Kansas @ Oklahoma State preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 2, 2019 ) Kansas 72, Oklahoma State 67

Third-ranked Kansas found a way to exit a difficult week emotionally with a positive result and must dig deep two days later when it visits rejuvenated Oklahoma State for a Big 12 battle Monday night. The Jayhawks had to work hard for 40 minutes to put away Tennessee 74-68 on Saturday following the aftermath of a brawl at the end of the previous game against Kansas State on Tuesday that forced the suspension of two players.

“I’m tired. I’m tired. … at least, right now,” Kansas coach Bill Self told reporters after Saturday’s win. “I will be fine (Sunday). The thing is, if I’m tired they are probably too. Getting out of here with a ‘W’ is probably what we needed.” Self had seven scholarship players available for the victory over Tennessee with sophomore forwards Silvio De Sousa (12 games) and David McCormack (two games) suspended for their actions in the brawl and needed big performances from 7-0 senior center Udoka Azubuike (18 points, 11 boards) and sophomore guard Devon Dotson (22 points) to survive the Volunteers. The Jayhawks won’t have it easy against the last-place Cowboys, who snapped a six-game losing streak Saturday with a 73-62 victory over Texas A&M and have shown they are capable with a few impressive victories on their resume (Syracuse, Houston) while giving No. 2 Baylor all it could handle in a loss. “I’m proud of the way they’ve stayed focused on each other and stayed committed to our team, and are trying to find a way to figure it out,” Oklahoma State coach Mike Boynton told reporters.

TIME: 9 p.m. ET. TV: ESPN

ABOUT KANSAS (16-3, 5-1 Big 12): McCormack (7.5 points, 4.7 rebounds), who will miss his final game, and De Sousa (2.6, 2.8) take away depth as six players logged all but five of the minutes on the floor against Tennessee. Dotson leads the team in scoring (18.4) and is averaging 20.3 over the past three games despite being hampered by a hip injury while Azubuike (13.2 points, team highs of 9.6 rebounds and 2.5 blocks) registered three double-doubles in his past four contests. “I can’t imagine there’s anyone out there that’s defensively what (Azubuike) is,” Self told reporters. “Doke to me is as good a defender as there is.”

ABOUT OKLAHOMA STATE (10-9, 0-6): Sophomore guard Isaac Likekele led a balanced offense with 13 points against Texas A&M and is second in scoring (11.6) while topping the team in assists (4.2) and steals (2.1). Senior guard Lindy Waters III leads the Cowboys, who had a season-best 22 assists against Texas A&M, in scoring (12.0) after dropping in 11 on Saturday and senior forward Cameron McGriff became the 43rd player in program history to reach 1,000 points on Saturday. McGriff averages 9.9 points along with a team-best 6.4 rebounds and senior guard Thomas Dziagwa (9.1 points) scored 40 combined over the past three contests.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Oklahoma State sophomore F Yor Anei had 11 points Saturday after totaling 17 over the previous six games.

2. Kansas sophomore G Ochai Agbaji had 16 points versus Tennessee and averaged 17 in two wins over the Cowboys last season.

3. Oklahoma State senior G Jonathan Laurent averaged 12.5 points, more than eight above his season mark, in the last two games.

PREDICTION: Kansas 78, Oklahoma State 68