LAWRENCE, Kan. -- Kansas’ men’s basketball team, which dropped out of the AP Top 25 poll for the first time in 12 seasons on Monday morning, managed to keep alive a streak of a different kind on Monday night.
David McCormack scored 23 points, including 21 in the second half, as the unranked Jayhawks knocked off No. 23 Oklahoma State, 78-66, before 2,500 fans at Allen Fieldhouse.
Marcus Garrett added 17 points for KU (13-7, 7-5 Big 12), which got double doubles from McCormack (10 rebounds), Christian Braun (15 points and 10 rebounds), and Jalen Wilson (11 points and 11 rebounds).
The victory kept the Jayhawks undefeated in ESPN Big Monday home games contested during the 18-year Bill Self era. KU is 33-0 at Allen Fieldhouse under Self during the cable network’s Big 12 Conference showcase game.
Ochai Agbaji added 10 points for the Jayhawks. who avenged a five-point loss to the Cowboys on Jan. 12 at Gallagher-Iba Arena in Stillwater, Oklahoma. KU avoided being swept in a home-and-home series by a Big 12 team for the second time in the Self era.
Cade Cunningham had 26 points and nine rebounds for Oklahoma State (12-6, 5-6), which defeated KU in both Lawrence and Stillwater during the 2017-18 season. No other school has managed a sweep versus KU, though Texas and Baylor will have chances to complete sweeps later this month. KU has yet to play Iowa State this season.
KU opened 2-of-15 shooting from the floor, but still managed to lead, 28-25, at halftime.
Kansas’ only offense the first half came from senior point guard Garrett, who had 12 points on 5-of-5 shooting (2 of 2 from line). His teammates hit 5 of 26 shots in the half. McCormack was 1-of-7 shooting, Wilson 1-of-6, Braun 1-of-4 and Agbaji 2 of 5 for six points.
Avery Anderson and Kalib Boone each had eight points for OSU.
KU trailed by as many as five points (12-7) and led by as many as three (28-25) in the half.
The Jayhawks, thanks to nine early points from McCormack, built a 41-32 lead at the 15:08 mark. OSU did cut the gap to four but KU had it rebuilt to 11 points (63-52) with 4:53 left. The lead was eight points (65-57) with 3:53 to play. KU managed to win despite 19 turnovers. OSU committed 18 turnovers and hit 7 of 26 threes to KU’s 5 of 15.
KU will meet Iowa State at 6 p.m. Thursday at Allen Fieldhouse. The tipoff time was moved up one hour.
