Kansas Wins Fourth Straight Big 12 Title With Win Over Texas A&M
March 8, 2008
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COLLEGE STATION, <?xml:namespace prefix=”st1″ ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags”?>Texas – Five players scored in double figures as the University of Kansas men’s basketball team defeated Texas A&M 72-55 and won its fourth straight Big 12 regular season championship.
Kansas ended the regular season 28-3 overall and 13-3 in the Big 12. Texas A&M fell to 22-9 overall and 8-8 in the league.
Darrell Arthur and Mario Chalmers each pumped in 16 points to lead all scorers. Sherron Collins (13), Russell Robinson (11) and Brandon Rush (10) also reached double figures. Arthur pulled down nine rebounds to just miss a double-double.
The Aggies were paced by Donald Sloan and Dominique Kirk with 15 points. The 17-point loss was the biggest for Texas A&M in Reed Arena this season.
The first half was hotly contested with four ties and six lead changes. Kansas pounded the ball inside where it held a 26-8 advantage in points in the paint. After a 12-12 tie at the second media timeout, the Jayhawks upped the pressure and went on a 10-4 run to take a 22-16 lead at the third media timeout.
Kansas held its greatest advantage in the first period of 11 with 1:52 on the clock before taking a 36-26 lead into the locker room
Arthur led all first-half scorers with 12 points to go with six boards. Chalmers added nine points. Sloan and Joseph Jones each scored six to lead the Aggie first half attack.
After the break, Kansas continued its pressure as Texas A&M never came closer than within six points.
The Jayhawks shot a scorching 57.1 percent from the field and outworked the Aggies 37-32 on the glass. KU dominated the inside game with a 44-12 advantage in the paint.
The Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship first round kicks off Thursday, March 13 at the Sprint Center in Kansas City, Mo. After a first round bye, Kansas will enter the tournament either as a No. 1 or No. 2 seed depending on the outcome of the Texas-Oklahoma State game on Sunday.
A Texas win over OSU would make the Jayhawks the No. 2 seed. KU would then play on Friday at 6 p.m. on ESPN Plus against the winner of No. 7/No. 10 game.
If Oklahoma State defeats Texas, the Kansas would receive the No. 1 seed and play at 11:30 a.m. on ESPN Plus and ESPNU against the winner of the No. 8/No. 9 game.
