Stormin in Norman
Fansided

Oklahoma basketball: Sooner stardom short-lived as Kansas delivers knockout

By Chip Rouse

LAWRENCE, KANSAS - FEBRUARY 15: Devon Dotson #1 of the Kansas Jayhawks battles Kur Kuath #52 of the Oklahoma Sooners for a rebound during the game at Allen Fieldhouse on February 15, 2020 in Lawrence, Kansas. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
LAWRENCE, KANSAS - FEBRUARY 15: Devon Dotson #1 of the Kansas Jayhawks battles Kur Kuath #52 of the Oklahoma Sooners for a rebound during the game at Allen Fieldhouse on February 15, 2020 in Lawrence, Kansas. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /
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It looked early like Oklahoma basketball came to play at Kansas, but reality set in late in the first half and the Jayhawks made short work of Oklahoma thereafter, cruising to a 87-70 victory.

With just over seven minutes remaining in the first half, Oklahoma led the Jayhawks 27-24. Kansas coach Bill Self called a quick time out. From that point on, the Jayhawks took control of the game, going on a 17-5 run to take a 41-32 advantage at the half and extending the lead to 20 points early in the second half.

Oklahoma fought back to within 10 points midway through the second half, but that was as close as the Sooners would get as Kansas outshined the Sooners’ Big Three with a red-hot shooting display from three of its own.

Senior Marcus Garrett, known more for his defensive play than his shooting ability, delivered the game of his life, draining six of nine three-balls on his way to a season- and career-high 24 points. Point guard Devon Dotson raced by Oklahoma defenders on repeated drives to the basket and ended up with 19 points of his own, and big man Udoka Azubuike scored 15 and added four blocks to the delight of the noisy, sold-out Allen Field House.

The loss, Oklahoma’s 19th straight at Kansas, took away from another sensational game by Sooner senior Kristian Doolittle, who led OU for a third straight game with 27 points, including five of eight from behind the arc. Austin Reaves contributed 12 and freshman De’Vion Harmon had 10 off the bench.

OU averages just 11 turnovers a game, but the Kansas defense, one of the best in the country, forced eight Sooners turnovers in the first half, three of which occurred in a one-minute stretch of the first half erased a three point Oklahoma lead and put Kansas up by three, 30-27. That’s when the game dramatically turned in the Jayhawks’ favor.

The Sooners fall back to. 500 in the Big 12, at 6-6, and own 15-9 mark overall. The schedule doesn’t get any better for Oklahoma, which hosts No. 1 Baylor on Tuesday.

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