BIG 12/BIG TEN

Sooners step over Jayhawks

Kansas Coach Bill Self (right) watches as Kansas guard Naadir Tharpe and Oklahoma guard Je’lon Hornbeak (front) battle for a loose ball during the second half of the No. 5 Jayhawks’ 72-66 loss to the Sooners on Saturday in Norman, Okla.
Kansas Coach Bill Self (right) watches as Kansas guard Naadir Tharpe and Oklahoma guard Je’lon Hornbeak (front) battle for a loose ball during the second half of the No. 5 Jayhawks’ 72-66 loss to the Sooners on Saturday in Norman, Okla.

— Buddy Hield came away with the steal, then ran out for a dunk that wouldn’t count. It was still time for Oklahoma to celebrate, and Hield got bounced around on fans’ shoulders in a rare on-the court post game party at the Lloyd Noble Center.

Romero Osby scored 17 points, Steven Pledger added 15 and the Sooners held off No. 5 Kansas 72-66 on Saturday for their first victory over a top five team in seven years.

With the Jayhawks (19-4, 7-3 Big 12) on a surprising three game slide, the conference regular-season championship is suddenly up for grabs.

“It’s a step, but there’s a lot of steps,” Sooners Coach Lon Kruger said. “There are a bunch of small steps necessary, and again it happens because these guys have worked hard and continue to work at it and have maintained a real good attitude about getting better each day.”

The Sooners (15-7, 6-4) snapped a 10-game losing streak in the series and took down a top-five opponent for the first time since beating No. 4 Texas on Jan. 28, 2006.

Freshman Je’lon Hornbeak went 4 for 6 at the free-throw line in the final minute, just enough to keep the Jayhawks at bay. Cameron Clark hit two free throws to finish it off.

Ben McLemore led Kansas with 15 points and Jeff Withey had 14 points, 6 rebounds and the 1 block he needed to tie Greg Ostertag’s school record with 258 for his career. The Jayhawks outscored Oklahoma 32-16 in the lane, but missed seven of their first 12 free throws to stall their attempts at a comeback.

In other Big 12 games, Marcus Smart scored 23 points and No. 22 Oklahoma State (17-5, 7-3) cruised to its fifth consecutive victory, winning 72-59 over host Texas (10-13, 2-8). ... Cory Jefferson scored six of his 15 points in host Baylor’s game-turning, 15-0 run and grabbed 10 rebounds as the Bears (15-8, 6-4) snapped a three-game losing streak with a 75-48 victory over Texas Tech (9-12, 2-8). ... Terry Henderson led West Virginia (12-11, 5-5) with 17 points as the Mountaineers won their third in a row, winning 63-50 over host TCU (10-13, 1-9). ... Rodney McGruder scored 22 points and Angel Rodriguez added 20 as No. 13 Kansas State (19-4, 8-2) beat visiting Iowa State (16-7, 6-4), winning 79-70 and taking sole possession of first place in the Big 12.

BIG TEN Michigan upended

MADISON, Wis. - Ben Brust hit a shot from just inside midcourt to tie the game at the end of regulation and added a tie-breaking three pointer with less than 40 seconds left in overtime as Wisconsin beat No. 3 Michigan 65-62 on Saturday.

Brust scored 14 points for the Badgers (17-7, 8-3 Big Ten), while Jared Berggren added 13.

Trey Burke scored 19 points for Michigan (21-3, 8-3), while Tim Hardaway Jr. added 18.

Hardaway hit a contested three-pointer to put the Wolverines up 65-52 with less than three seconds left in regulation. Brust collected the inbounds pass near half-court, took one dribble and hit a runner that touched nothing but the net to tie the game.

Wisconsin and Michigan traded baskets in overtime before Brust hit the three pointer over Caris LeVert to put Wisconsin up 65-62 with less than 40 seconds left.

Hardaway couldn’t connect on his drive to the basket on the next Michigan possession, and Glenn Robinson III fouled Berggren on the rebound.

The Wolverines went to a full-court press with two more fouls to give. But the Badgers broke the press, and Michigan had to commit two more fouls to finally put Ryan Evans on the free throw line.

Evans missed the front end of a 1-and-1, and Burke couldn’t connect in a rushed final possession for the Wolverines.

In other Big Ten games, Devyn Marble broke a lengthy slump with 21 points and host Iowa (15-9, 4-7) snapped a two game losing streak with a 71-57 victory over Northwestern (13-11, 4-7). ... Dylan Talley had 16 points and host Nebraska (12-12, 3-8) pulled away from Penn State (8-15, 0-11) early in the second half to take a 67-53 victory.

Sports, Pages 31 on 02/10/2013

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