seven points the Jayhawks came out on top. The two teams traded leads all game as the contest featured seven ties and nine lead changes.
Kansas (10-2, 4-1 Big 12) took the lead with 2:19 left in the game off a McCormack basket and never looked back. After Kansas got a stop on defense, Jalen Wilson drilled a three. Oklahoma would cut the lead to two but on Kansas’ final offensive possession McCormack made a clutch jumper in the paint to ice the game.
Kansas shot 49% (23-of-47) from the field and 30% (6-of-20) from beyond the arc. The Jayhawks scored almost half of their points in the paint, scoring 30 from close range. McCormack led Kansas in scoring with 17 and had one fellow Jayhawk in double-figures with Agbaji’s 14. Wilson led all rebounders with 11 total rebounds.
Defensively, Kansas held Oklahoma to 38% (23-of-60) from the field, while the Jayhawks out-rebounded the Sooners, 45-32. The Sooners had one player in double-figures, Austin Reaves with 20.
STAT OF THE GAME
20 – The Jayhawks improved to 20-consecutive wins in Allen Fieldhouse against Oklahoma, dating back to the 1993 season.
MOMENT OF THE GAME
With Oklahoma leading by one with less than three minutes to go, David McCormack sank a two-pointer in the paint to give the Jayhawks the lead.
On the ensuing Jayhawk possession, Jalen Wilson drilled a dagger of a three to give the Jayhawks a two-possession lead with under 1:30 left in the contest. Kansas would hold onto this lead for the remainder of the game.
NOTES (Complete Notes)
- The win made Kansas 10-2 or better for the seventh-straight season beginning in 2014-15.
- The win gave KU its 20th-straight win against Oklahoma in Allen Fieldhouse, a streak which started in 1994.
- Following today’s game, Kansas is 9-0 when leading the game with 5:00 remaining in regulation and 10-0 when out-rebounding its opponent this season.
- Since 2017-2018, Kansas is now 28-6 (.823) in contests decided by five points or less.
- David McCormack’s 17 points made him KU’s leading scorer for the second-straight game, and third time this season overall.
- Tonight marked Ochai Agbaji’s seventh game this season making three or more 3-point FGs and 15th of his career. Including this game, Kansas is 15-0 when Agbaji makes three or more treys.
- Mitch Lightfoot’s two blocks moved him to 17th among Kansas’ all-time block leaders with 110 blocks.
- David McCormack’s streak of 21-made free throws ended when he missed a pair of free throws in the first half.
- Jalen Wilson pulled down 11 rebounds to lead the Jayhawks and mark his fourth game with 10+ rebounds this season.
UP NEXT
Kansas travels to Stillwater, Oklahoma, to take on Oklahoma State on Tuesday, January 12. The game will tip-off at 7 p.m., CT on Big 12 Now on ESPN+.
