LAWRENCE, Kan. -- A Big 12 title was the last thing Sunday was about.
It was about two horses -- one a thoroughbred (Oklahoma State's John Lucas III), one an elegant Clydesdale (Kansas' Wayne Simien) -- carrying their teams like beasts of burden.
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| After searching the recesses of his memory, Eddie Sutton calls Sunday's game one of the best he's been involved with. (AP) |
It was about officials coming over to the Allen Fieldhouse press table during timeouts, asking NBA scouts: "There are some pretty good players out here, aren't there?"
It was about a freshman, JamesOn Curry, cocking the ball behind his head for the biggest monster dunk you've never seen. Because it was the difference in the game when he barely missed, despite being fouled with 25 seconds left.
It was about the best game this old barn had ever seen.
Allen turns 50 on Wednesday, but years from now they'll rock toddlers on their knees and tell them about Sunday: Kansas 81, Oklahoma State 79.
"I don't think I have ever been a part of a better basketball game," Kansas coach Bill Self.
Oklahoma State's Eddie Sutton wouldn't go that far, only because his sample (1,171 career games) is three times as large as Self's (370).
"Top 10," the 68-year-old Sutton said. "You have to remember, I've seen a lot of games."
Few as good as this one. Yes, the headlines will say No. 8 Kansas (21-4) now has a leg up on the Big 12 title (a game lead with two conference games to play). But that will be long forgotten as soon as March Madness cranks up.
"People judge teams around here based on championships," said Self, whose legacy has and will be defined by what he does in the third month of the year.
What remained Sunday is heart, that living, pumping red blob that makes college basketball so far above the NBA, it looks like Curry taking off for one of those tomahawks.
