Jayhawks guaranteed share of Big 12 title

Kansas University’s men’s basketball team has wrapped up at least a share of the school’s 50th conference championship.

“Yes, we’re excited about that, but our excitement is tempered. We have a chance to win it outright instead of share it three ways,” KU coach Bill Self said late Wednesday night after he, his wife and two children watched on high-definition TV as Texas beat Texas A&M, 98-96, in double overtime.

The Longhorns’ victory gave Kansas (13-2) a one-game lead in the standings over Texas (12-3) and Texas A&M (12-3) with each having one game left on the slate.

“We’ll celebrate only if we take care of business Saturday,” Self added.

KU will win the crown outright if it downs Texas in an 11 a.m. tipoff Saturday at Allen Fieldhouse. A Texas victory would propel the Longhorns into a tie for the title. A KU loss and A&M victory over Missouri at 3 p.m. in College Station also would give the Aggies a share of the league prize.

“That was an unbelievably great game, about as good a game as I can remember watching,” Self said of the Texas-Texas A&M thriller. “Certainly it topped the three-overtime game (between Texas and Oklahoma State) because of what was at stake. There was some high-level ball going on tonight.

“I was really hoping that game could go two more overtimes and have both those teams worn out,” he cracked.

Make no mistake about it — KU is happy to earn a share of yet another league title.

Yet there won’t be any wild celebrating at practice today.

“It’s still incomplete. We have a game to play,” Self said. “We said all along 13-3 would tie and 14-2 would win it outright. We said that before conference play. Now we have a great opportunity playing at home. We’ll be playing a hungry team coming in with those young guys who play with no fear.”

Self realizes the Jayhawks will certainly benefit from a loud crowd Saturday morning.

“The fieldhouse has to rock. I’m sure it will. It will be the best atmosphere with stakes so high,” Self said.

He believes the KU students will bring their A-game for the early start.

“The game is at 11. I’m sure they’ll go to bed early Friday,” he quipped. “I’m sure that’ll happen. Think back to the Georgia Tech game and how loud that was after New Year’s Eve. Do you remember that crowd? It was a great crowd.”

Indeed, the fans rocked the fieldhouse during a 70-68 overtime victory over Georgia Tech back on Jan. 1, 2005.

The game took place just 13 hours after the clock ticked midnight on New Year’s Eve.

“Pure basketball fans will enjoy it because they have very good players and we do also. There will be some hard-rocking guys on the court. Anytime Texas and Kansas play the games have been fabulous,” Self said.

• Honorees: KU sophomores Brandon Rush and Julian Wright were named to the National Assn. of Basketball Coaches District 12 first team Wednesday. They were joined by Nate Funk, Creighton; Mario Boggan, Oklahoma State; and Adam Haluska, Iowa.

Last year, Brandon Rush was named to the District 12 second team.

This year, Brandon Rush leads Kansas in scoring with a 13.7 points-per-game average while playing a team-high 32 minutes per game. Brandon Rush also ranks second on the team with 5.7 rebounds per game.

Julian Wright is tied for second on the team in scoring with Mario Chalmers at 11.8 ppg. He has grabbed a team-leading 8.0 rebounds per contest and is second in blocks with 44.

District 12 includes schools from Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, North Dakota and South Dakota. The teams are selected by member coaches of the NABC. With their selection, Brandon Rush and Wright are now eligible for selection to the NABC's Division 1 All-American Teams.

• Robertson finalists: Freshmen Kevin Durant of Texas and Greg Oden of Ohio State are two of five finalists for the 2007 Oscar Robertson Trophy, which is awarded by the U.S. Basketball Writers Assn., to the country’s top player. Other finalists: Wisconsin senior Alando Tucker, Florida junior Joakim Noah and North Carolina sophomore Tyler Hansbrough. The winner will be named at the USBWA’s annual awards breakfast March 30 in Atlanta, site of the Final Four.