Oklahoma State University Athletics
Oklahoma State University
7-5,0-1Big 12
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Kansas
12-1,1-0Big 12
Oklahoma State Falls Short of Upset Bid vs. No. 6 Kansas
January 04, 2022 | Cowboy Basketball
Postgame NotesÂ
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STILLWATER (AP) — David McCormack had 17 points and a career-high 15 rebounds, Ochai Agbaji scored 16 points, and No. 6 Kansas overcame a scoreless streak of more than 9 1/2 minutes to beat Oklahoma State 74-63 on Tuesday night in the delayed Big 12 Conference opener for both teams.
Kansas (12-1) missed 19 straight shots to end the first half, allowing the Cowboys to pull even at 29-29 by halftime, but the Jayhawks made seven straight shots during a 20-8 run early in the second half that put them back ahead by double digits.
Oklahoma State (7-5) came no closer than six points the rest of the way. When the Cowboys closed within 63-57 on a basket by Isaac Likekele with 6:14 left, Christian Braun began a 9-0 run for Kansas with a pair of baskets. Braun finished 15 points.
Kansas won its eighth straight game and its 31st consecutive conference opener, a run that began in the 1991-92 season, when the Jayhawks played in the Big 8 Conference. The Jayhawks are 12-1 for the ninth time in coach Bill Self's 19 seasons and now lead their series against Oklahoma State, Self's alma mater, by a 120-60 margin.
Likekele led Oklahoma State with 16 points. Oklahoma State hadn't played since losing to Houston on Dec. 18 due to scheduling issues stemming from COVID-19. The Cowboys had a game against Southern California canceled and their previously scheduled Big 12 opener against Texas Tech postponed. Kansas' scheduled league opener on New Year's Day against TCU also was postponed.
