Oklahoma City — Brandon Rush can think of better things to do on a lazy Sunday than chase Kevin Durant around Ford Center.

"I wouldn't want to guard him on Sunday. I'd rather lay back and not worry about him getting 30," Rush, the Kansas University sophomore, joked after Saturday's 67-61 Big 12 semifinal victory over Kansas State.

It propelled KU (24-8 overall, 12-4 Big 12) into today's 2 p.m. finals against the Durant-led Texas Longhorns, 69-64 semifinal winners over Oklahoma State.

The 6-foot-9, 225-pound Durant scored 25 points the first half and finished with 32 in the Jayhawks' 90-86 Big 12-title-clinching victory over Texas on March 3 in Allen Fieldhouse.

"(Actually) I'd like to play Durant again," Rush said in a serious tone. "He's one of the main players we play against. It'll be good to see how he's doing. I don't think he's unstoppable if you put the right defense on him. (But) he'll still get his 25. You can't stop that."

Durant scored 26 points, and - no surprise - hit what proved to be a game-winning, tiebreaking three with 46 seconds left against Oklahoma State.

"Durant is an excellent player," KU sophomore Mario Chalmers said. "He killed us the last time. We've got to try to hold him down."

"We love to play against great players. We have good players on our end, too," junior Russell Robinson said. "We've got to try to neutralize him, not let him be effective."

"Our guys have a lot of respect for him and their team," KU coach Bill Self said.

This game marks the opposite scenario of a year ago. KU tied for the Big 12 title with Texas after losing to UT in the regular season. The Jayhawks avenged the loss in the finals of the tourney.

Texas this year could have won a share of the crown by beating KU, but lost in Lawrence. Now the Longhorns can avenge that loss in the title game.

"It's not exactly the same," Self said. "I'm sure Rick (Barnes, UT coach) would play it up: 'We have a chance to do to them what they did to us.'''