College basketball: Kansas beats Oklahoma in three overtimes

Ratings are down, fan attendance is down, but games like this keep you strapped to your seat, with beer and chips all over the floor.

No one would want to go up against Hield, or coach Lon Kruger – even in a game of chess, no less a huge Big 12 game during conference play. Kansas continued to find ways to knot the game, and as the game wore on Oklahoma, untimely turnovers bit the Sooners and OU fell short of a rare win in Lawrence, Kan. The fifth overtime game between top-2 teams featured 13 ties, 13 lead changes, and both teams rallying from deficits of 10 points or more in front of a raucous KU crowd.

The victory, the 25th in a row at home for Kansas in Big 12 play, was the first for the Jayhawks in five all-time matchups involving teams rated No. 1 and No. 2.

Kansas is the fourth school to be ranked No. 1 this season, joining North Carolina, Kentucky and Michigan State.

Hield played 54 of a possible 55 minutes. It was a costly one also as a 1-point with a few seconds left in the half became a 4-point halftime lead for Oklahoma.

The Hokies (10-5, 2-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) got 16 points from Justin Bibbs and 13 from Seth Allen in ending a seven-game losing streak against their in-state rivals.

Kansas and Oklahoma moved to the top two spots in The Associated Press’ college basketball poll hours before facing each other in Lawrence, Kansas. Mason Jr. made two more free throws, and Hield’s desperation three-pointer-after Kansas nearly had another steal-missed.

His 3-pointer from the top of the key to start the second overtime gave the Sooners (12-1) another lead.

Ryan Spangler’s 15 defensive rebounds Monday night were the most against Kansas since Oklahoma State’s Bryant “Big Country” Reeves had 16 against the Jayhawks in Stillwater in February 1995.

Remember this name, Buddy Hield. West Virginia is ranked 17th after a 12-1 start.

There will be at least one rematch between OU and the Kansas.

OU had eight seconds to hit a three and tie it. Did Self consider fouling the Sooners to avoid a last-second trey try? His 46 points matched the second-most by a Kansas opponent, and trumped Oklahoma State’s Randy Rutherford for most by an opposing player in the fieldhouse. “The Missouri one here (in final meeting in series history) is the only one that comes to mind”.

Wichita’s Perry Ellis led the Jayhawks with 27 points, while Sunrise Christian product, Buddy Hield was beyond stellar for the Sooners with 46 points off of 23 shots.

The Sooners then extended the lead to 10 early in the second half, bridging the two halves with a 28-7 run. Hield hit another 3 to pull Oklahoma back from the brink in the third overtime. “He is getting into the paint and finishing more because of his size”, Kansas sophomore guard Devonte’ Graham said.

QUOTABLE: “We beat a team that could win a national championship”. “Everybody is going to be talking Big 12 right now nationally”.

No. 19 Iowa 77, Nebraska 66: Jarrod Uthoff had 25 points, eight rebounds and four blocks as host Iowa (12-3, 3-0) held off Nebraska (8-8, 0-3).