Kansas vs. Texas score: Longhorns throttle Jayhawks for second Big 12 Tournament title in three seasons

Texas made history on Saturday by defeating Kansas by a margin of at least 15 points for the second time this season

No. 7 Texas took home the Big 12 Tournament championship on Saturday with a convincing 76-56 beatdown of No. 3 Kansas inside the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri. The Longhorns led for more than 31 minutes of game action after wresting control of the game late in the first half and building their lead to as many as the final margin -- 20 points -- down the stretch. Texas, with the emphatic win, becomes the first team since Oklahoma State in 1999-2000 to beat Kansas twice in a season by a margin of at least 15 points.

Texas had not won a Big 12 Tournament title prior to 2021 but has now won twice in three seasons after knocking off Oklahoma State in the championship two years ago. It had previously gone 0-for-6 in its six Big 12 title game appearances.

Both Texas and Kansas have been forced to overcome adversity at its coaching positions this season in winning championships -- Kansas in the Big 12 regular season and Texas in the Big 12 postseason. KU coach Bill Self began the season suspended four games for his role in the FBI scandal, and he was absent this week after being hospitalized just before the tournament. Texas fired its coach, Chris Beard, after he was accused of strangulation of a family member early in the season, prompting the program to promote Rodney Terry to interim coach mid-season.

Bracketology implications

Despite Texas' win over Kansas on Saturday in the Big 12 Tournament championship game, the Jayhawks will not only stay on the No. 1 seed line but will also retain its spot as the No. 1 overall seed in the bracket, according to CBS Sports Bracketology Expert Jerry Palm. 

"They've still had the best season of anyone," Palm said.

Texas achieved 14 Quad 1 wins this season — second-most in the country behind Kansas — to make its case as a possible No. 1 seed as well. Alabama, Kansas and Purdue appear on pace to be No. 1 seeds, while Houston, Texas and UCLA are left vying for the final No. 1 seed spot, adding some drama on the top line heading into Selection Sunday.

2023 Big 12 Tournament scores

First round -- Wednesday, March 8
Game 1: No. 8 West Virginia 78, No. 9 Texas Tech 62 | Recap
Game 2: No. 7 Oklahoma State 57, No. 10 Oklahoma 49 | Recap

Quarterfinals -- Thursday, March 9
Game 3: No. 5 Iowa State 78,  No. 4 Baylor 72 | Recap
Game 4: No. 1 Kansas 78, No. 8 West Virginia 61 | Recap
Game 5: No. 2 Texas 60, Oklahoma State 47 | Recap
Game 6:  No. 6 TCU 80, No. 3 Kansas State 67 | Recap

Semifinals -- Friday, March 10
Game 7: No. 1 Kansas 71, No. 5 Iowa State 58 | Recap
Game 8: No. 2 Texas 66, No. 6 TCU 60 | Recap

Big 12 Tournament Championship Game -- Saturday, March 11
Game 9: No. 2 Texas 76, No. 1 Kansas 56 | Recap

[Mar 11, 2023 at 8:08 pm ET · Kyle Boone]

Championship game: Texas 76, Kansas 56

The most surprising result of the Big 12 Tournament might've been the last result of the Big 12 Tournament. No. 2 seed Texas toppled No. 1 seed Kansas on Saturday night in Kansas City in a 76-56 beatdown to clinch its second-ever Big 12 Tournament championship. The Longhorns had lost six times in the title game prior to 2021, but have now won the tournament twice in three seasons.

Texas led for more than 31 minutes of action and dominated from late in the first half and into the second half behind a combined 52 points from Marcus Carr, Dylan Disu and Sir'Jabari Rice. Defensively it stood tall, too, holding KU to only 56 points -- its fewest in 11 games -- while forcing KU to shoot 41% from the field and 4 of 17 from 3-point range.