NORMAN, Okla. — Hunter Dickinson had his usual dominant performance and Kevin McCullar pushed Kansas over the top.
Dickinson had 20 points and 16 rebounds, McCullar made key contributions in his return from a knee injury, and the sixth-ranked Jayhawks beat No. 25 Oklahoma 67-57 on Saturday.
McCullar returned after missing two games, including… 79-50 loss to Texas Tech on monday. He finished as the Big 12's leading scorer with 10 points and eight rebounds in 35 minutes.
“I thought he was definitely out of form, out of rhythm,” Kansas coach Bill Self said. “But he played within himself. We don't win the game unless he plays.”
Johnny Furphy had 15 points, nine rebounds and three steals, and Dajuan Harris had 11 points, seven assists and no turnovers for the Jayhawks (20-6, 8-5 Big 12).
Dickinson, a 7-foot-2 center, is second in the Big 12 in scoring and first in rebounding. He scored 24 points and grabbed 14 rebounds in the first match between the two teams. Kansas wins 78-66 at home on Jan. 13.
This time, he hit 9 of 16 field goals and had four assists.
“Catcher was a catcher. He's just a liability,” Oklahoma coach Porter Moser said.
Kansas has now won the last seven meetings with Oklahoma.
Jalon Moore scored 17 points and Javian McCollum added 15 for the Sooners (18-8, 6-7). Otega Oyeh, the team's second leading scorer with 12.3 points per game, finished with three points on 1-for-7 shooting.
Oklahoma lost two of its largest reserves. John Huguely IV, a 6-foot-10, 275-pound forward/center, is out with a knee injury, while Rivaldo Soares, a 6-6 guard, is out with a left ankle injury.
Kansas trailed most of the game but took a 49-46 lead on a 3-pointer from McCullar with about nine minutes left. The Jayhawks pushed their lead to 60-50 on a layup from Harris and took control of the game from there.
The crowd was energized from the start. Although the home crowd was rowdy, a large group of Kansas fans made the trip and their voices were heard when the Jayhawks made big plays.
A 3-pointer by McCollum gave Oklahoma a 23-16 lead at halftime, and another 3 by McCollum put the Sooners up 28-18. Oklahoma pushed the lead to 11 late in the first half. Kansas took the lead, but Oklahoma still led 34-29 at halftime, a 13-point advantage from Moore.
Oklahoma made just 4 of 22 field goals, including 1 of 11 3-pointers, in the second half. Self said the team changed the ball screen coverage at halftime, and the players implemented that well.
“We've made a very big change, and it's really not that subtle. It's very important. And the guys haven't messed it up,” he said.
Even so, the Sooners still have a chance. But they were outscored 22-13 in the second half.
“We felt like if we had the ball, rebounded and made a few shots in the second half, it was a different game,” Moser said.
The Big Picture
Kansas: The Jayhawks needed this after an embarrassing loss to Texas Tech. They shut down the Sooners and outrebounded them 40-29. Self said the team is not in the position they hoped to be in, but they are still in a good place heading down the stretch.
Oklahoma: It could have been a great win for the Sooners, but they went cold, as they have at times this season. Their dispersion and energy couldn't overcome Kansas' talent or lack of depth.
the next
Kansas: Hosts Texas on Saturday.
Oklahoma: Visits Oklahoma State on Saturday.
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AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll And https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball
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