Oklahoma State University Athletics
Oklahoma State University
12-4, 2-2Big 12
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Kansas
14-2, 3-0Big 12
No. 24 Cowboys Fall at No. 9 Kansas, 67-57
January 13, 2015 | Cowboy Basketball
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LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) Just about the only thing that Kansas coach Bill Self liked about the ninth-ranked Jayhawks' 67-57 victory over No. 24 Oklahoma State on Tuesday night was the outcome.
Not their shot selection. Or their ball movement. Or even their poise.
Certainly not the fact that the teams combined for 71 fouls, creating a choppy affair that could have bled beyond 3 hours had the Cowboys managed to force overtime.
''It was a hard game to play. A hard game to coach. Probably a harder game to officiate,'' Self said. ''Good thing I didn't drink a lot of water at halftime. I would have been in trouble.''
Frank Mason III had 16 points and nine rebounds to lead the Jayhawks (14-2), who moved to 3-0 in league play for the ninth straight. Kelly Oubre Jr. added 14 points, getting to the foul line 12 times as the Jayhawks finished 32 of 46 on free throws.
''It was just a lot of stop and go,'' the Cowboys' Michael Cobbins said. ''In basketball, it's hard to get into a rhythm when it's stop and go, stop and go.''
Oklahoma State (12-4, 2-2) was still within 61-55 with 1:48 remaining, but Mason made two of his nine free throws and Devonte' Graham added two more moments later to put the game away.
Le'Bryan Nash scored all but two of his 21 points in the second half to lead the Cowboys. Phil Forte scored all but two of his 18 points in the first half before hurting his right leg in the second, forcing the sharpshooting guard to spend long stretches on the bench.
''It's almost like an uphill battle when we're getting called for as many fouls as we were getting called for,'' Oklahoma State coach Travis Ford said. ''It was a hard-fought game.''
The rivalry between Kansas and Oklahoma State has become perhaps the most heated in the Big 12 over the past few years, picking up steam during a couple of fracases last season.
Nothing appeared to have changed Tuesday night.
Forte knocked down two of his nine first-half free throws to give Oklahoma State a 14-7 lead.
By the time the first half finally ended, the Jayhawks had emerged with a 32-28 advantage.
The foul-fest continued in the second half, but the Jayhawks slowly stretched their lead to 55-44 midway through. And while the game threatened to devolve into a battle of attrition, Kansas - despite its shorter bench - held tight to its lead the rest of the way.
''We missed a ton of easy shots around the rim, a ton of jump shots we normally make,'' Mason said. ''I think getting out in transition and getting easy baskets, that was the key for us.''
Ford said that Forte, the Big 12's leading scorer, should be fine after banging up his right leg. Forte's only points in the second half came on jumper with 2:34 remaining.
Oklahoma State visits No. 18 Oklahoma on Saturday to open this season's Bedlam Series.
