Top-ranked Jayhawks conclude regular season at Oklahoma State

GAME 31

Date Saturday, March 4
Time 5 p.m. Central
Location Stillwater, Okla.
Venue Gallagher-Iba Arena
Notes KU Game Notes
Notes OSU Game Notes
Notes Big 12 Game Notes

LIVE COVERAGE
TV ESPN
Video WatchESPN
Radio Jayhawk Radio Network
Audio Audio Stream
Stats Live Stats

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 HOW THEY COMPARE

KU OSU
82.5 PTS 85.6
48.6 FG% 46.9
40.8 3FG% 40.6
65.7 FT% 78.4
39.0 REB 36.8
16.3 AST 14.7
4.6 BLK 3.0
7.0 STL 7.8

Big 12 regular-season champion and No. 1/1 Kansas (27-3, 15-2) concludes the 2016-17 regular season at Oklahoma State (20-10, 9-8), Saturday, March 4, at 5 p.m. on ESPN. Kansas won its 34th-consecutive home season finale defeating Oklahoma, 73-63, on Feb. 27 in Allen Fieldhouse. Oklahoma State had its five-game winning streak snapped by losing at Iowa State, 86-83, Feb. 28.

ABOUT KANSAS
Kansas is No. 2 nationally in the Ratings Percentage Index (RPI) in NCAA Division I. Kansas is 9-1 in true road games and 13-2 in games not played in Allen Fieldhouse this season. Kansas averages 82.5 points per game and has a +11.0 scoring margin. KU leads the Big 12 and is 18th nationally with a 48.6 field goal percentage. KU leads the league with a 40.8 3-point field goal percentage, which is 11th in NCAA Division I. KU averages 39.0 rebounds per contest, which also leads the Big 12. KU has a +4.1 rebound margin. The Jayhawks also average 16.3 assists, 7.0 steals and 4.6 blocked shots per contest.

Named one of 10 finalists for the Naismith Trophy, senior G Frank Mason III is having a national player of the year season. The two-time Big 12 Player of the Week leads the conference in scoring with a 20.3 average and his 20.6 points per game in league play are also tops in the Big 12. He is the only conference player averaging 20 points or more this season. After his 23 points on Senior Night against Oklahoma (2/27), Mason has 17 games of 20 points or more, including four of his last five and six of his last eight contests. Mason has led Kansas in scoring in 21 games this season. Mason also leads the Big 12 in 3-point field goal percentage at 50.0 percent. Freshman G Josh Jackson is also a Naismith Trophy finalist as Kansas is the only school with two on the 10-member list. A seven-time Big 12 Newcomer of the Week in 2016-17, Jackson is second on the team in scoring at 16.3 points per game, which is fifth in the Big 12. The two-time Big 12 Player of the Week has seven double-doubles in his last 10 outings including 11 points and 12 rebounds against OU (2/27). Jackson’s 7.2 rebounds per game are sixth in the conference and he leads KU with 50 steals and 32 blocked shots. Junior G Devonte’ Graham is 13th in the Big 12 with a 13.2 scoring average. Graham has made multiple 3-pointers in 11 of his last 12 games and drained 33 treys in that span, including four against Oklahoma (2/27). He leads KU with 75 3-pointers and is second on the team in assists with 130 and steals with 45. Junior G Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk averages 9.5 points per game and has made 58 3-pointers for the season. He is seventh in the Big 12 in 3-point field goal percentage at 39.5 percent and seventh in 3-pointers made at 1.9. Senior C Landen Lucas has pulled down 10 or more rebounds 10 times this season with all 10 in KU’s last 19 contests. Lucas is second the Big 12 in league games in rebounding at 10.2 boards per outing. In all games, he is fourth in the Big 12 in rebounds with an 8.3 average and is scoring 7.7 points per game.

