Any production OU can get out of Jabari Brown will be a bonus on Sunday.

No. 6 Kansas at No. 5 Oklahoma

GAME TIME:	Sunday, 4 p.m. ET (CBS)
LAST MEETING:	Louisville 64, Kansas 55 (March 10, 2002)
SERIES:	Kansas leads, 128-62

Kansas won the Big 12 regular season title last year. Oklahoma beat the Jayhawks in the Big 12 tournament title game. Both reached the Final Four.

Each could do all the above again this year.

Roy Williams does not have as powerful a team as he had last year, but he had an incredibly powerful squad in 2002. Without Drew Gooden and Jeff Boschee, Kansas is still one of the best, if not the best, transition teams in the country.

Oklahoma, which also lost big man Aaron McGhee off last year's Final Four squad, relies upon its outstanding guards and defense to win. These Sooners are a guard-dominated bunch, but freshman big man Kevin Bookout is coming on to be a major factor for Kelvin Sampson.

Kansas has won 17 of its last 19 games and more than survived without Wayne Simien, winning 9 of the 11 games the sophomore missed due to a shoulder injury. Simien, while still playing in pain, returned to action against Iowa State last Sunday and showed he's more than ready to help Kansas defend its regular-season title by pouring in 21 points and grabbing 13 rebounds in win over Colorado on Wednesday.

Without Simien, Kansas dropped games to No. 1 Arizona in Phog, and on the road at Colorado. Actually, if Kirk Hinrich had hit that buzzer-beater against Colorado, Kansas would be unbeaten in Big 12 play.

Oklahoma is the Big 12 team that Kansas has had the most trouble with over the last few years, and the Sooners are fully capable of taking Kansas out of what it likes to do. Oddly enough, the Sooners haven't won a regular-season meeting in this series since 1996. They have, however, beaten Kansas in the conference tournament the past two years.

Kansas Breakdown: While Simien is not yet at full strength, Kansas may be a better team when he is back into playing condition because of his absence. Simien's injury thrusted Jeff Graves, Michael Lee and Bryant Nash into more important roles, and forced them to play quality minutes. As a result, each got valuable experience, and each will be far more prepared to contribute going forward. There is no way that Kansas wanted to see any player out of action for an extended period, but the Jayhawks made a positive out of Simien's absence.

The Jayhawks have two point guards in Aaron Miles and Hinrich. They will push the ball upcourt with breakneck speed, allowing Kansas to score a lot of easy baskets in conversion from defense to offense. What makes Kansas' fastbreak so devastating isn't just the fact that its guards push the ball, it is the additional fact that its big men really run the floor to score.

Nick Collison, a player of the year candidate, sprints the floor in transition and gets great position down low in early offense. Kansas scores an enormous amount of points off of its primary fast break and its secondary break, which has multiple looks and multiple options. An opposing defense, when sprinting back and covering up in transition defense, has to deal with an organized and complex system that is Kansas' secondary break, and for most, it is impossible to stop.

Fueled by its transition game and rebounding, Kansas scores over 84 points per game -- second in the nation -- and shoots over 50 percent from the field as a team. Kansas is very efficient, takes good shots, and the Jayhawks make teams guard them until a defense breaks down. The focus of the Kansas offense is to get the ball inside to Collison and Simien, who are effective and efficient scorers on the low block.

Collison averages 18 points on 50-percent shooting and almost nine rebounds in Big 12 games, and is the best power forward in the nation. Collison needs to be crowded and kept out of the paint, where he is among the best the college game has seen in getting position and sealing off his man for easy scores. Simien is a manchild who can outmuscle most anyone in the post. His double-double Wednesday night came in only 20 minutes of action.

Hinrich is, in my opinion, the best shooting guard in the country, because he is a potent scorer who shoots a great percentage. Hinrich has point-guard skills, and he can really guard people. Hinrich averages just under 20 points and also shooting right at 50 percent in Big 12 games. He also pilfers the ball from opponents twice per game.

Miles is second, barely, to T.J. Ford for the league's assist title, while Keith Langford is an outstanding slasher who has shown the ability to hit perimeter shots. Langford averages 13 points, and shoots 49 percent from the floor in Big 12 competition. When Langford rebounds his position, he is one of the best small forwards in the league.

