Starting lineup

KU coach Bill Self started Michael Lee and brought in J.R. Giddens off the bench. Lee missed five shots, including four threes, and didn’t score. Giddens had 13 points off 5-of-12 shooting. He missed five of six threes. Jeff Hawkins had eight points off 2-of-5 three-point shooting, also off the bench.

“I know J.R. and Mike need to play. They need to start knocking down shots. We’ve got to get some offense from someone besides Wayne (Simien),” Self said.

Sasha Kaun played two minutes the first half, but none the second. He had one turnover and a foul in his short stint.

Jackson logged eight minutes and Moulaye Niang one. C.J. Giles didn’t play.

Players want Langford

Simien can’t imagine an ankle injury keeping Langford out of the postseason.

“It’s Keith’s senior year. It’ll take him a lot more than a little injury to keep him from playing,” Simien said.

Senior guard Aaron Miles also hopes Langford can return.

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“Obviously, my man getting hurt,” Miles said, asked what was the worst thing about Sunday’s game. “A player’s health … it’s a big concern.”

Galindo contributes

Alex Galindo was pleased to contribute big-time. He hit three of six shots in eight minutes.

“It felt good I had a chance to play in a game like this,” said the freshman from Puerto Rico. “I was just trying to help the team any way possible. I was happy coach trusted me.”

He and Russell Robinson were in the game as KU stormed back from a 15-point deficit.

“It took all our energy to come back. We were down the whole game,” Galindo said. “They had a great game. It was a good game but they just out-toughed us.”

Co-champs

KU gained a piece of the Big 12 title with Oklahoma at 12-4 overall.

“We wanted to be outright champions,” Miles said. “We’re not. We did attain a piece of it. It’s not the same, but we got a piece. It hurts, but it doesn’t matter. It’s the postseason now.”

KU aide Tulsa finalist

The Tulsa World reported Sunday that Kansas assistant Tim Jankovich was one of six finalists for the University of Tulsa head-coaching job.

However, the paper’s Dave Sittler reports that his sources indicate former KU assistant Matt Doherty and current interim Hurricane coach Pooh Williamson currently are running neck-and-neck as the co-favorites to replace John Phillips.

Jankovich, who is in his second season at KU, is listed as one of four assistants who have been contacted.

The others: Oklahoma’s Bob Hoffman, Texas’ Rodney Terry and Michigan State’s Doug Wojcik. The school wants to name a coach March 14.