Sophomore G Lagerald Vick is one of the first Jayhawks off the bench and is averaging 7.3 points per contest after his 11 points against OU (2/27) where he was 3-for-3 from 3-point range. Vick averages 23.7 minutes per game and has made 30 3-pointers. Sophomore F Carlton Bragg Jr., tied his career high on the season with 15 points against TCU (2/22), while his seven boards against the Horned Frogs were his second most in conference play this season. Bragg is averaging 14.3 minutes, 5.5 points and 4.2 rebounds in 26 games played this season. Junior F Dwight Coleby tied his career high with 12 points on 5-of-6 shooting at Texas (2/25) in 13 minutes. He has appeared in 18 games and is averaging 1.8 points and 1.9 rebounds this season. Freshman F Mitch Lightfoot has come off the bench in eight of the last 11 games. He averages 4.2 minutes, 0.9 points and 1.1 rebounds in 22 games played this season.

ABOUT OKLAHOMA STATE
Located in Stillwater, Oklahoma, with an enrollment of 35,214, Oklahoma State is 20-10 on the season and 9-8 in Big 12 play. The Cowboys are coached by Brad Underwood, who is in his first season at OSU and his fourth season as a head coach overall with a 109-24 record. OSU opened Big 12 play 0-6 but is 10-2 since then. The Cowboys are 11-4 at home this season. OSU leads the Big 12 in scoring offense at 85.6 points per game. The Cowboys have a +8.5 scoring margin and also lead the conference in free throw percentage at 78.4 percent. OSU makes 8.9 3-pointers per contest and shoots 40.6 percent from beyond the arc, which is second in the conference to Kansas’ 40.8. OSU averages 38.8 rebounds per game and has a +4.0 rebound margin. The Cowboys also average 14.7 assists, 7.8 steals and 3.0 blocked shots per contest.

OSU has two of the four leading scorers in the Big 12. Sophomore G Jawun Evans is second at 18.6 points per game. Evans is also second in the conference in assists per game at 6.0, fourth in steals at 1.9 and sixth in assist-to-turnover ratio at 2.1. Junior G/F Jeffrey Carroll is fourth in the league in scoring at 17.0 points per game. His 6.7 rebound average ranks eighth in the league while his 53.8 field goal percentage is fourth. Senior G Phil Forte III leads nation with a 95.2 free throw percentage. He is 12th in the conference in scoring at 13.4 points per game and second in 3-pointers made (2.6). Senior F Leyton Hammonds is a starter who averages 8.0 points and 4.9 rebounds per game. Junior F Mitchell Solomon (5.4 ppg, 5.1 rpg) rounds out the OSU starters and leads the team with 34 blocked shots.  

Freshman G Brandon Averette scores 5.6 points per contest and he is second on team with 58 assists and has sniped 24 steals so far this year. Other OSU regulars include: sophomore G/F Davon Dillard (5.4 ppg, 3.2 rpg) and freshman F Cameron McGriff (3.9 ppg, 3.0 rpg).

Walk-on sophomore F Will Lienhard’s great uncle is former Kansas standout Bill Lienhard, who was a member of KU’s 1952 NCAA National Championship team. Bill Lienhard was also a member of the USA gold medal team in the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki, Finland.

THE SERIES
The Kansas-Oklahoma State series dates back to 1926 with KU holding a 112-57 all-time advantage. KU has won 10 of the last 14 meetings. Kansas is 35-34 against OSU in games played in Stillwater but OSU holds a 34-33 edge in Gallagher-Iba Arena. OSU has won the last two contests played in Stillwater and holds a 7-5 advantage at home against KU since the Big 12 began in 1996-97. Since the inception of the Big 12, Kansas is 23-10 versus OSU: 18-8 in regular-season play and 5-2 in the Big 12 Championship. KU defeated OSU in each of the teams’ last three Big 12 Championship meetings in 2014, 2011 and 2006. KU head coach Bill Self is 16-11 all-time against his alma mater, including a 15-8 record at Kansas. Brad Underwood is 0-1 against Kansas as a head coach. Underwood did face KU many times while on the staff at Kansas State from 2006-12.

