Texas added more questions and excitement to the Big 12 race by casting even more doubts about Kansas' run for a 15th consecutive regular-season conference title.
The Longhorns upset No. 11 Kansas, 73-63, on Tuesday, dropping KU to 16-5 overall and only 5-3 in the Big 12. Texas is now 12-9 overall and 4-4 in the league. The win halted Texas' losing streak to Kansas at 10 games; the Longhorns hadn't defeated KU since Feb. 1, 2014.
The stunner is another twist to the Big 12 standings. The league's two highest-ranked teams, Kansas and No. 16 Texas Tech, are both 5-3. That's half a game behind unranked Kansas State and Baylor — both are 5-2. No. 20 Iowa State is one game behind at 4-3.
Last year, Kansas won the Big 12 at 13-5. The Jayhawks won it with that mark three years earlier as well. To reach that record this season, Kansas must now go 8-2 the rest of the way...despite having a 1-5 mark in true road games. However, that one was a crucial win against suddenly surging Baylor. Texas Tech must also travel to Allen Fieldhouse for a huge game on Saturday. Kansas then plays at rival K-State on Tuesday, Feb. 5.
On Tuesday, Texas held Dedric Lawson, the possible Big 12 player of the year, to only 13 points and 7 rebounds on 4-for-15Â shooting. Instead of Lawson, Ochai Agbaji led KU, keeping the Jayhawks in the game by scoring 24 points on only 10 shots.
DOWN GOES KANSAS!
— NCAA March Madness (@marchmadness) January 30, 2019
Texas protects home court & knocks off the No. 11 Jayhawks! #HookEm 🤘 pic.twitter.com/zNLrb1PUye
Texas made 10 3-pointers and finished plus-8 on free throws to hold off Kansas. Four players reached double figures for the Longhorns, led by Dylan Osetkowski's 16 points. Jase Febres came off the bench for four huge 3-pointers.
The upset continues a strong home run by Texas against top-20 foes. The Longhorns are 6-1 in their last seven home games against top-20 teams. All wins have come against Big 12 foes.
The upset also comes only a few days after the Longhorns gave up 98 points in a 10-point loss to Georgia on Saturday.
Going into Tuesday, Texas was only 1-5 in its last six games, including an 80-78 loss at Kansas. But now the Longhorns and coach Shaka Smart have a huge upset that adds even more drama to the Big 12 title race.
RANKINGS: Andy Katz's Power 36 | NET Top 25 | AP Poll
