Jayhawks earn outright Big 12 title in OT

Kansas center Hunter Mickelson (42) goes for a block against West Virginia guard Tarik Phillip (12) during the Jayhawks game against the West Virginia Mountaineers Tuesday, March 4, 2015 at Allen Fieldhouse..

The Kansas University men’s basketball team scratched, clawed and used overtime to avoid its first loss on Senior Night since 1982-83 and escaped suffering the 10th loss at Allen Fieldhouse under head coach Bill Self.

KU prevailed 76-69 in overtime against West Virginia.

Given the fact that West Virginia (22-8 overall, 10-7 Big 12) played without starters Juwan Staten and Gary Browne and KU had just one night earlier clinched a share of its 11th consecutive Big 12 title, very few people saw such a close contest coming. But West Virginia’s extremely physical play, clutch shooting and Kansas’ inability to find consistent offense most of the game allowed the Mountaineers to lead most of the way.

• Box score

However, some late-game heroics by Jamari Traylor, Frank Mason III and Devonté Graham, who hit two free throws with 11.5 seconds remaining to tie the game at 65, helped KU pull out the victory and clinch the 2015 Big 12 title outright. That’s championship No. 11 in a row for the Jayhawks and this one they’re not sharing with anybody.

West Virginia led 40-26 at halftime, marking the third game in a row that the Jayhawks had trailed at the half (31-30 at K-State and 34-31 last Saturday vs. Texas).

In the second half, KU (24-6 overall, 13-4 Big 12) was forced to play without leading scorer Perry Ellis, who left the game in the first half with a knee injury and did not return. There were no immediate details on Ellis’ injury, though he did return to the bench in warm-up gear late in the overtime.

Kelly Oubre Jr. (12 points) did his best to pick up the scoring slack for Kansas before fouling out. Mason’s 19 points led the Jayhawks and Graham (10) and Traylor (14) also helped KU’s cause.

Here’s a quick look back at some of the action:

• The game turned when: West Virginia jumped out of the gates the hungrier, tougher team and built a 17-6 lead before the Jayhawks could blink. Most of the lead was built through a decisive rebounding advantage and hot shooting. It turned again when KU close the game with a 16-9 run in the final two minutes to force overtime.

• Offensive highlight: With 6:50 to play in the first half and KU getting man-handled by the Mountaineers — particularly on the boards — Oubre drove to the rim with a purpose and flushed a two-handed dunk right over WVU’s Elijah Macon. There was no flexing or extra smile time for Oubre after the dunk, just a focused and frustrated stare. A little later, during KU’s solid offensive spurt to open the second half, Oubre delivered a nifty reverse layup and three-point play that pulled KU within single digits for the first time in a while. And then there was that Traylor hammer dunk in overtime after KU barely broke West Virginia’s press with high, crisp passes over the top.

• Defensive highlight: During his eight first-half minutes, Hunter Mickelson gave Kansas a lift on both ends of the floor. On one particular play, however, it was his lift off the ground that delivered this defensive highlight. As WVU’s Jaysean Paige drove to the rim after picking up a loose ball that bounced off of several hands, Mickelson climbed the ladder and swatted his eight-foot floater out of bounds. The block drew oohs and ahhs from the crowd and was immediately replayed on the video board.

• Key stat: Free-throw shooting. West Virginia made just 16-of-28 free throws and missed several crucial charity shots down the stretch to allow KU to force overtime. That advantage for Kansas (34-of-43 from the free throw line) helped erase West Virginia’s edge in three-point shooting (27-0) and on the boards (46-34).

• Up next: The Jayhawks close out the regular season at 3 p.m. Saturday in Norman, Oklahoma, where they’ll look to hold off the Sooners in the regular season finale. KU knocked off OU, 85-78 Jan. 19 at Allen Fieldhouse.