Jayhawks and Sooners to battle in Norman Tuesday

Freshman guard Devon Dotson 

LAWRENCE, Kan. – The No. 15/16 Kansas Jayhawks (22-7, 11-5) will close out the road portion of the regular season when they journey to take on the Oklahoma Sooners (18-11, 6-10) in Norman on Tuesday, March 5. Kansas, currently third in the Big 12 and one game out of first place in the league standings, will look to claim its 12th conference win for the 19th-consecutive season. Tip-off from Lloyd Noble Center is set for 8 p.m. (CT) with Jon Sciambi (play-by-play) and Fran Fraschilla (analyst) calling the action.

WATCH JAYHAWK GAMEDAY LIVE FROM NORMAN
Jayhawk Gameday Live, a 30-minute pregame show and a 60-minute postgame show, will be live before KU’s match-up with Oklahoma starting at 7:30 p.m. (CT). Full postgame reaction and analysis will follow immediately after the game’s conclusion. The show will be available across the country on the ESPN app, as well as regionally on KMCI, Spectrum Sports, Midco Sports Network and Cox Cable. For more information on how to access Jayhawk Gameday Live as well as content from the Jayhawk Network, visit KUAthletics.com/JTV.

TIP-OFF

• At 11-5, No. 15/16 Kansas is in third in the Big 12 race with two games left in the league season. KU is one game behind Kansas State (12-4) and Texas Tech (12-4).
• For the 22nd time in the 23-year history of the Big 12, Kansas has clinched one of the top four seeds and a first-round bye in the upcoming conference tournament. In 22 Big 12 Championships KU has been a No. 1 seed 15 times (including each of the last 10 years), a No. 2 seed four times, a No. 3 seed twice and a No. 5 seed once (in 2000).
• Kansas is 6-3 against the current Associated Press Top-25 with victories against No. 6 Michigan State, No. 7 Tennessee, No. 10 Marquette, No. 11 Texas Tech, No. 16 Kansas State and No. 24 Wofford.
• KU leads the series with Oklahoma, 148-67, including a 52-43 record in contests in Norman and holds a 19-18 edge in Lloyd Noble Center.
• After its 64-49 win against Kansas State on Feb. 25, Kansas is 91-12 following a loss in the Bill Self era, including 6-1 this season. Since the 2013-14 season, KU is 41-4 following a loss.
• KU has now won at least 11 conference games for the 25th-consecutive season, a run which started in 1995 and is the longest-active streak in the nation. 
• With its win at Oklahoma State (3/2), Kansas won its 1,100th conference game. All-time, the Jayhawks are 1,100-533 in league play, including 312-67 in the Big 12 era which started in 1996-97.
• Freshman point guard Devon Dotson is one of only three true freshmen in NCAA DI to be averaging at least 12.5 ppg, 4 apg, and 4 rbg in league play.
• Redshirt-junior F Dedric Lawson leads the Big 12 in scoring at 19.0 ppg, rebounding at 10.4 rpg and double-doubles with 18, which ranks tied for eighth nationally. The last conference player to lead the league in scoring and rebounding in the same season was Blake Griffin of Oklahoma in 2008-09. 

 
ABOUT KANSAS
No. 15/16 Kansas is 22-7 overall and 11-5 in Big 12 play after its 72-67 win at Oklahoma State March 2. In all games, Kansas ranks in the top three in the Big 12 in scoring offense (second at 75.8), field goal percentage (third at 46.7) and field goal percentage defense (third at 40.6). KU has a +1.8 rebound margin and also averages 7.6 3-pointers made, 13.6 assists, 6.9 steals and 3.8 blocked shots per game. In Big 12 games, KU averages 72.2 points and leads the league in field goal percentage (45.8) and defensive rebounds (26.4).
 
