18 BIG 12
STATE
OKLAHOMA STATE COWBOYS
Upset of Kansas boosts NCAA hopes
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Oklahoma State guard Obi Muonelo gestures to the fans during the second half of the Cowboys' upset of then-No. 1 Kansas in Stillwater, Okla., last Saturday. The win was Oklahoma State's first against a No. 1 team in more than 20 years.
By Jeff Latzke Associated Press Saturday, Feb. 27
STILLWATER, Okla. — Students rushed onto the floor, jumping up and down and hoisting Keiton Page as they celebrated a historic win for Oklahoma State.
The bottom line for the Cowboys: "We're a tournament team now,"forward Obi Muonelo said.
James Anderson scored 27 points, Page was perfect on four three-point tries at crucial times and Oklahoma State denied a bid by No.1 Kansas to go undefeated through Big 12 play with an 85-77 victory on Saturday.
The Cowboys moved to 3-1 against topranked teams all time at home and likely removed any doubt of whether they would make the NCAA tournament for a second straight season. Despite entering the game in seventh place in the Big 12, Oklahoma State had an RPI of 33.
It was the Cowboys' first win against a No. 1 team since beating Oklahoma on Feb. 4, 1989, and the landmark victory came in the same season the program got its first road
Teammate Fred Gulley headed toward the safety of the scorer's table as fans spilled out of the student sections along both baselines. But Page was right in the middle of it all.
The last time the top two teams lost on the same day was Jan. 21, 2006, when No.1 Duke lost to Georgetown and No.2 Florida lost to Tennessee.Both of those teams were 17-0 at the time.
win over a top 10 team in 52 years.
"That was a great feeling," Page said. "I was claustrophobic. I was getting hot, so when they picked me up, I got a little breather. I was pretty excited when they did that. I thought I was going to pass out there for a little while."
The Jayhawks had won their last 13 games since losing at Tennessee to close nonconference play and suffered their second loss of the season just hours after No.2 Kentucky also lost to the Volunteers.
Sherron Collins had 22 points to lead Kansas — moving past Kirk Hinrich, Dave Robisch and Paul Pierce into seventh place on the school's career scoring list — but he also matched his season-high with six turnovers.
TEXAS LONGHORNS
Aggies serve Longhorns a decisive defeat, 74-58
By Laken Litman Daily Texan — Monday, March 1
COLLEGE STATION, Texas — With about two minutes until tipoff, Texas forward Damion James walked over to Texas A&M's student section and ripped up a "Beat TU" sign. He was relishing in the Aggies' rowdy atmosphere, smiling and hooking his horns while warming up with a confident swagger.
Two hours later with just more than two minutes remaining in the game, the Long-horns were down 74-58 while James got his fifth personal foul. A record crowd of 13,717 at Reed Arena chanted, "Left-right-left-right," as they watched James walk to the Texas bench.
Then, as he was about to take a seat, the fans yelled "Sit down" in unison.
James' face had said it all. Texas' all-time leading rebounder scored just 12 points and got only one rebound in Texas' 74-58 loss.
When Texas beat Texas A&M in the beginning of January, James scored 26 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in the 72-67 overtime win.
"I'm disappointed. I'm embarrassed," Texas coach Rick Barnes said. "It's hard because it's my team. There is nobody to blame but me. I should say it's our team, but I'm in charge of it. It's probably, for whatever reason, as poor a coaching job as I've ever done. I haven't gotten the message across consistently."
Texas A&M came out flying from the first whistle, and Texas was never able to take the lead. The Longhorns showed a glimmer of hope early in the second half as they narrowed the Aggies' lead to five points. But A&M, who out-rebounded Texas 40 to 29, made crucial offensive boards that set the tone for the rest of the game.
"We're better than what we're playing," Barnes said. "I told them after the game, I just want to see them prove they have some fight in them."
THE WAVE MARCH 3,2010
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