Kansas Jayhawks defeat Texas Tech 74-65, win Big 12 Championship

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas Jayhawks men’s basketball team wrapped up Big 12 play Saturday by winning the Big 12 Championship 74-65 against the Texas Tech Red Raiders.

Coming into the tournament ranked No. 1, the Jayhawks sailed past the West Virginia Mountaineers and Texas Christian University Horned Frogs.

But against Texas Tech in the championship game at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri, the first half was neck and neck.

Nearly going point for point, KU was up 37-36 going into halftime.

On the way to the locker room, Jayhawks coach Bill Self told reporters he believed the team played hard in the first half and had energy going into the second half.

Even with missing rebounds, Self said the team was making shots.

About midway through the second half, Texas Tech took the lead. But it didn’t last long.

Barely a minute later, the Jayhawks were back on top.

For the rest of the game, KU kept the Red Raiders at an arm's distance.

Sealing their fate as the tournament champions, Kansas led 10 points, the largest lead of the game, heading into the final minute.

Celebrations began when the clock expired and the scoreboard read 74-65.

Defeating No. 3 Texas Tech was the icing on the cake of a winning week for KU.

Last Saturday, the team was crowned co-regular season champions with the Baylor Bears.

ESPN reports KU has now swept both the regular season and conference tournament title nine times under Bill Self.

Looking forward to March Madness, Selection Sunday on March 13 will determine all teams and seeds for the NCAA Division I tournament.

With KU poised to earn a strong seed, the team will learn its assignment early Sunday night.

“We got one more championship to win,” said senior forward David McCormack to his teammates following Saturday's win.

First Four games kick off the tournament March 15 in Dayton, Ohio, at the UD Arena.