Big Country Descends On Kansas

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Bryant Reeves, Oklahoma State’s “Big Country,” played his best game of the season Monday night, scoring 33 points and grabbing a career-high 20 rebounds as the No. 24 Cowboys beat No. 2 Kansas 79-69 in college men’s basketball to move into first place in the Big Eight.

Oklahoma State (6-1, 16-6) took control of the game by outscoring the Jayhawks 20-6 in the final 13 minutes of the first half. Kansas (6-2, 17-3) cut a 12-point second-half deficit to four with 33 seconds left, but the Cowboys sealed the victory with free throws.

The Cowboys held Kansas to three field goals in the final 13:10 of the half to take a 31-20 lead. Reeves scored eight of those points and point guard Andre Owens had five.

Reeves picked up his third foul on the Jayhawks’ first possession of the second half. Kansas promptly started getting the ball inside and outscored the Cowboys 8-2 in the opening 3 minutes to cut the lead to 33-28.

But then Reeves scored baskets on two straight trips, widening the lead to nine and giving the Cowboys breathing room.

Reeves also became just the fifth player in Big Eight history to total 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds in his career.

(3) Connecticut 90, Pittsburgh 61

At Storrs, Conn., Ray Allen scored 24 points as the Huskies (11-0 Big East, 18-1) romped past the Panthers (1-11, 5-15).