STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) Freshman Christian Braun had 16 points and nine rebounds to lead No. 3 Kansas to a 65-50 victory over Oklahoma State on Monday night.
Kansas (17-3, 6-1 Big 12) has won five in a row, including a 74-68 triumph over Tennessee on Saturday in the Big 12/SEC Challenge, as well as its last five on the road. The short-handed Jayhawks were playing their second game since Silvio De Sousa and David McCormack were suspended for their roles in an ugly postgame brawl with rival Kansas State. McCormack can return from his two-game suspension for Kansas’ next game, at home against Texas Tech.
Isaiah Moss added 13 points and Devon Dotson had 11 for the Jayhawks, who led wire to wire.
Cameron McGriff had 18 points and eight rebounds to lead Oklahoma State (10-10, 0-7), the only winless team in Big 12 action. Isaac Likekele had 10 points and four rebounds for the Cowboys, who had snapped a six-game losing streak with a 73-62 win at Texas A&M on Saturday.
Kansas’ defense was outstanding, limiting Oklahoma State to 28.1% shooting (18 of 64), including 13.6% (3 of 22) over the first 14 minutes of the second half.
BIG PICTURE
Kansas: After watching a big lead evaporate late in the first half, the Jayhawks managed to build another one early in the second. After Oklahoma State cut the Kansas lead to four early in the second half, the Jayhawks went on a 17-1 run over the next six minutes to take control. Their lead never dropped below 15 the rest of the way.
Oklahoma State: After falling behind 12-2 and 24-7 midway through the opening half, the Cowboys reeled off an impressive 17-1 run over a 6 +-minute span to pull back to within one point when Likekele sank a layup with 1:15 remaining. The Cowboys have shown they can play with the best teams for long stretches, including their 75-68 loss to No. 1 Baylor on Jan. 18, when they led by double digits for most of the game before faltering late.
UP NEXT
Kansas: The Jayhawks return home to take on last year’s national runner-up Texas Tech on Saturday.
Oklahoma State: The Cowboys travel across the state to face their ”Bedlam” rival Oklahoma on Saturday.
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