Oklahoma upsets No. 12 Kansas State
Grant Sherfield scored 22 points and Oklahoma went on a 12-0 run early in the second half on their way to a 79-65 win over No. 12 Kansas State on Tuesday night.
The win ended a sevengame Big 12 conference losing streak for the Sooners (13-13, 3-10 Big 12) and prevented the Wildcats (19-7, 7-6) and first-year coach Jerome Tang from earning their 20th win of the year.
Tanner Groves scored 16 while freshman Milos Uzan added 13 for Oklahoma. Nae’quan Tomlin had 17 points — 13 of them in the first half — and 10 rebounds for Kansas State.
Sherfield’s three-pointer in the final 10 seconds of the opening half sent the teams into intermission tied at 36.
The Wildcats got the first basket of the second half, and then the Sooners scored 12 straight for a 48-38 lead, spurred by threes from Sherfield, Groves and Uzan. Oklahoma shot 11 for 23 (47.8%) and went on to lead by as many as 16. Kansas State got no closer than eight the rest of the way.
It was Oklahoma’s first conference win in a month, since a one-point win at home over West Virginia. With the loss, Kansas State fell into a fifth-place tie with Oklahoma State in the Big 12 race.
No. 5 Kansas 87, at Oklahoma State 76: Gradey Dick scored 17 of his season-high 26 points in the second half and Kansas defeated Oklahoma State. Dick made 10 of 17 field-goal attempts. Kanof sas shot 66% from the field in the second half against the Cowboys. Oklahoma State leads the Big 12 in field-goal percentage defense. Kansas has won three straight. The Jayhawks entered the night one game behind Texas in the conference race. Kalib Boone scored a career-high 27 points, John-Michael Wright had 18 and Bryce Thompson added 17 for Oklahoma State.
at No. 24 Providence 94, No. 18 Creighton 86 (2OT):
Devin Carter had 25 points and Providence outlasted Creighton. Bryce Hopkins and Noah Locke each scored 20 for the Friars (19-7, 11-4 Big East), who ended an eightgame winning streak for the Bluejays that began with a Jan. 14 victory over Providence at home. With the win, the Friars tied Creighton (17-9, 11-4) for third place in the Big East standings. Both teams are a half-game behind Xavier and a game back first-place Marquette in a crowded race for the regular-season title. Providence, the defending regular-season champion, improved to 14-0 at home this season and 9-1 in its last 10 games that went to overtime — including a pair of double-OT wins on its own court. Ryan Nembhard led Creighton with 21 points and 10 rebounds in a game that featured 20 lead changes and 17 ties.
at Syracuse 75, No. 23
North Carolina State 72: Judah Mintz scored 20 points and Syracuse knocked off North Carolina State. A three-point play by Jesse Edwards gave the Orange a 73-70 lead with two minutes left. Edwards finished with 18 points for Syracuse (16-10, 9-6 ACC), and Joe Girard III had 14. D.J. Burns Jr. and Jarkel Joiner each scored 15 points for the Wolfpack (20-7, 10-6). Syracuse was 16 for 17 at the foul line, while the Wolfpack went three for five.