AUSTIN, Texas _ Kansas, which clinched a tie for the 2016-17 Big 12 basketball title by beating TCU on Wednesday night at Allen Fieldhouse, won it outright on Saturday by topping Texas, 77-67, at Ferrell Center.
The No. 3-ranked Jayhawks (26-3, 14-2 Big 12), who were paced by the surprising, breakout performance of KU junior forward Dwight Coleby, who had 10 points the first half alone after entering the game with four points total in Big 12 play, made sure they wouldn't have to share with any of their rivals by handing Texas (10-19, 4-12) its fifth straight loss.
The Jayhawks mathematically eliminated five-loss league teams West Virginia and Iowa State, plus Baylor, which dropped its sixth league contest (falling to ISU) on Saturday.
Coleby, who finished with a career-high tying 12 points on 5-of-6 shooting, hit 4 of 5 shots the first half and was 2 of 2 from the line as KU led, 40-31, at intermission. He finished with four boards.
Josh Jackson scored 18 points, Frank Mason 16 and Devonte Graham 12 for KU, while Jarrett Allen and Andrew Jones had 20 points and 18 respectively for UT. Allen had 11 boards. Landen Lucas had eight boards and eight points for KU.
Coleby, a 6-foot-9, 240-pounder from Bahamas had eight points in a 17-3 run that turned a 20-19 deficit (at 10:55) into a 36-23 lead at 4:41. Mason started the surge with a bucket, then Coleby entered the game. Coleby first hit a hook shot, then after two Graham free throws, dunked off a lob from Graham. Coleby then hit two free throws and again dunked, Lagerald Vick ending the run with a three.
Coleby scored on another dunk to give KU a 40-27 lead with 57 seconds left in the half. His performance seemingly came out of nowhere. The Ole Miss transfer's previous scoring high as a Jayhawk was six points on Dec. 6 versus UMKC. In Big 12 action, he entered having scored four points total in six games. He'd grabbed 10 rebounds the entire Big 12 season.
Jackson scored the game's first four points as KU led, 9-2 at 17:07 and 14-6 at 14:40. The Longhorns used a 14-5 run to grab a 20-19 lead at 10:55.
UT's Allen had 13 points and five boards the first half as KU held a nine-point lead at the break.
Texas did cut the lead to five points in the second half, but KU was able to maintain the advantage and win.
With two games left to play, it's now mathematically impossible for anybody to catch the Jayhawks, who during their current 13-year run of league titles have tied Texas twice and Oklahoma and Kansas State once.
KU won its sixth straight game overall and stretched its winning streak over the Longhorns to seven games.
KU will meet Oklahoma at 8 p.m. Monday at Allen. It's Senior Night for Lucas, Mason and Tyler Self.
