No. 5 Kansas holds off No. 13 Texas Tech to win double-OT classic
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Ochai Agbaji scored a career-high 37 points to help No. 5 Kansas avenge its only conference loss of the season with a 94-91 double overtime win over No. 13 Texas Tech on Monday night.
Agbaji outdueled Bryson Williams, who poured in 33 points for Tech. Agbaji, the reigning co-Big 12 Player of the Week, had seven of Kansas’ eight made 3-pointers. He had 24 points in the second half and two overtimes.
Kansas led by one in the second overtime when Williams banked in a 3-pointer. KJ Adams tipped in a miss to tie the game at 91 with 1:39 left. Jalen Wilson gave the Jayhawks (17-2, 6-1 Big 12) the lead, hitting the second of two free throws 21 seconds later.
After both teams went scoreless over the next 50 seconds, Christian Braun hit two free throws with 10.1 seconds remaining to make it a 94-91. Terrence Shannon missed a 3-pointer that would have tied it a few seconds later.
Braun added 15 points for Kansas, which also got 13 from David McCormack.
Texas Tech (15-3, 5-3) got 17 points from Kevin Obanor and 15 for Davion Warren.
Agbaji and Williams carried their teams early in the second half. Williams had 11 second-half points by the second media timeout. After Texas Tech trimmed the deficit to 3 points, Kansas went on an 8-0 run to grab its first double-digit lead of the game.
After Kansas grabbed its biggest lead of the game at 70-58, Texas Tech scored the next six points to start a 17-5 run to close regulation. Trailing 75-73,
Terrence Shannon hit two free throws to tie the game with 12.8 seconds left. Agbaji’s 3-pointer at the regulation buzzer caromed off.
In the first overtime, Williams put Tech up 80-77 in the first overtime before Agbaji hit 1-of-2 free throws. Obanor then drained a 3-pointer. Braun cut it to 83-80 with a running layup, but Warren extended it to 85-80. Agbaji answered with a layup with 1:09 left.
Kansas then closed the OT with a 6-1 run capped by Agbaji contested 3-pointer with 7 seconds left to tie the score at 86.
THE TAKEAWAY
Texas Tech: The Red Raiders learned that sweeping Kansas is really tough. Tech defeated Kansas 75-67 Jan. 8 in Lubbock.
Kansas: The Jayhawks kept their slim lead in the conference. They lead Baylor by a game, pending the Bears’ game against Kansas State on Tuesday.
UP NEXT
The Big 12/SEC Challenge takes both teams away from conference play in their next games this Saturday. Texas Tech hosts Mississippi State while Kansas hosts No. 12 Kentucky.