Oklahoma State @ Kansas preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 8, 2018 ) Oklahoma State 68, Kansas 82

Injuries and suspensions were already wreaking havoc on Kansas' ability to win a 15th consecutive Big 12 title before this week, but the latest blow to the program may be its biggest yet. The 14th-ranked Jayhawks will play without second-leading scorer Lagerald Vick for the first time this season and try to avoid a fourth setback in five games Saturday when they host Oklahoma State.

Having already lost starting center Udoka Azubuike for the season with a foot injury in early January, reserve forward Silvio De Sousa all season due to an NCAA eligibility issue and starting guard Marcus Garrett for the past two games with an ankle injury, Kansas announced Thursday that Vick (14.1 points) is taking an indefinite and immediate leave of absence from the team. The 6-5 senior sharpshooter tallied only seven points during a season-low 17 minutes in Tuesday's 74-67 loss at Big 12-leading Kansas State, dropping the Jayhawks 1 1/2 games out of first place. "We can't worry about (winning a 15th straight regular-season title.) We just worry about getting better. We're worried about winning our game on Saturday," Kansas forward Dedric Lawson told reporters. The Jayhawks may be catching a break against the Cowboys, however, as Oklahoma State has only nine players on its roster - seven on scholarship - and dropped its last five conference games following Wednesday's 70-68 defeat at TCU.

TV: Noon ET, ESPN

ABOUT OKLAHOMA STATE (9-13, 2-7 Big 12): All five of the Cowboys’ starters logged at least 32 minutes Wednesday and have played at least 27 minutes in the five contests since coach Mike Boynton kicked three reserves off the team while another player (graduate transfer Mike Cunningham) left the program. One of the heavily used starters is 6-10 forward Yor Anei (7.4 points, 2.0 blocks), who is coming off a season-high 20-point effort and has swatted at least one shot in 18 of 22 games. Fellow freshman Isaac Likekele (7.5 points) ended a five-game shooting slump with a 7-for-13 showing from the field versus the Horned Frogs and ranks fifth in the Big 12 for the season in assists (3.7) after totaling 20 over his last three outings.

ABOUT KANSAS (17-6, 6-4): Lawson (Big 12-best marks of 19.4 points and 10.8 rebounds) is tied for second nationally with 15 double-doubles and just missed out his fifth one in six outings Tuesday after finishing with 18 points and nine boards. Vick's absence figures to hurt the Jayhawks the most on the perimeter, as his 66 3-pointers are more than twice as many as anyone else on the team, although second-place Quentin Grimes (30) is 8-for-15 beyond the arc over his last four outings. With Azubuike out and Vick away from the team, Devon Dotson (11.2 points) is the only other Kansas player averaging double figures; the freshman also ranks seventh in the Big 12 in assists at 3.5 and sixth in steals at 1.5.

TIP-INS

1. After committing 23 miscues Tuesday, the Jayhawks are averaging 16.6 turnovers in their seven true road games (versus 12 per game in all other contests).

2. Oklahoma State, which became the first team since 2001 to sweep a season series from Kansas last year, is vying to become the first Big 12 school to win back-to-back games in Allen Fieldhouse since Iowa State in 2000 and 2001.

3. Lawson has led the Jayhawks in scoring 11 times and rebounding 19 times this season.

PREDICTION: Kansas 79, Oklahoma State 67