March 11, 2007

Kansas Wins 2007 Big 12 Championship Over Texas 88-84 in Overtime

March 11, 2007

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – An incredible 22-point comeback was capped off by an 88-84 overtime victory as the University of Kansas men’s basketball team captured the 2007 Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship over the Texas Longhorns Sunday at the Ford Center. The win improved <?xml:namespace prefix=”st1″ ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags”?>Kansas to 30-4 on the season and gave the team its fifth Big 12 tourney crown and second in a row.<?xml:namespace prefix=”o” ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office”?>

Kansas sophomore Julian Wright and Brandon Rush were named to the all-tournament team.

The first half was a game of runs. After Kansas opened the game hot, blocking Texas’ first three shots and claiming a quick 4-2 lead, Texas responded with a 19-2 run and led 21-6 with 13:11 in the first half. Behind Kevin Durant’s 22 first half points, the Longhorns picked up their biggest lead of 22 at the 8:10 mark by a score of 32-10. The Jayhawks clawed back, outscoring UT 24-7 over the final eight minutes, and trailed Texas 39-34 at halftime.

Kansas cut the Texas lead to one three times in the second half before completing the 22-point comeback when Mario Chalmers sank two free throws to make the score 61-60 with 7:51 to play. Both teams traded big baskets down the stretch and the game went into overtime tied at 79.

Darnell Jackson and Russell Robinson both knocked down a pair of free throws in the overtime period to seal the 88-84 win.

Freshman Sherron Collins scored 20 points to lead four Jayhawks in double figures. Wright added 19 points and eight boards, Rush chipped in 19 points and seven rebounds and Chalmers finished with 17 points.

Durant, who was named the Most Outstanding Player of the tournament, finished with a game high 37 points.

The Jayhawks are the No. 1 seed in the West Region of the NCAA Tournament. Stay tuned to kuathletics.com for details.