Redshirt-junior F Dedric Lawson has posted back-to-back double-doubles after his 20 points and season-high-tying 15 rebounds at Oklahoma State (3/2). He leads the Big 12 in scoring at 19.0 ppg, rebounding at 10.4 rpg and with 18 double-doubles. A national player of the year and All-American candidate, Dedric Lawson has 14 games of 20 or more points and his 18 DDs and are tied for eighth nationally. He is the only player in the league averaging a double-double. A three-time Big 12 Player of the Week (11/12, 11/26, 12/26) and five-time league newcomer of the week (12/3, 12/17, 1/14, 1/28, 2/11), Lawson leads KU with 30 blocked shots and his 1.0 blocks per game are fifth in the conference.
 

 
Freshman G Devon Dotson is averaging 14.8 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 4.3 apg and 1.4 spg in his last eight games . Included was a 15-point and career-high-tying eight assists against West Virginia (2/16). Named the Wayman Tisdale National Freshman of the Week on Feb. 12, Dotson ranks 17th in the Big 12 in scoring (11.8), seventh in assists (3.6), 12th in field goal percentage (48.1), tied for seventh in steals (1.4) and ninth in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.5).
 
Freshman G Ochai Agbaji has scored in double figures in four of his last six games and six of his last nine contests after his 11 points, including 3-of-8 3-pointers, and five rebounds at Oklahoma State (3/2). He has five games with multiple 3-pointers. Agbaji pulled his redshirt prior to the TCU game (1/9) and averages 9.5 points and 4.8 rebounds per contest.
 
Freshman G Quentin Grimes is 7-for-13 (53.8 percent) from 3-point range in his last two contests scoring 12 points against Kansas State (2/25) and 17 points at Oklahoma State (3/2). He has 14 assists in his last five games and six steals in his last four contests. He is second on the team with 41 3-pointers made this season. Grimes has made multiple treys in five of his last eight games and averages 8.0 points and 2.4 rebounds per contest.
 
After missing five games with a sprained ankle, sophomore G Marcus Garrett has been back the last three KU contests. In that span, Garrett is 8-for-13 (61.5 percent) from the field. Garrett ranks fifth in the Big 12 with 1.7 steals per contest. He is scoring 9.0 points in Big 12 play and overall averages 7.2 points and 3.6 rebounds per game and has 47 assists.
 
Other KU regulars include redshirt-sophomore G K.J. Lawson (3.3 ppg, 1.9 rpg), redshirt-sophomore G Charlie Moore (3.2 ppg, 18 3-pointers), junior F Mitch Lightfoot (2.6 ppg, 2.8 rpg) and freshman F David McCormack (2.4 ppg, 2.4 rpg). McCormack has started each of the last six games, while Lightfoot is 5-for-8 from the field in his last two games.
 
ABOUT OKLAHOMA
Located in Norman, Oklahoma, with an enrollment of 31,678, Oklahoma is 18-11 overall and 6-10 in Big 12 play after its 92-80 win against West Virginia on March 2. The Sooners have won three of their last four games and are 10-4 at home in Lloyd Noble Center this season. OU is coached by Lon Kruger who is 158-102 in his eighth season at OU and 637-406 in his 33rd season overall.
 
Oklahoma leads the Big 12 in defensive rebounds at 28.5 boards per game and ranks in the top three in the conference in field goal percentage defense (second at 40.2) The Sooners also average 71.4 points with a +3.3 scoring margin, 38.1 rebounds with a +1.4 rebound margin, 6.7 3-pointers made, 12.7 assists, 5.9 steals and 3.4 blocked shots per game.
 
Oklahoma has nine players who average 11 or more minutes per game. Senior G Christian James leads the team with a 15.1 scoring average, which is tied for fifth in the Big 12. His 58 3-point field goals made are also first on the team and his 6.6 rebound average is second and ranks eighth in the league. James also has a team-best 33 steals. Sophomore F Brady Manek is next in scoring at 11.7 points per contest. He is second on the team with 23 blocked shots and 47 3-pointers made. Manek pulls down 6.2 rebounds per contest.
 
