LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Texas coach Chris Beard made the calculated decision to take away the flotilla of Kansas sharpshooters in their showdown at Allen Fieldhouse, where the sixth-ranked Jayhawks were trying to clinch a share of the Big 12 title Saturday.
It worked for 40 minutes.
It didn’t work for the 5 minutes of overtime.
With few other options on offense, the Jayhawks turned to bruising big man David McCormack, who responded with a memorable senior night sendoff. He poured in 22 points with 10 boards, going 10 for 10 from the foul line and throwing down the clinching dunk in the extra session, as Kansas persevered for a 70-63 victory.
“You can’t take away everything,” Beard said. “If you double McCormack, the shooters are ready. There were a couple possessions we’d like to have back, but give him a lot of his credit. A lot of his field goals were just tough March baskets.”