The Day After: Oh, wow at OU

photo by: Nick Krug

Kansas guard Devonte' Graham (4) puts a three over Oklahoma guard Isaiah Cousins (11) during the second half, Saturday, Feb. 13, 2016 at Lloyd Noble Center in Norman, Okla.

photo by: Nick Krug

Kansas guard Devonte' Graham (4) puts a three over Oklahoma guard Isaiah Cousins (11) during the second half, Saturday, Feb. 13, 2016 at Lloyd Noble Center in Norman, Okla.

Before you read what you’re about to read, keep in mind that it was written with the belief that Oklahoma is one heck of a basketball team and, quite possibly, the best team in the country this year.

Having said that, it would have been next to impossible to convince me that No. 6 Kansas was capable of going down to Norman, Oklahoma, and coming away with a victory, yet that’s exactly what the Jayhawks did on Saturday, 76-72, in another thrilling game that was not quite as well played nor nearly as dramatic as the triple-overtime treat in Lawrence in early January.

The fact that KU now has not one but two victories over a legitimate national title contender certainly says a lot about what this Kansas roster is capable of doing in the coming weeks.

The key for KU will be (a) capitalizing on the momentum of Saturday’s big victory and (b) playing with much more consistent energy and effort the rest of the way.

Quick takeaway

It’s a weird year in college basketball, with no run-away title favorites or clear-cut No. 1 teams. KU has had its time in the limelight and, during stretches, certainly looked like a serious contender capable of beating anybody. And I think that’s the thing that will stick with me most from Saturday’s four-point victory at OU. I know the pressure of the NCAA Tournament’s do-or-die, succeed-or-fail set-up changes things, but if Kansas can go beat that team, for a second time, at its place, the Jayhawks have to believe they can win anywhere against anybody.

Three reasons to smile

1 – I know Perry Ellis did not score a point in the second half, but I’m going to call that a good thing. Kansas now knows definitively it can win a game — a huge game, no less — without Ellis carrying the load offensively. The Jyahawks did it when Kentucky came to Allen Fieldhouse, where Ellis had 10 but Wayne Selden exploded for 33. And they did it again Saturday, when Ellis finished with 10 and watched Devonte’ Graham’s 27-point day lead KU to victory. Having said that, Ellis was next to unstoppable in the first half and I have to think some of his quiet second half was the result of a conscious decision by the Sooners to make someone else beat them. Oops.

photo by: Nick Krug

Kansas guard Devonte' Graham (4) shushes the crowd after hitting a three during the first half, Saturday, Feb. 13, 2016 at Lloyd Noble Center in Norman, Okla.

2 – Forget his 27 points, series of huge shots and superb first-half defense on Buddy Hield. Devonte’ Graham’s energy might have been the most important aspect of his game in the win over Oklahoma. I’ll be the first to tell you that some of the antics — the shushing the crowd or excessive pounding of his chest after make threes — is a little dramatic. But I’m also not out there playing and I can assure you that those things fired up everyone wearing crimson and blue from the other four guys on the floor to the last man sitting on KU’s bench.

photo by: Nick Krug

Kansas forward Cheick Diallo (13) pulls a rebound away from Oklahoma center Jamuni McNeace (4) during the first half, Saturday, Feb. 13, 2016 at Lloyd Noble Center in Norman, Okla. At left is Kansas forward Jamari Traylor (31).

3 – The Jayhawks were solid defensively just about everywhere on the floor, but the area in which it made the biggest difference was not on Buddy Hield or OU’s guards. It was inside, where Kansas completely took Ryan Spangler out of the game (3 points and 4 fouls in 33 minutes) and limited Khadeem Lattin to six points, four coming from the free throw line. In Lawrence, those two combined for 24 points and 32 rebounds on 11-of-20 shooting. In this one, Landen Lucas, Perry Ellis and even Cheick Diallo and Jamari Traylor limited OU’s starting frontcourt to 9 points and 12 rebounds on 2-of-7 shooting.

Three reasons to sigh

1 – I’m going to be honest here. I can’t find many. Yeah, Isaiah Cousins carved up the KU defense the way other quick guards did in the past this year, but KU still held OU to 33 percent shooting and won the battle on the boards. Beyond that, Bill Self said Saturday’s effort was about as good as KU has played defensively and far be it from me to nit-pick when the head man himself says something like that.

photo by: Nick Krug

Kansas guard Wayne Selden Jr. (1) reacts to having an -out-of-bounds ball called against him during the second half, Saturday, Feb. 13, 2016 at Lloyd Noble Center in Norman, Okla.

2 – Wayne Selden Jr. struggled again and, worst than his shooting stats or lack of aggression, I thought his shot selection was pretty poor all day. I can remember at least three times saying out loud to the man sitting next to me, “What a terrible shot.” Most of Selden’s nine attempts came out of the rhythm of the offense and seemed to be more of an attempt to be “the man” than an attempt to help KU win the game. I know people will say his willingness to shoot those shots is a sign of him being aggressive, but Selden is at his best when he’s aggressive going to the rim not settling for jumpers.

photo by: Nick Krug

Oklahoma guard Buddy Hield (24) roars after hitting a three against the Jayhawks during the second half, Saturday, Feb. 13, 2016 at Lloyd Noble Center in Norman, Okla.

3 – I, and I’m sure thousands of other college basketball fans across the country, would be more than willing to watch these two teams do battle once a week for the rest of the season. Unfortunately, unless they meet in the Big 12 tournament or somewhere along the way deep in the NCAA Tournament, we may not get to see this match-up again.

One for the road

KU’s four-point win over Oklahoma in Norman…

• Made Kansas 21-4 and 9-3 in Big 12 play.

• Moved KU into at a tie for first in the Big 12 race with West Virginia.

• Made the Jayhawks 3-0 against Associated Press Top 10 teams and 6-3 against AP Top 25 teams this season.

• Gave Kansas 21 wins for the 27th consecutive season beginning in 1989- 90.

• Made head coach Bill Self 373-78 while at Kansas, 580-187 all-time and 16-5 all-time versus Oklahoma (16-3 while at Kansas).

• Made KU 2,174-835 all-time.

Next up

After an emotional rematch at OU, the Jayhawks will have to do the quick turn-around, when Oklahoma State comes into Allen Fieldhouse Monday night for a Big Monday game at 8 p.m. on ESPN.

— See what people were saying about the KU-OU rematch during KUsports.com’s live coverage

More news and notes from KU’s win at Oklahoma

By the Numbers: Kansas 76, Oklahoma 72