University of Oklahoma Athletics

No. 5 Oklahoma Falls To No. 4 Kansas, 74-67

January 19, 2002 | Men's Basketball

By: Athletics Communications

Jan 19, 2002

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By DOUG TUCKER
AP Sports Writer

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) - Facing a history he desperately did not want to repeat, Drew Gooden chewed himself out something terrible.

It worked. Kansas' junior forward scored 15 of his 19 points in the second half and led the fourth-ranked Jayhawks to a 74-67 victory Saturday over No. 5 Oklahoma.

"I got my mind right," he said.

Only twice in his previous 44 games had Gooden not scored in double figures - both times against Oklahoma. At halftime Saturday, often double-teamed by a confusing Sooners defense, the Big 12's leading scorer had one field goal, two free throws and an air ball.

"I went in the locker room and I said, `Man ... I'm not letting this happen again," he said.

Leading a 30-8 run, the 6-foot-10 Gooden scored 13 of his team's first 24 points in the second half while forward Nick Collison, the other half of Kansas' strong inside duo, had 6.

"I just went out there and got my mind right and tried to bust the game wide open," Gooden said.

"I thought the first half we did a great job on Gooden and Collison," said Oklahoma coach Kelvin Sampson. "They are so good at making hard shots. It's difficult to play two real big post scorers."

But unable to stop Ebi Ere, the Jayhawks (15-2, 4-0 Big 12) almost let a 22-point lead slip away.

After Keith Langford's free throw gave the Jayhawks a seemingly safe 57-35 lead, Ere scored 10 points in a 14-0 run by Oklahoma (14-2, 3-1) that temporarily silenced the sellout crowd.

Kirk Hinrich ended the Kansas drought with a tip-in of Gooden's miss. Then Jeff Boschee, fouled by Ere on a 3-point attempt, made all three free throws.

But back came Ere, hitting a 3-pointer that made it 62-52 and gave him 10 straight points. Kansas, 3-0 against top 10 teams, got the lead back as high as 13 until Quannas White's three-point play made it 68-62 with 3:18 to go.

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