Earlier this season, three Jayhawks scored 20 or more points in KU’s 87-80 win against Oklahoma State on Jan. 14 in Allen Fieldhouse. Senior Frank Mason III led the way with 22 points, while junior Devonte’ Graham had 21 and freshman Josh Jackson 20. Jackson also had 11 rebounds and four steals for the game, while senior Landen Lucas led all rebounders with 12. OSU led by as many as 11 points in the first half and held a 40-36 lead at the intermission. KU outscored OSU 51-40 in the second period. OSU’s Jeffrey Carroll led all scorers with 23 points.

A KANSAS WIN WOULD …
Make KU 28-3 overall, giving KU 28 wins for the second-straight season and the eighth time in the 14 seasons under Bill Self …  Make KU 16-2 in Big 12 play, giving KU 16 league wins for the third time (16-0 in 2002 and 16-2 in 2012) … Make Kansas 10-1 in true road games and 14-2 in games not played in Allen Fieldhouse this season … Make the KU-OSU series 113-57 in favor of Kansas, including 36-34 in games played in Stillwater and tie up the series, 34-34, in Gallagher-Iba Arena … Improve Selfto 413-86 at KU and 620-191 overall … Make KU 2,214-839 all-time.

A KANSAS LOSS WOULD …
Make Kansas 27-4 overall and 15-3 in Big 12 play …   … Make KU 9-2 in true road games and 13-3 in games not played in Allen Fieldhouse … Make the KU-OSU series 112-58 in favor of Kansas, including 35-35 in games played in Stillwater … Give OSU a 35-33 series edge in Gallagher-Iba Arena meetings … Make Bill Self 412-87 while at KU and 619-192 overall  … Make KU 2,213-840 all-time.

WHAT’S TRENDING
• Kansas leads the Big 12 in won-loss percentage at 90.0 percent, field goal percentage at 48.6 percent, 3-point field goal percentage at 40.8 percent and rebounding at 39.0 per game. Additionally, KU ranks in the upper half in the Big 12 in scoring (third at 82.5), scoring margin (second at +11.0), field goal percentage defense (second at 41.7), rebound margin (second at +4.1), assists (third at 16.3), assist-to-turnover ratio (fourth at 1.3) and blocked shots (fourth at 4.6).
• The Jayhawks are 97-for-133 (72.9 percent) from the free throw line in their last five games. KU is now shooting 70.6 percent at the charity stripe in Big 12 play. In nonconference games KU had a 58.9 free throw percentage.
• Kansas has won its last three games by double digits. In KU’s previous eight games, from Jan. 24 to Feb. 18, KU either lost or had eight games decided by six points or less.
Senior G Frank Mason III leads the Big 12 in scoring at 20.3 points per game and 3-point field goal percentage (50.0). He is fourth in assists (4.9), sixth in 3-pointers made per game (2.2), ninth in field goal percentage (48.5) and eighth in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.0).
• Mason is 67-for-82 (81.7 percent) from the free throw line in his last nine games, making 7.4 charity shots per contest in that span.
• Mason is making 51.3 percent (40-for-78) from 3-point range and 2.4 treys per game in Big 12 play.
• Mason has led KU in scoring in 21 of 30 games this season, including 11 of the last 16 contests. Mason has 17 games of 20 or more points, including four of his last five and six of his last eight outings.
Freshman G Josh Jackson has seven double-doubles in his last 10 games. His 11 double-doubles on the season, eight against Big 12 foes, rank tied for second in the conference. His 11 DDs are a Kansas freshman record.
• In his last 10 outings (dating back to Jan. 28 vs. Kentucky), Jackson has scored 183 points and grabbed 84 rebounds for an average of 18.3 ppg and 8.4 rpg in that 10-game span.
• Jackson is 19-for-37 (51.4 percent) from beyond the arc in his last 11 games. 
• Jackson is fifth in the Big 12 in scoring at 16.3 ppg, which leads the conference freshman class. His 7.2 rebounds per game are sixth in the league. He is seventh with 1.7 steals per game and 13 in blocked shots (1.1).
Senior C Landen Lucas is second in the Big 12 in league games with a 10.2 rebound average. Overall, Lucas’ 8.3 rpg are fourth in the Big 12. He is 14th in blocked shots (1.0).
• Lucas leads KU with a 63.8 percent field goal percentage for all games and is making a team-best 63.7 percent in conference games. Over his last 11 games, Lucas is shooting 66.7 percent (34-of-51) from the field.
• After going 4-for-8 versus Oklahoma (2/27), junior G Devonte’ Graham has made multiple 3-pointers in 11 of his last 12 games and 15 of his last 17 outings.
• Graham is 13th in the Big 12 in scoring (13.2), fifth in assists (4.3), tied for ninth in steals (1.5), fourth in 3-point field goals made (2.5), 11th in 3-point field goal percentage (.383) and second in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.5).
• Graham has 989 career points and is on the verge of becoming the 59th player in KU history to record 1,000.
Junior G Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk has made multiple 3-pointers in nine of his last 13 games. He is seventh in the Big 12 in 3-point field goals made at 1.9 per game and eighth in 3-point field goal percentage at 39.5.

