19Kansas 87 - 78 Oklahoma
Final
  for this game

Griffin sidelined as Oklahoma hosts Kansas in Big 12 showdown

Feb 23, 2009 - 7:53 PM No. 15 Kansas (22-5) at No. 3 Oklahoma (25-2), 9:00 p.m. EST

NORMAN, Oklahoma (Ticker) -- Oklahoma will be without its best player in a game that could determine the best team in the Big 12 Conference.

Oklahoma star forward Blake Griffin will be sidelined Monday night when the third-ranked Sooners host No. 15 Kansas with first place in the Big 12 at stake.

Oklahoma (25-2, 11-1 Big 12) had its 13-game winning streak snapped in Saturday's 73-68 loss at rival Texas, a contest that Griffin left shortly before the half with a concussion.

Griffin sat out the final minutes of the first half after getting hit on the nose by the Longhorns' Dexter Pittman and was held out for the entire second half despite visibly pleading to go back on the court.

Oklahoma has not issued a timetable for the return of Griffin, who is averaging a Big 12-best 22.0 points and a Division I-leading 13.8 rebounds per game this season.

Kansas (22-5, 11-1) has won its last three games, including Saturday's 70-53 triumph over Nebraska. Sherron Collins scored 22 points and Cole Aldrich had 18 and 12 rebounds in the win.

Collins is averaging a team-high 18 points per game for the Jayhawks, who have won at least a share of the Big 12 regular-season crown each of the past four seasons.






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