Junior F Kristian Doolittle leads Oklahoma in scoring in Big 12 play with 13.3 points per game. Overall, Doolittle scores 10.4 points per contest and is sixth in the Big 12 in rebound average at 6.9, which leads the team. Graduate G Aaron Calixte comes off the bench and he leads Oklahoma with 66 assists. Calixte has made 33 3-pointers and averages 7.4 points per contest. Graduate G Miles Reynolds is a reserve who scores 7.1 points per game. Senior G Rahard Odomes (6.6 ppg, 2.3 rpg) is a starter, while senior C Jamuni McNeace (5.4 ppg, 3.9 rpg) leads OU with 24 blocked shots.
 
Other OU regulars include freshman G Jamal Bieniemy (4.5 ppg, 2.4 rpg) and junior F Matt Freeman (3.3 ppg). Bieniemy leads OU with 94 assists and his 3.2 dimes per game are ninth in the Big 12.
 
THE SERIES
This is crazy as it will be more than two months since Kansas and Oklahoma last played, a KU 70-63 win on Jan. 2, in Allen Fieldhouse.
 
The series between Kansas and Oklahoma dates back to 1920 when both schools were members of the Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association and Kansas leads, 148-67. Kansas has won six of the last seven meetings and, since 2006, the Jayhawks have won 19 of the last 22 matchups against the Sooners.
 
Kansas is 52-43 against Oklahoma in games played in Norman, including a 19-18 edge in Lloyd Noble Center. In the Bill Self era at Kansas, beginning in 2003-04, KU is 8-4 versus OU in Norman.
 
Since the inception of the Big 12 Conference, Kansas is 26-8 against Oklahoma; 24-6 in regular-season play and 2-2 in the Big 12 Championship. Kansas head coach Bill Self is 20-6 all-time against Oklahoma, including 20-4 while at KU. Oklahoma head coach Lon Kruger is 8-22 versus Kansas, 3-12 while at OU.
 
A KANSAS WIN WOULD…
Make Kansas 23-7 and 12-5 in Big 12 play … Give Kansas 23 victories for the 30th-consecutive season, beginning in 1989-90 … Give KU 12 league victories for the 19th-straight year, beginning in 2000-01 … Make the Kansas-Oklahoma series 149-67 in favor of the Jayhawks, give Kansas wins against OU in seven of the last eight meetings … Make the KU-OU series 53-43 in favor of KU in games played in Norman, including 20-18 in Lloyd Noble Center … Make Kansas 4-7 in true road games in 2018-19 and 8-7 in games not played in Allen Fieldhouse … Make Bill Self 470-103 while at Kansas, 677-208 overall and 21-6 all-time versus Oklahoma (21-4 while at KU) … Make Kansas 2,271-856 all-time.
 
A KANSAS LOSS WOULD…
Make Kansas 22-8 and 11-6 in conference play, giving KU is most league losses since 1988-89 (6-8) … Make the KU-OU series 148-68 in favor of the Jayhawks … Give KU two-straight losses in Lloyd Noble Center and tie the series in the venue at 19-19 (KU would lead 52-44 in Norman meetings) … Make Kansas 3-8 in true road games this season and 7-8 in games not played in Allen Fieldhouse … Make Bill Self 469-104 while at Kansas, 676-209 overall and 20-7 all-time versus Oklahoma (20-5 while at KU) … Make Kansas 2,270-857 all-time.
 
LAST TIME OUT
Trailing by three points with four minutes remaining in regulation, Kansas held Oklahoma State scoreless through the final buzzer as the No. 15/16 Jayhawks outlasted the Cowboys, 72-67, March 2 inside Gallagher-Iba Arena. Redshirt-junior Dedric Lawson scored 20 points and added a season-high-tying 15 rebounds to collect his 18th double-double, while freshman guard Quentin Grimes connected on four 3-pointers en route to a 17-point performance.
 