CONFERENCE SUCCESS
Including 2016-17, Kansas has won 17 of the 21 Big 12 regular-season titles (includes ties), including the last 13, which ranks tied for first on the NCAA all-time consecutive list with UCLA (1967-79). Kansas’ 60 conference titles are the most in NCAA Division I. Kentucky is second with 47 and Penn third at 37. UCLA’s run was under three coaches, while Kansas’ current run has been under head coach Bill Self.

Kansas Conference Regular-Season Titles
60 (*Tied for the championship)
Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association (13) – 1908-09-10-11-12*-14*-15-22*-23-24-25-26-27
Big Six (12) – 1931-32-33-34-36-37*-38-40*-41*-42*-43-46
Big Seven (5) – 1950*-52-53-54*-57
Big Eight (13) – 1960*-66-67-71-74-75-78-86-91*-92-93-95-96
Big 12 (17) – 1997-98-2002-03-05*-06*-07-08*-09-10-11-12-13*-14-15-16-17

IN THE POLLS
Kansas is No. 1 in both the Associated Press and the USA Today Coaches’ Poll released Feb. 27. KU has been ranked in the top five in all but one poll this season with three weeks at No. 1 in the coaches’ poll (1/16, 1/23, 2/28). This week is the first AP No. 1 ranking for KU this season. KU was ranked No. 1 by AP five times in 2015-16, including the final three polls.

Kansas been ranked in each of the last 159 AP polls dating back to the 2008-09 season, which is the longest active streak in NCAA Division I. Arizona is second at 93. KU has been ranked in each of the last 163 coaches’ polls.

STREAKING
Here are some active Kansas streaks, all of which lead the nation.
• 13 Big 12 Conference regular-season titles (including 2016-17)
• 27 NCAA Tournament appearances
• 28 seasons with 20+ wins (including 2016-17)
• 159 weeks ranked in AP Top 25
• Won at least 12 league games for 17-straight years (including 2016-17)

THIS DATE IN KANSAS BASKETBALL HISTORY
Kansas is 13-6 all-time on March 4.
March 4, 2001: No. 10 Kansas wrapped up the 2000-01 regular season at home in Lawrence on Senior Day with a 75-59 victory over Border Showdown rival, Missouri. Kansas had five players score in double figures; sophomore forwards Drew Gooden and Nick Collison led the way with 19 and 13 points, respectively. Collison added 13 rebounds to notch his first double-double of the season. Seniors Kenny Gregory and Eric Chenowith scored 16 and 11 points, respectively, in their last games in Allen Fieldhouse while junior guard Jeff Boschee rounded out the double-digit scoring with 11 points. Kansas trailed at halftime by one point, 31-30, but held Missouri to 24 percent shooting in the second half and outscored the Tigers 45-28. The victory was Kansas’ 18th-straight Senior Day victory.

UP NEXT
Kansas is the No. 1 seed in the 2017 Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship, March 8-11 at Sprint Center in Kansas City, Missouri. The Jayhawks’ quarterfinal game will be March 9 at 1:30 p.m. on ESPN2. KU will face the winner of the No. 8 vs. No. 9 seeds who play Wednesday, March 8 at 6 p.m. Kansas has won 14 conference tournament titles, including 10 in the Big 12 era.

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