Kansas is powerful inside and on the glass, but the one thing the Jayhawks do not do is shoot the 3-pointer. Kansas is next to last in the Big 12 in 3-point shooting and 3-point field goals made. Hinrich is providing close to half of the Jayhawks' 3-point production.

Of course, because Kansas' offensive production is so impressive, people forget about the Jayhawk defense. Kansas has the ability to guard people, and when the Jayhawks do, they're almost impossible to beat. Kansas is holding opponents to just 39-percent shooting in Big 12 games, leads the Big 12 in steals, and allows just 62 points per Big 12 game -- a statistic that is remarkable considering the pace at which the Jayhawks play.

To beat Kansas, Oklahoma has to stop Kansas in transition and make the Jayhawks play a halfcourt game, where the Sooners can make it a grind-it-out affair. The Sooners must find Hinrich in transition, and take away his 3-point opportunities. The Sooners also have to keep the ball out of the hands of Collison as much as possible in the paint, while their big men run the floor to limit Collison's early offense.

Oklahoma Breakdown: The Sooners' success is built on defense and rebounding, allowing only 60 points per game and have allowed only one team to score more than 68 points (in a win at Kansas State). Oklahoma is a physically defensive team and really go after the ball instead of being slaves to positioning. While Oklahoma is often in the right spots defensively, as they are trained to, the Sooners are active and aggressive in pursing and attacking the ball.

In order to deal with the Oklahoma defense, Kansas has to be strong with the ball and make the extra passes to force Oklahoma to move its defense and to put them in a position to reach and foul. Because Oklahoma is so aggressive defensively, the Sooners will pile up some fouls if they are made to guard for extended periods. However, that is easier said than done. Oklahoma's pressure usually causes opponents to bail out and take quick shots, which are usually bad ones and not easily rebounded.

The real strength of this team is in its guards -- both offensively and defensively. Hollis Price is a Big 12 and national player of the year candidate, and there are few players with more heart or better clutch ability. Price averages over 20 points in Big 12 games and he is shooting over 46 percent from 3-point range in hitting a league-leading 3.4 threes per game. Price, simply put, is a winner, and there are few players like him in the college game, or in any game.

Price's running mate, Quannas White, is another tough-minded guard who is all about winning and making the right play. While he can score when it is called for, White runs the team and defends, and makes the plays it takes to win. White is shooting almost 54 percent from 3-point range in Big 12 games, but White is more about intangibles than numbers.

Ebi Ere has struggled a bit in Big 12 play, but he is still a potent scorer who can attack the basket off the dribble. Ere is averaging just over 11 points per game in Big 12 play, and has faced far more defensive attention this year than last, largely because McGhee is not around to draw attention.

Going into the season, the biggest question mark about Oklahoma was whether the Sooners would have an inside presence. Jabahri Brown is a good shotblocker and capable rebounder, but is not a natural low-post scorer, and scores mostly off of offensive rebounds or simple post moves. Bookout has really come on for Oklahoma over the past month, and is averaging over 11 points and 6 rebounds on 59-percent shooting in the Big 12. Bookout is strong and efficient, and when he gets an angle to the basket, he scores with touch.

To beat Oklahoma, Kansas has to defend the Sooners' guards and squeeze them on the perimeter. Kansas will try to force the Sooner guards to throw the ball inside because of pressure, but Kansas has to stay with the guards without helping down. Andnd the Jayhawks must rebound, because Oklahoma really pursues the ball off the glass.

Key Matchup: Kirk Hinrich vs. Hollis Price
Hinrich Kansas	Stopping Collison will be a huge task for Oklahoma and is a major key for success, but the matchup between Price and Hinrich features two of the best and toughest players in America ... and two absolute winners who are a privilege to watch. Watch these two on both ends, because they play the right way.	Price Oklahoma

Key Stats
Rebounding and Free Throws
Rebounds will be at a premium in a game with two great defensive teams, and because the teams are so physical, the team that is stronger in getting to the line and hitting free throws will have a distinct advantage. If Kansas expects to win on the road, the Jayhawks will have to get to the line, and hit those free throws.

What to Watch For
Nick Collison's Offensive Moves
Look for the position that Nick Collison gets in early offense, and check out his variety of post moves. Watch how he runs the floor, beats his man down the court, and seals him off to get "easy" baskets. They are only "easy" because Collison works his tail off. Keep an eye on Collison as he works, because he is a big man clinic.