Oklahoma basketball: Sooners get stormed in 2nd half in 78-66 Jayhawk win
By Chip Rouse
The 9th-ranked Oklahoma basketball Sooners were in the game at Kansas on Saturday for the first 25 minutes before the Jayhawks took control on a 10-2 run midway through the second half on the way to a 78-66 victory.
Juding by the final score, you would never have imagined that it was just a two-point game five minutes into the second half.
The Sooners (13-3, 1-2) weathered a Kansas charge right out of the gate as the Jayhawks built an early 19-10 advantage. Oklahoma began to settle down after that and found its offensive rhythm. over the next six minutes, the Sooners mounted their own charge, outscoring KU 17-7 to take its first lead in the game, 27-26.
It remained close the remainder of the half with Kansas holding a one-point 38-37 lead as the teams went to the locker room at halftime. The two teams traded baskets through the opening minutes of the second stanza before Kansas exerted its will and, spurred on by another full house at historic Allen Fieldhouse, started knocking down shots with greater consistency.
The No-3-ranked Jayhawks held a 48-46 lead at the 15-minute mark in the second half. After that, Kansas scored on five of its next six possession, led by its two season scoring leaders, Kevin McCullar Jr and Hunter Dickinson, the All-American transfer from Michigan. The Jayhawks quickly opened up a 10-point margin, taking advantage of the Sooners' inconsistency on the offensive end.
Javian McCollum led Oklahoma with 17 points. Miles Uzan added 15 and Otega Oweh 12. KU's Dickinson led all scorers with 24 points and 14 rebounds. McCullar also went over the 20-point level contributing 21.
Oklahoma would get no closer than seven points the rest of the way. The Sooners, who opened the season 13-1, suffered their second consecutive loss, following up an 80-71 loss at TCU earlier in the week.
The Sooners have now lost 23 consecutive games against Kansas at Allen Fieldhouse. The last time OU won a game at Kansas was in 1993. The good news, it you are a fan of Sooner basketball, this is probably the last game Oklahoma will ever have to play there. The Sooners will have to face the Jayhawks one more time this season. The two teams will play in Norman on Feb. 17.