Oklahoma State University Athletics
Late Rally Falls Short for Men's Basketball
June 21, 1999 | Cowboy Basketball
Mar. 1, 1998
STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) - Raef LaFrentz scored 13 of his 17 points in the second half Sunday and also grabbed 14 rebounds to help No. 4 Kansas close out the regular season with a 71-67 victory over No. 25 Oklahoma State.
The Jayhawks (31-3, 15-1 Big 12) led by 13 points at halftime and by 10 with 6:28 remaining, but had to withstand a rally to beat Oklahoma State (21-5, 11-5) for the sixth straight time and end the Cowboys' seven-game winning streak.
Five of LaFrentz's rebounds were at the offensive end, with two of the biggest coming in the final minute.
Kansas led 67-63 when he grabbed a missed 3-point try by Ryan Robertson with 1:05 remaining, allowing the Jayhawks to burn another 20 seconds. He then got the rebound when Billy Thomas missed the front end of a 1-and-1 with 34 seconds left.
Robertson missed the front end of a 1-and-1 with 28 seconds left and LaFrentz got the ball, but was called for pushing off. Alex Webber's free throw brought Oklahoma State within 67-64.
Paul Pierce, who had 13 points, made two free throws with 13 seconds to play to give Kansas a five-point lead. The Cowboys got within two on a 3-pointer by Chad Alexander with 7.1 seconds remaining, but Kansas sealed the victory with a fastbreak dunk by Nick Bradford.
All the starters scored in double figures for Kansas, which outshot the Cowboys 48 percent to 37 percent. Adrian Peterson had 18 points and Joe Adkins added 13 for Oklahoma State.
LaFrentz had just four points on 2-of-8 shooting in the first half. But the Jayhawks held Oklahoma State to four points over the first 4:45 to take a 12-point lead, then clamped down again in the final 7:26 of the half after the Cowboys had gotten within three.
Robertson made four 3-pointers in the first half, including two in the final 6:45 when Kansas outscored Oklahoma State 14-4 to take a 39-26 halftime lead.
The Jayhawks made seven of their first 10 shots to take a 16-4 lead before Oklahoma State began playing better defense and hitting some shots. The Cowboys held Kansas scoreless on eight straight trips to get within 25-22, then only made two baskets the rest of the half.
