Lawrence, KS – The seventh-ranked Kansas Jayhawks return to game road trip, as they play host to the Oklahoma State Cowboys in Big 12 action from the Allen Fieldhouse.
Kansas has been a model of consistency for over two decades. At 19-5 overall, the Jayhawks need one more win to post their 23rd straight 20-win campaign. The team is coming off an impressive 68-54 road win at Baylor this week, moving to 9-2 in conference play. KU's next league win will mark the 18th straight season the team has reached double figures in conference wins.
Consistency is not a word used to describe the Cowboys this season, as they come into this contest at an even 12-12 overall and 5-6 in-conference. OSU does enter this contest with wins in two of its last three games, including a tight 69-67 win this week against Iowa State.
Kansas holds a huge 104-53 edge in the all-time series with Oklahoma State and has won the last three meetings overall and 15 straight at the Allen Fieldhouse in the series.
The Cowboys are averaging a modest 66.8 ppg, while allowing almost the same (66.4 ppg). The result is a .500 record. The team has struggled in terms of shooting the ball, delivering on a meager .419 from the floor overall. Keiton Page leads three players in double figures with 14.2 ppg, but is shooting under 40 percent from the floor (.383), despite a team-high 57 three-pointers. Le'Bryan Nash is one of the better freshmen in the league, ranking second in scoring at 13.4 ppg. Markel Brown rounds out the top threats with his 10.3 ppg.
Nash drilled a jumper with under five seconds to play and then blocked a shot by Iowa State at the buzzer to lead the Cowboys to victory this week in Stillwater. Brown led four Cowboys in double figures with 19 points. Nash was right behind with 18, while Page and Brian Williams chipped in with 13 and 10 points, respectively.
A funny thing happened on the way to what was supposed to be a nail-biter in Waco, as the Jayhawks made light work of Baylor, shooting 51.1 percent from the floor. The team got a huge performance from an unlikely source, as center Jeff Withey erupted for a career-high 25 points. Thomas Robinson and Tyshawn Taylor had big games as well, with Robinson recording his 17th double-double of the season with 15 points and 11 rebounds and Taylor pouring in 19 points, fueled by a 4-of-7 showing from behind the arc.