If you're around this evening and interested in watching the Jayhawks and Sooners battle it out on the hardwood, check in with us here, where at the least we'll have an open thread up and, schedule permitting, I hope to do some actual live blogging. Big game for the conference title, of course, and an excellent chance to see what this year's Jayhawks are all about. Texas concludes its regular season with a trip to Lawrence.
LIVE BLOG AFTER THE JUMP
Game Tip set for 8:00 p.m. CT
8:02 Aaaand... JT3's team is not even on the bubble anymore. The NIT bubble, I mean.
8:04 Never understand why TV won't cut away from games in situations like this. Cards up 14 with 70 seconds left.
8:08 Griffin out, as Fraschilla & Franklin try to figure out when, exactly, he got knocked out in Austin.
8:10 KU great in transition, as usual.
8:11 Taylor Griffin picking up where he left off Saturday -- soft interior defense.
8:15 I don't care what Bill Self says: Morningstar's not staying in front of Willie Warren.
8:19 12-6 Oklahoma. Sooners on 10-0 run. One thing to watch: Willie Warren's stamina. He's already grabbing his shorts.
8:21 KU's guard play is underwhelming. On the other side, Austin Johnson is by a wide-margin Oklahoma's weak link.
11:43 Switching timestamp to game time. 12-8 OU at under-12 timeout. This one's ugly in the early going. Looks like a final in the 60s. OU keeping the Jayhawks out of transition, which is smart. KU's halfcourt offense is... a work in progress.
11:36 Willie Warren from 30 feet. Wow. 15-8 OU.
11:06 Warren slashes left and, most impressively, jumps to his right, leaning in to use his body to give himself a better angle on the glass. 17-8 OU. This, by the way, is why I don't think you can really double Blake Griffin successfully for a full game.
10:35 Warren again. For three. 20-8 OU and Willie Warren makes his case for first team All Big 12? He's that good.
10:20 Self has seen enough of Morningstar on Warren. Y'think, Bill?
8:50 Kansas finally scores. Inside to Aldrich, which is where you have to attack OU.
7:50 Aldrich nice pass weakside to open three shooter. KU cuts lead to 22-13.
7:09 Under-8 timeout as Austin Johnson tries to spark a KU run with Warren on the bench. My God he's bad.
6:05 Concussion-Gate continues. I am so sick to death of this. Kansas cuts the lead to 20-22 and ESPN is interviewing the f*cking parents of Blake Griffin in the stands. Jesus.
5:00 Taylor hits his third three and KU leads (23-22) for the first time since early 6-2 start. OU's got to fix transition defense.
3:57 26-24 KU, thanks to an 18-2 run, half of which we missed for a critical interview with crying Sooners Blake Griffin's parents.
3:29 Good reporting there, as Collins slashes to hoop after sideline update on Self's huddle.
2:11 Kansas starting to attack the middle. Smart -- Oklahoma's bigs aren't great at protecting the rim.
1:40 Sooner fans boo during an opponent injury. No one is surprised.
0:46 Tyshawn Taylor coming into his own -- big for KU heading forward. The Jayhawks can't go anywhere in March on Collins alone. He's not near good enough.
HALF Tyrel Reed (40% 3PFG shooter) hits tough shot at buzzer to give KU 36-29 lead. Sooners offense pretty lousy since Self took Morningstar off Warren.
Halftime brainstorm Other things Sooner fans will boo: Santa Claus, cancer victims, equitable real estate transactions, crippled puppies. Others?
Halftime conspiracy Concussion-Gate Part 26: Blake Griffin wasn't concussed... he was drugged!
18:35 Aldrich gets away with a push, Collins hits a big three. KU by 8.
18:00 Fran Fraschilla says he likes the quick whistle, moments after explaining away the Aldrich push as a "nudge." Sigh.
16:55 OU offense is 4-out, 1-in, just dribbling around the perimeter and creating one-on-one. That definitely won't do.
15:51 OU finally goes inside, nice shot over left shoulder by T-Griffin for bucket + foul.
14:42 Sooners in danger of getting blown out. The Sooners are reduced to Willie Warren-on-five... and he looks tired.
12:52 Holly Rowe reports that Jeff Capel thinks this comes down to "toughness." My favorite running joke in sports: That all you have to do is just try harder, damnit! The Sooners need an offensive plan.
11:38 Sooners try a little 1-3-1, thwarted by a Collins 26 footer. 54-38 Jayhawks.
9:54 KU by 18, as OU finally starting to go back inside. Why Capel isn't playing Ryan Wright is beyond me. Kansas owning the paint.
9:04 58-43 Kansas as Oklahoma tries some full court pressure. Not a bad idea at all if they're playing small anyway; Kansas turns it over like crazy.
8:35 Tryrel Reed wilts, turns it over. OU within 13. Collins ready to check back in.
7:42 Kansas' turnover issues showing up, OU hits a couple threes and cuts it to 62-53.
6:43 OU on a huge run with... you guessed it... Austin Johnson on the bench. Capel has finally gone to senior reserve Omar Leary. Sooners within 6.
5:15 OU pressure has changed this game. Hope Rick Barnes is watching.
2:58 Willie Warren with a 25-footer to pull OU within three. Sooners get great spark from Cade Davis and Omar Leary, replacing Johnson and Crocker.
2:30 Collins answers with deeeeeep ball. Clutch second half from the senior. 77-71 KU.
1:55 This is why Fran Frachilla is in the booth and not on the sidelines; OU needed to keep pressuring, not let up. Kansas back up 7 as pressure has waned.
0:46 Warren fouls out and that's about it for this one. KU 81-73, heading to the line.
FINAL 87-78 Kansas, who assume command in the Big 12 title chase, pending a huge showdown with Mizzou. Note to Rick Barnes -- prepare a pressure package for the Jayhawks.