Lawson collected his Big 12-leading 18th double-double after posting a game-high 20 points and 15 rebounds. He was perfect from the free throw line, hitting each of his nine tries from the stripe. Grimes was next on the KU score sheet with 17 points on 6-of-11 shooting and a 4-of-7 clip from 3-point range. Agbaji rounded out the Jayhawks’ double-figure scorers with 11 points to go along with five rebounds and two assists.
 
OKLAHOMA STATE LEFTOVERS & NOTABLES

• The win gave Kansas its 1,100th all-time conference victory. The Jayhawks are 1,100-533 in league play which spans from the Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Association (1908-1928), Big Six (1929-47), Big Seven (1948-58), Big Eight (1959-96) and Big 12 (1997-present). KU is 312-67 in the Big 12 regular-season era.
• The win gave Kansas 22 victories for the 30th-consecutive season, beginning in 1989-90.
• OSU’s two free throw makes in the game marked the fewest by a KU opponent since West Virginia hit just one on Feb. 17, 2018.
• KU held OSU to 67 points, the 10th time this season KU’s opponent scored between 60-69 points. Kansas is 9-1 in those matchups and 180-29 in the Self era.
• OSU’s 67-points marked the fewest the Cowboys have scored against Kansas in Gallagher-Iba Arena since the OSU tallied 67 on February 7, 2015.
• In their two meetings, OSU outscored KU 73-68 in the first half while the Jayhawks outscored the Cowboys 88-66 in the second half.
• Redshirt-junior F Dedric Lawson recorded his 18th double-double of the season, 54th of his career (20 points and 15 rebounds). His 15 boards tied for a season high.
• Lawson’s 18 double-doubles ties for seventh all-time with Danny Manning (1987) for the most double-double’s in a single season by a Jayhawk.
• Lawson’s 9-of-9 clip from the free throw line marked the most consecutive made by a Jayhawk in a game since Devonte’ Graham made 13-straight against Texas Tech on January 2, 2018. Lawson has made 18 straight free throws and is 26-of-27 from the line in his last four games.
• Freshman G Quentin Grimes has now scored in double figures for two-straight games and nine times overall this season.
• Grimes’ four 3-pointers marked his most since the freshman drained six against Michigan State on November 6, 2018.

 
DOTSON COMING OF AGE IN LEAGUE PLAY
Freshman point guard Devon Dotson is quietly putting together a stellar debut season for the Jayhawks and has established himself as one of the top-performing freshmen in the nation. His stats in Big 12 play back that up. The Charlotte, North Carolina, product is one of only three true freshmen in NCAA DI to be averaging at least 12.5 ppg, 4 apg and 4 rpg in league play.
 
If you throw in Dotson’s 45 percent field goal percentage and 39 percent 3-point-percentage in his 16 Big 12 outings, he becomes the only freshman in the nation to boast those five stats. Dotson was named the CBS/USBWA Wayman Tisdale National Freshman of the Week on Feb. 12 following a 25-point, 10-rebound outing at TCU (2/11). He has also scored 15 or more points in five of his last eight outings.
 

 
KU NAVIGATING THE TOUGHEST SLATE IN THE NCAA
The NCAA Evaluation Tool (“NET”) has shown that, not only have the Jayhawks endured the strongest schedule in the nation, but have tallied some of the more impressive wins among the 353 teams in Division I. Kansas’s strength of schedule ranks No. 1 in the latest NET breakdown (March 3), with the Jayhawks playing opponents that have an average NET ranking of 58th, a figure that leads the nation.
 
The Jayhawks have also collected some impressive wins during this gauntlet of a schedule, claiming 10 wins against teams in “Quadrant 1” (Home 1-30, Neutral 1-50, Away 1-75). KU is one of only two teams in the nation with double-figure Quad 1 wins (Michigan State – 10).
 

