NORMAN, Okla. – He’d trade the record for a victory.
Not surprising, is it, that low-key Kansas forward Danny Manning would voice that sentiment after setting the Big Eight career scoring mark on Wednesday night at Noble Arena.
“It’s no consolation to losing the game,” said KU’s 6-10 senior, who scored 30 points – he needed 27 to pass former Sooner Wayman Tisdale – in the Jayhawks’ 95-87 loss to No. 4 Oklahoma. “A victory is much more important. It just doesn’t mean much now.”
Maybe Manning’s 12-foot jumper that hit the front rim and rolled in with 4:42 remaining will mean more down the road.
“I think so,” said Manning, who scored 20 the first half, keeping KU close, 35-32, at intermission.
“It’s an individual record, but it’s not in the sense that I’ve played with teams for four years. Players have been very unselfish, willing to give me the ball. It’s not an individual honor; it’s a team honor.”
The ultimate team honor – the win – went to Oklahoma.
The relentless Sooners, who forced KU into 24 turnovers and grabbed 18 offensive rebounds, erupted for 60 second-half points.
“They’re powerful. I think that’s the best word to describe ’em,” said Manning who for you stat lovers, now has 2,665 points. “They can score so many ways. They’ve gotta be one of the best teams in the country.”
Despite showing off the firepower that’s helped them to a 25-2 record, the Sooners barely edged 17-10 Kansas.
Who, in fact, knows what might have happened had Manning not fouled out with 1:48 remaining?
KU, helped by Milt Newton’s 21-point second-half effort, sliced a game-high deficit of 15 (59-44 at 14:39) to 83-80, courtesy of a Newton three-pointer at 1:59.
On OU’s next possession, guard Mookie Blaylock drove the lane, hit a bucket, smashed into Manning and the refs ruled Danny ahd committed his fifth foul. Thus he was banished to the bench with KU down by five.
Was it really a blocking foul, Danny?
“They called it,” he shrugged. “I was tired, the team was a little tired.”
The Sooners, who were held below the century mark for only the second time in 13 home games – all wins – then scored six additional unanswered points to grab an insurmountable 11-point advantage at :43.
Kansas coach Larry Brown didn’t comment specifically about Manning’s fifth foul. Instead he moaned about the refs’ general treatment of the All-American.
“Danny carries us every game. The poor kid can’t get to the line,” Brown said. “He shoots 24 times (hitting 13) with people all around him and he can’t get to the line. Something is wrong.”
Manning did hit four of four free throws. In all, Oklahoma converted 22 of 33 charities to Kansas’ 12 of 14.
“I’ve never said that (complained) in four years,” Brown noted. I’ve heard coaches complain about their stars…He gets inside, you’d expect some foul shots. He’s not invisible. As great as he is, he’s not invisible.”
The Sooners appeared invisible at times, the way hands flew out of nowhere to bat balls out of the Jayhawks’ mitts. In all, the thieves – make that the Sooners – led by Harvey Grant (5) and Blaylock (four) ahd 14 steals to KU’s nine.
“They start the second half seven fouls to one (for OU) and they’re pressing,” said Brown, miffed at the foul discrepancy. “They press without fouling and that’s the key. They’ve got fast hands.
“I think great teams adjust to the way the game is being called.
They can gamble. If we don’t turn the ball over after we get a rebound, if they don’t slap it out, we have a chance to win. They’ve done it all year and they do it well.
“They’re just great. Heck, I was proud of our kids. Chris Piper was phenomenal defensively. Stacey (King, 22 points, 17 second half) had the big numbers, but they had to work to score. Milt did a terrific job, Scooter (Barry). I’m so proud. This team is as good a one as I’ve ever coached against.”
The Sooners are so good, they can even turn potentially horrible nights into prosperous ones. OU, which hit nine of 26 three-pointers to KU’s three of five, hit just 33.3 percent from the field the first half. The Sooners rallied and shot 54.3 the final 20 minutes. For the game, OU hit 32 of 74 shots (43.2 percent) to Kansas’ hot 36 of 65 (55.4).
“Oklahoma likes to run, put up shots. They rebound well. They’re a great team,” said KU’s Newton. “It seems we’d get within striking distance and they’d hit a three-pointer. Still, we had chances to win. They don’t stop shooting. They never stop coming at you.”
“I don’t know what you can do to beat Oklahoma,” Brown concluded. “We’ve played them tough twice now. Grace is so unselfish and Sieger and Mookie the same.”
Notes
Brown on Manning’s record: “Wayman did it in three years. Danny did it in four. Too bad they don’t have different categories. I remember Wayman as a scorer. Danny’s prowess is his all-around ability. It’s something they both should be proud of.”…KU’s Jeff Gueldner did not play. HE suffered a sprained ankle in Tuesday’s practice here. He did suit up and take part in warmups, however…KU, 1-2 on its “Death March” – games against Kansas State, Duke, Oklahoma and Missouri – travels to Columbia on Saturday. MU and KU are tied for third in the Big Eight with 6-5 records.
Box Score
KU3255-87
OU3560-95
Kansas: Milt Newton 8-14 3-5 21, Chris Piper 3-7 0-0 6, Danny Manning 13-24 4-4 30, Kevin Pritchard 6-9 4-4 16, Clint Normore 1-1 0-0 3, Scooter Barry 3-5 1-1 7, Lincoln Minor 1-3 0-0 2, Otis Livingston 0-0 0-0 0, Mike Masucci 0-0 0-0 0, Keith Harris 1-2 0-0 2, Team 36-65 12-14 87.
Three-point goals: 3-5 (Newton 2-3, Normore 1-1, Barry 0-1). Assists: 14 (Normore 5, Barry 4, Newton, Piper, Pritchard, Minor, Harris). Turnovers: 24 (Newton 5, Manning 5, Harris 4, Pritchard 3, Piper 2, Minor 2, Masucci, Normore, Barry). Blocked shots: 4 (Manning 4). Steals: 9 (Harris 3, Pritchard 2, Newton, Piper, Manning, Minor).
Oklahoma: Harvey Grant 7-13 3-7 17, Dave Sieger 3-9 4-4 12, Stacey King 9-19 4-7 22, Mookie Blaylock 6-15 4-8 19, Ricky Grace 5-12 2-2 16, Tyrone Jones 0-2 0-0 0, Terrance Mullins 0-2 2-2 2, Tony Martin 2-2 3-3 7, Team 32-74 22-33 95.
Three-point goals: 9-26 (Grace 4-10, Blaylock 3-7, Sieger 2-6, Jones 0-2, Mullins 0-1). Assists: 18 (Blaylock 6, Grace 5, Sieger 3, King 2, Grant, Mullins). Turnovers: 13 (Blaylock 4, King 3, Grace 2, Martin 2, Sieger 2). Blocked shots: 3 (Grant, Sieger, King). Steals: 14 (Grant 5, Blaylock 4, Sieger 2, Grace 2, King).
