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Kansas tops Aggies, clinches share of Big 12 title

Mar 3, 2011 - 7:33 AM Lawrence, KS (Sports Network) - Twin brothers Markieff and Marcus Morris scored 13 points apiece as No. 2 Kansas pulled away for a 64-51 victory over 24th-ranked Texas A&M.

Tyrel Reed added 12 points for the Jayhawks (28-2, 13-2 Big 12), who have won four in a row to clinch at least a share of their seventh straight regular- season conference title.

Kansas is a game ahead of Texas and finishes up at Missouri on Saturday.

David Loubeau scored 14 points and B.J. Holmes added 10 to lead the Aggies (22-7, 9-6), who have dropped back-to-back games after losing to Baylor on Saturday.

The Jayhawks have won 11 Big 12 titles and 54 league titles overall -- the most in NCAA Division I history. Their seven consecutive regular-season titles are second on the nation's active list, behind only Gonzaga's 11 in the West Coast Conference.

"It's not outright, but hopefully it can be Saturday," said Kansas head coach Bill Self, who said the team didn't celebrate after the win.

This one was still close late into the second half before Kansas, on the strength of a couple of short bursts, pulled away.

Holmes knocked down a three-pointer with 10:04 remaining to get the Aggies within 43-41. The Jayhawks scored six straight points after that, taking a 49-41 lead on Reed's three.

Kris Middleton responded with a jumper at the other end to make it a six-point game, but the Jayhawks scored seven in a row to keep their heads above water. Brady Morningstar buried a three-pointer, Marcus Morris hit a pair of free throws and Markieff knocked down a jump shot for the 13-point lead with 5:31 left.

The Aggies answered back with four straight points, but Markieff Morris' dunk made it 58-47 and Kansas' lead never dipped below double digits in the final 4:13.

"I thought we were pretty good for about 30 minutes, especially defensively, and then our turnovers did us in," said Aggies head coach Mark Turgeon. "We just didn't play smart in a couple stretches."

The first half was close, too. Reed opened the game with a three-pointer and Texas A&M never led, but Kansas only built a 29-24 advantage at intermission after both teams shot around 38 percent.

Game Notes

The Jayhawks out-shot Texas A&M 45-40 percent...Kansas leads the all-time series, 17-1, and has won five straight games against the Aggies...Texas A&M finishes the regular season at home against Texas Tech on Saturday...Kansas' Tyshawn Taylor scored nine points in his first game back from a suspension that lasted two games.