Cowboys Ground Jayhawks

As milestones go, this was one Kansas coach Roy Williams would rather forget.

Williams, coaching his 400th game, watched Desmond Mason score 31 points Monday night as No. 14 Oklahoma State beat the 20th-ranked Jayhawks 86-53.

The loss was the third-worst in Kansas history and worst since a 100-63 loss to Kentucky on Dec. 23, 1974. For Williams, it was his worst showing since a 123-95 loss at Oklahoma on Jan. 18, 1989, his first year at Kansas.

"I did not have them prepared to face this kind of exhibition. I was totally outcoached in every way and we were totally manhandled on the court."

The Cowboys (19-2, 8-1 Big 12) won their fifth straight and ninth in 10 games. They also ended an eight-game losing streak to Kansas that dated to Feb. 6, 1995.

Kansas (17-6, 6-3) has lost four of six, all on the road. The Jayhawks came in averaging 83 points, but shot just 34 percent against the league's stingiest defense.

"I told Roy that we played a little over our heads tonight," coach Eddie Sutton said. "You play like that, you can play with most people in the country. I thought our defense was outstanding."

Mason was 10-of-14 from the field and finished one point shy of his career high. He did miss two dunk attempts, but made all five of his 3-point tries and turned one of those into a four-point play.

"Desmond led us tonight like he did against Texas," said Oklahoma State's Doug Gottlieb, referring to Mason's 30-point game against the Longhorns on Jan. 19. "He's a great player, and great players play great in big games."

Oklahoma State, which shot 4 percent, took control early and didn't give it up.

After Kansas took its only lead, 6-4, on a 3-pointer by Kirk Hinrich, Oklahoma State went on a 21-5 run during the next seven minutes to take a 25-11 lead.

Kansas had only five offensive rebounds in the first half and was held to one shot on just about every possession during the Cowboys' run. Meanwhile Oklahoma State went 9-of-12, doing most of its damage inside.

Mason scored eight of the Cowboys' 12 points during one stretch later in the half when they took their biggest lead, 43-22.

Things didn't get any better for Kansas in the second half, as the Cowboys kept up their defensive intensity and gradually pulled away even further.

"They outplayed us in every phase," Nick Bradford said. "Coming into the game we didn't want to give them open looks because they have great shooters. That's what ended up happening they got open looks and knocked them down."

Joe Adkins had 18 points and Gottlieb scored 12. He also was 6-of-10 from the foul line, where he came in shooting just 42 percent.

Hinrich led Kansas with 12 points. Kenny Gregory, Kansas' leading scorer with a 13.7 average, didn't score until the 13:36 mark of the second half and finished with eight points.

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