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Kansas 77, Oklahoma State 70 (OT)
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
All posts by Jeff HawkinsUpdated15 Oct 2021
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Guard Andrew Wiggins scored 30 points as the 10th-ranked Kansas Jayhawks defeated Oklahoma State 77-70 in overtime in quarterfinal action on Thursday at the Big 12 tournament in the Sprint Center.
The Jayhawks advanced to a matchup against No. 15 Iowa State in Friday’s first semifinal. Iowa State defeated Kansas State 91-85 in the day’s first game.
Wiggins scored in double figures in each half — though he did not score in OT — as the Jayhawks advanced to the semifinals for the 17th time in the 18-year history of the tournament.
Guard Wayne Selden added 14 points for the Jayhawks (24-8). Oklahoma State (21-12) was led by forward Le’Bryan Nash with 19 points, followed by guards Phil Forte (16), Marcus Smart (14) and Markel Brown (12).
Neither team could mount much offense in overtime. The Jayhawks outscored the Cowboys 10-3, with eight of the 10 points coming from the free-throw line.
When Oklahoma State seemed to be gaining traction early in the second half, Wiggins answered for Kansas. The Cowboys had scored five straight points to cut an 11-point Kansas lead to six. But Wiggins responded with a 3-point shot.
Oklahoma State kept charging, eventually cutting the lead to two points at 43-41. But Wiggins scored four points –including a magnificent slam on an alley-oop — during a 6-0 Kansas run and the Jayhawks led comfortably, at least for a while.
The margin switched between six and eight points for the next several minutes until the Cowboys went on a 7-0 run to cut the lead to 57-56, keyed by back-to-back steals. Wiggins then hit a soft jumper in the lane before Nash answered with a dunk. Oklahoma State took the lead at 60-59 on a drive by Brown.
Kansas regained the lead on two free throws by Selden. Forte’s free throws gave the Cowboys a 62-61 lead before back-to-back alley-oop dunks moved Kansas up by three. But two free throws and a 3-point basket by Brown gave Oklahoma State a 67-65 lead. Wiggins then hit a baseline jumper to tie the score with a minute remaining.
Wiggins rebounded Smart’s errant 3-point attempt with 30 seconds left to give Kansas the final shot. But Wiggins’ outside shot and a follow by forward Tarik Black were unsuccessful and the game went to overtime.
Kansas used a 10-3 run midway through the first half to stretch a two-point lead to 28-19. Oklahoma State got no closer than seven points the rest of the half.
The Jayhawks were led by 13 points from Wiggins. Selden chipped in nine points. Black, starting at center for the injured Joel Embiid, led the Jayhawks with eight first-half rebounds.
Oklahoma State did not score a lot of points, trailing 32-23 at the half, but the Cowboys were balanced. They had five players between three and six points.
NOTES: Kansas is the top seed in the Big 12 tournament for the sixth straight year and the 11th time in the 18-year history of the conference. The Jayhawks have won nine of the first 17 conference tournaments, by far the most in the conference. … The Jayhawks have lost only once in their first game of the tournament. … Oklahoma State has four players averaging at least 13 points per game, led by G Marcus Smart (17.9). Also on the list are G Markel Brown (17.3), F Le’Bryan Nash (14.0) and G Phil Forte (13.2).
