 swept the season series from Kansas, marking the first time that the Jayhawks have been swept in a home-and-home since 2003-04, a span of 103 series.Devonte' Graham, the reigning Big 12 Player of the Week, scored 15 points and had eight assists to lead the Jayhawks (24-7, 13-5), who had a five-game winning streak snapped. The Jayhawks had already secured the top seed in next week's Big 12 Conference Tournament.BIG PICTUREKansas: Having already clinched the Big 12 regular-season championship, their NCAA-record 14th in a row and their 61st overall conference title, also a record, the Jayhawks perhaps didn't start the contest with the required intensity to defeat a determined opponent, falling behind early and never having the lead all game, despite several nice runs and a strong comeback attempt that fell just short. KU still has 13 conference victories for the 13th straight season and is one away for 25 overall wins for the 13th year in a row.Oklahoma State: The Cowboys continued their pattern of playing their best against elite competition. The win leaves the Cowboys with a 5-1 record in their last six games against ranked opponents, with four of them against top 10 teams, three coming in the past month. If Oklahoma State could just figure out how to play the Big 12's less dominant teams the same way, they could cause some serious damage at the conference tournament next week.UP NEXTKansas: As the top seed in the Big 12 Conference Tournament, the Jayhawks will face the winner of the 8-9 game in the quarterfinals on Thursday.Oklahoma State: The Cowboys will play in the first round of the Big 12 Tournament on Wednesday.)
Mar 02, 2018 STILLWATER, Okla. -- Kansas not only preserved its string of consecutive Big 12 basketball championships but clinched a 14th consecutive title outright before the end of the regular season.Another streak, however, that has contributed to the Jayhawks' NCAA-record string of conference crowns remains in jeopardy. Since taking over at Kansas, 15th-year coach Bill Self has never been swept in a season series against a conference team.That could change Saturday when No. 6 Kansas (24-6, 13-4 Big 12) travels to Oklahoma State (17-13, 7-10). The Cowboys claimed an 84-79 victory at Kansas on Feb. 3, one of three defeats in Allen Fieldhouse for the Jayhawks, though they now ride a five-game winning streak."Back when (the Big 12 was divided) north-south, you didn't play as many home-and-homes as what you do now," Self said, "but I know it's been like a hundred (actually, 102) series we haven't been swept. Certainly going to Texas Tech and going to Stillwater isn't the remedy you would think to give you the best chance to keep that streak intact, but we've got an opportunity if we play well." Texas Tech was the other Big 12 rival to win at Kansas, but the Red Raiders tumbled in the rematch last Saturday before a home sellout, enabling the Jayhawks to clinch at least a share of the conference title.Kansas sealed its outright stake Monday by defeating Texas and securing the No. 1 seed for the Big 12 Tournament for the 10th consecutive year.Of those 102 series with Big 12 teams since Self's arrival, 72 resulted in season sweeps and there were 32 splits.The Jayhawks treaded a fine line this season because they lack depth, and also because the Big 12 was thoroughly competitive top to bottom. Ten of their victories were by margins of eight points or less.Yet Self is not sure the tight matchups necessarily make for a tougher mindset with the NCAA Tournament approaching. He recalled a conversation with former Oklahoma coach Billy Tubbs before Kansas captured the 2008 NCAA title."He asked me what our point differential was going into the NCAA Tournament, and I told him," Self said. "He knew that because we were averaging winning games by 20-something. ..."He said, 'You can win it. You know why? Players aren't stressed.' He hadn't played many close games. That was his philosophy. Then you hear other people's philosophy that you've been in so many close games, that may help you. I don't know if there's an exact formula." Oklahoma State, likely bound for the NIT, is coming off an 80-71 victory on Tuesday at Iowa State. The Cowboys have not posted back-to-back wins in Big 12 play."We need to stick to what we do most and that's defense and get in transition," said Oklahoma State forward Cameron McGriff, a sophomore who netted 19 points in the win at Iowa State. "Just staying together, all as one, because the crowd is going to be there and we can definitely use that energy from them, but we've got to also find energy ourselves."
Looking for More Picks?
You can browse all the individual handicapper picks below.
Kansas
Oklahoma State
Pick Center
NCAAB
FINAL (3/3/2018)
DeanSports