 
LAWSON COLLECTION OF MIDSEASON WATCH LISTS GROWS
Redshirt-junior Dedric Lawson has a quickly growing collection of midseason accolades that have him among a small list of players on watch for national awards come season’s end. Here is a quick rundown of the recent announcements that included Lawson:
 

• Lawson was named to the 2018-19 Sporting News Midseason All-America First Team, the publication announced Jan. 15. Last year, 11 of the 15 players on the midseason team made on the final ballot.
• On Feb. 4, Lawson was named to the John R. Wooden Award presented by Wendy’s Late Season Top 20 list by the Los Angeles Athletic Club. Kansas has had representation each of the last two seasons at the Wooden Award ceremony as Frank Mason III won the award in 2017 and Devonte’ Graham was a finalist last year. Lawson is vying to become the third Jayhawk to win the honor with Mason in 2017 and Danny Manning in 1988.
• On Feb. 6, Lawson was named one of 12 to the Oscar Robertson Trophy Final Midseason Watch List by the USBWA. Like the Wooden, the Oscar Robertson Trophy recognizes the national player of the year. Frank Mason III was the first KU player to win the Oscar Robertson Trophy in 2017.
• On Feb. 7, Lawson was named one of 10 finalists for the Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year by the Naismith Hall of Fame. Established in 2015, the Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year will be narrowed down to five finalists with the winner being named April 12, 2019.
• On Feb. 13, Lawson was one of 30 named to the Naismith Trophy Midseason Team by the Atlanta Tip Off Club. KU’s Frank Mason III won the honor in 2017 as did Danny Manning in 1988. The Naismith Trophy will narrow down its nominees to 10 on March 6 and later will announce its four finalists.

 
YOUTH MOVEMENT
Kansas has one of the youngest teams in the nation having started four freshmen in each of its last six games. In KU’s 16 conference games, the Jayhawk freshmen have accounted for 46.5 percent of the minutes played and 42.5 percent of the scoring.
 

 
KANSAS STREAKING AT HOME (AGAIN)
The Jayhawks are once again building an impressive winning streak on their home court, something that has been a common occurrence in Lawrence over recent decades. KU has won 20-straight home games, 19 of which have come at Allen Fieldhouse (Dec. 8, 2018 win at Sprint Center considered a home game). The streak currently ranks as the fourth-longest active among NCAA DI schools. KU’s last home loss came to Oklahoma State on Feb. 3, 2018.
 
Kansas has posted home-court winning streaks of 20 games or more 14 times, with 10 of those streaks coming at Allen Fieldhouse. The program record is 69-straight home wins from Feb. 7, 2007 to Jan. 22, 2011. That streak is a Big 12 record and the 11th-longest in NCAA DI history.
 

 
DOUBLE-DOUBLE MACHINE
After his 20 points and season-high-tying 15 rebounds at Oklahoma State (3/2), redshirt-junior F Dedric Lawson posted his Big 12-leading 18th double-doubles this season, including seven of his last 12 contests and 10 in his last 17 outings. Lawson entered the 2018-19 season with 36 double-doubles in his two seasons at Memphis. He had 17 as a freshman in 2015-16 and 19 as a sophomore in 2016-17.
 
Lawson’s 54 career double-doubles are fourth on the NCAA Division I active list. Lawson is the only non-senior on the NCAA Division I top-10 list.
 
Lawson is also already making his impact on the Kansas single-season double-double chart. His 18 DDs are tied for seventh on the school’s top-10 list of single-season double-doubles with Danny Manning (1986-87). Lawson is one DDs from the top five. Thomas Robinson holds the record with 27 DDs in the 2011-12 season.
 

 
UP NEXT
The regular-season finale is set for Saturday, March 9 when the Jayhawks welcome the Baylor Bears to Allen Fieldhouse. Tip-off is slated for 1 p.m. (CT) on ESPN. Beginning in 1983-84, KU has won a mindboggling 35-straight season finales.
 
Kansas leads the all-time series with Baylor 31-5, including a 73-68 win over the Bears in Waco on Jan. 12. KU is 16-0 all-time against BU in Lawrence, which includes a 15-0 record inside Allen Fieldhouse. 

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