STILLWATER, Okla. — Kansas’ men’s basketball team is off to a 1-0 start in conference play for the 31st consecutive season.
David McCormack came off the bench to score 17 points and grab a career-high 15 rebounds, while Ochai Agbaji had 16 points and Christian Braun 15 as the No. 6-ranked Jayhawks downed Oklahoma State, 74-63, on Tuesday night at Gallagher-Iba Arena in the Big 12 opener for both teams.
Jalen Wilson tied a career high with 15 rebounds for the Jayhawks (12-1), who long ago made a habit out of winning the opening game of the Big 12/Big Eight season.
KU last lost its first game in conference play during the 1991-92 season. Oklahoma beat the Jayhawks, 88-82, on Jan. 8, 1991 at Noble Center in Norman, Oklahoma.
KU on Tuesday ended up winning its first game of the 2021-22 season despite blowing a 14-point first-half lead.
KU won with Mitch Lightfoot in the starting lineup. Lightfoot, who replaced regular starting 5-man McCormack, scored six points with four boards in 15 minutes. McCormack went for 17 and 15 in 23 minutes as the Jayhawks won their eighth consecutive game.
Isaac Likekele had 16 points and 12 rebounds for OSU (7-5), which lost for the fourth time in five outings. Former KU guard Bryce Thompson had eight points on 4-of-12 shooting for OSU.
Things looked good for KU early as the Jayhawks led 29-15 with 9:12 left in the first half.
OSU proceeded to take advantage of 0-for-19 KU shooting the rest of the half and forge a 29-29 tie at the intermission.
Agbaji had 11 points, McCormack six and Braun six for KU in the first half. Likekele scored eight points, while Thompson and Keylan Boone had six apiece. KU hit 28% of its shots the first half (11-of-40) and OSU 33% (13 of 39). KU hit 3 of 14 threes; OSU 3 of 10 the first half.
KU led 43-42 at 13:44 then after a 10-1 run led 53-43 at 11:21.
KU led 72-57 at 3:35, looking like it would run away at the end. But at 3:12 it was 72-63. It was back to 74-63 at 2:13 on a lob to McCormack for a slam.
KU will next meet Texas Tech at 3 p.m. Saturday in Lubbock, Texas.
