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Kansas downs Oklahoma, shares top spot in conference

Feb 27, 2011 - 1:22 AM Norman, OK (Sports Network) - Marcus Morris scored a game-best 23 points and pulled down nine rebounds, while his twin brother Markieff supplied 19 points and 10 boards, as third-ranked Kansas downed Oklahoma, 82-70, at Lloyd Noble Center.

Tyrel Reed contributed 11 points while Brady Morningstar added nine for the Jayhawks (27-2, 12-2 Big 12), who have won three in a row and nine of their last 10 games.

Kansas got some help from Colorado, which overcame a 22-point first-half deficit to come back to stun fifth-ranked Texas. The Jayhawks and Longhorns now share the lead for the top spot in the conference.

Cade Davis netted 19 points and Andrew Fitzgerald added 16 for the Sooners (12-16, 4-10), who have lost seven straight.

"We fight, we try to leave everything we have out on the floor each and every game," Davis said. "We know that's what we have to do to compete and stay in games with teams like Kansas. They are a great club. In the second half, we kind of made a little run but it was just plays throughout the game that hurt us. We can't get down to a team like that because they won't let up."

Cameron Clark's three-pointer put Oklahoma ahead by one early in the first half before Kansas went on a 13-2 run to assume a 23-13 lead with 12:13 remaining.

After a Steven Pledger three brought the Sooners within 31-24, Kansas took off on a 14-4 surge that extended the lead to 17 with 2 1/2 minutes to go before the break.

However, Kansas went scoreless from there, while Calvin Newell hit a three and a layup to make it 45-33 at the intermission. The Jayhawks connected on 17-of-24 from the floor, including 6-of-11 from long distance, in the first 20 minutes.

"They're so unselfish and they share it and they do a lot of things that maybe fans don't see," Kansas head coach Bill Self said about the Morris twins. "If they were hockey players, they'd get a lot more assists because their passes out of the post lead to the next pass a lot. They're good at getting guys the ball on time, on target and they're really good players."

The Jayhawks put together an 11-2 run to open the second half, increasing the margin to 56-35 on two Elijah Johnson foul shots.

Oklahoma slowly chipped away at its deficit and got within 11 with 4 1/2 minutes remaining, when Davis was fouled on a three-point try and knocked down all of his foul shots.

Kansas removed any doubts about the outcome when Reed hit two free throws and Markieff Morris dunked to push the lead to 79-64 with 3:18 to play.

Game Notes

Kansas has reached the 27-win plateau for a fifth consecutive season...The Jayhawks have also won at least 12 games in league play for 11 straight campaigns...Kansas has beaten the Sooners in seven straight matchups and leads the all-time series, 136-64...The Morris brothers combined to hit 14-of-21 from the floor and 13-of-17 at the foul line...KU was 26-of-35 at the stripe while OU was 18-for-23...Kansas finished shooting 56.8 percent from the floor...Fitzgerald made 6-of-10 from the floor while Davis connected on 4- of-11. Clark finished with 10 points in the loss, the Sooners' fourth in 15 home games.