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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
NORMAN, Okla. (AP) -- A small adjustment made a big difference for Oklahoma Tuesday night.
The Sooners (No. 17 ESPN/USA Today, No. 16 AP) began using zone defenses shortly after Kansas State pulled within three points in the second half. That stopped the Wildcats and Oklahoma went on to a sluggish 85-64 victory.
|  | | Kansas State guard Galen Morrison and Oklahoma counterpart J.R. Raymond eye a loose ball. |
"Our kids are comfortable in it now. We're a better zone team
now than we were a month ago," coach Kelvin Sampson said.
Kansas State coach Tom Asbury said he had hoped the Sooners
(19-3, 7-2 Big 12) would play zone. But instead of attacking it,
his players became impatient and the result was a 23-6 run that
ended any doubt about the outcome.
"When they switched to zone we showed no patience, no
execution. I bet we didn't run off 12 or 15 seconds," Asbury said
after the Wildcats' ninth straight loss.
J.R. Raymond scored 17 points and Eduardo Najera had 15 points
and nine rebounds as Oklahoma won its fifth straight. The Sooners
are off to their best start since 1989-90.
Oklahoma played as though it was looking ahead to Saturday's
game with No. 14 Oklahoma State. The Sooners lacked the intensity
they will need in that game and, while never threatened, didn't
take control for good until the second half.
"We're not a great team. I don't think we're good enough to
even think that way," Sampson said. "We've got to concentrate on
today. Tomorrow, we can't worry about tomorrow."
The Wildcats trailed by as many as 11 points in the first half,
after a 14-2 run by Oklahoma, but they cut the lead to 43-40 on a
3-pointer by Galen Morrison with 16:40 left in the game.
Oklahoma scored eight straight points, including one of
Raymond's five 3-pointers, to again push the lead to 11 before
Kelvin Howell made consecutive baskets to get the Wildcats within
51-44 at the 13:40 mark.
But Kansas State made only one field goal in the next eight
minutes. Najera had a steal and assisted on a 3-pointer by Tim
Heskett to start the big run. During that stretch, the Wildcats
only had two second-shot chances.
"We could have had those same shots after 20 or 25 seconds,
with offensive rebounders," Asbury said. "We panicked. We just
flat-out panicked."
Howell had 12 points and 11 rebounds for Kansas State (8-13,
1-9), which has lost 10 of 11.
Nolan Johnson had 11 points and 10 rebounds for Oklahoma, while Heskett had 11 points and Jameel Heywood 10.
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ALSO SEE
Mens College Basketball Scoreboard
Kansas State Clubhouse
Oklahoma Clubhouse
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