KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Due to a positive COVID-19 test this morning within the Kansas men’s basketball team, the Jayhawks have withdrawn from the 2021 Big 12 Men’s Basketball Championship.
Kansas will remain in Kansas City in preparation for the NCAA Tournament following the health and safety protocols set by Kansas Team Health. The team will continue to be tested daily per NCAA guidelines.
“Obviously we are disappointed and our players are disappointed that they can’t continue to compete for the Big 12 championship,” head coach Bill Self said. “While we have been fortunate to avoid this throughout the season, there are daily risks with this virus that everybody participating is trying to avoid. We have followed the daily testing and additional protocols that have been setup for us, unfortunately we caught a bad break at the wrong time. I look forward to preparing my team in probably a unique way for next week’s NCAA Tournament.”
KANSAS CITY – No. 11 Kansas led for all but 2:30 to defeat Oklahoma, 69-62, in the Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship Quarterfinals on Thursday, led by junior Ochai Agbaji’s career-high 26 points.
Kansas improves to 20-8 (12-6 Big 12) to advance to the Big 12 Championship Semifinals, where it will take on the winner of Texas vs. Texas Tech on Friday at 8:30 p.m. (CT) on ESPN or ESPN2.
The win gives the Jayhawks their 20th win of the season, marking the 32nd consecutive season Kansas recorded 20 or more victories in a season, dating back to 1989-90.
Kansas jumped out the gate early on Oklahoma, leading by as many as 23 in the first half. The Jayhawks would go into the locker room with a 20-point advantage, 35-15, marking their fourth time this season that KU led by 20 or more at the break.
Oklahoma marched back in the second, drawing to within five points with 9:12 remaining. Agbaji went off by scoring 14 consecutive points for the Jayhawks, including three consecutive 3-pointers to put KU up, 62-54 with 5:34 left in the game.
The Sooners continued to battle with the Jayhawks over the final five minutes, drawing to within three points at 62-59 with 3:29 remaining.
Kansas would go on to hold off Oklahoma, 69-62, led by three players in double-figures scoring, including Agbaji (26) Marcus Garrett (17) and Mitch Lightfoot (11). The Jayhawks shot 46% (26-of-56) from the field in the game.
The Jayhawks relied on the bench down the stretch on Thursday, scoring 15 points off the bench, including Lightfoot’s 11 points and four points from redshirt freshman Dajuan Harris. Harris added four steals tying his career high.
MOMENT OF THE GAME
Playing in front of his hometown crowd, Ochai Agbaji helped the Jayhawks hold off a strong second half for Oklahoma, scoring 14 consecutive points, including three 3-pointers to help KU gain a 62-54 advantage with 5:34 left in the game. Agbaji’s run proved influential down the stretch, as Kansas held off Oklahoma, 62-69.
SOURCE: kuathletics.