Three-pointers kept the Tigers in the game and gave them a 74-71 lead with two minutes left, but desperation three-pointers by Aaron Miles and Kirk Hinrich as the shot clock ran out gave KU the lead and the victory.
“Aaron’s was purely luck,” KU coach Roy Williams said. “I’ve never seen a shot go into the basket that hard in my life. Kirk had told me the next shot he took he was going to make, so that one didn’t surprise me as much.”
Hinrich and Nick Collison led Kansas (24-6 overall, 14-2 Big 12) with 20 points each, as the Jayhawks won the Big 12 title outright. Collison added 10 rebounds, and Hinrich had seven rebounds and four assists.
Keith Langford added 12 points and six boards, Michael Lee had 11 points off the bench, and Miles had 10 points.
Jeff Graves scored four points and grabbed 10 rebounds, and Moulaye Niang had two points.
Ricky Clemons and Rickey Paulding both scored 21 points for Missouri (18-9, 9-7). Clemons had three second-half three-pointers that either tied the game or gave the Tigers the lead. Paulding added a team-high nine rebounds and went 11-of-11 from the free-throw line.
Travon Bryant added 13 points and six rebounds, and Arthur Johnson scored 11 points and grabbed seven boards.
The Jayhawks shot 46.9 percent (30-of-64) from the field, 42.9 percent (6-of-14) from three-point range and 59.1 percent (13-of-22) from the free-throw line.
The Tigers shot 40 percent (26-of-65) from the floor, 28 percent (7-of-25) from beyond the three-point line and 93.8 percent (15-of-16) from the charity stripe.
Kansas outrebounded Missouri, 44-36, and committed two fewer turnovers, 17, than the Tigers.
HALFTIME REPORT
Aaron Miles gave the Jayhawks a 2-0 lead with a layup after stealing the ball, and Kansas has led the rest of the first half.
The Jayhawks have led by as many as eight points, but the Tigers have stayed in the game by hitting all 11 free throw attempts.
Kirk Hinrich leads Kansas with 11 points, and has three rebounds and two assists. Nick Collison has 10 points and five rebounds, and Michael Lee has seven points, including two three-pointers.
Jeff Graves has two points and six rebounds, but has picked up his third foul. Miles has four points for Kansas.
Rickey Paulding leads Missouri with 13 points, nine off free throws, and has five rebounds. Arthur Johnson has six points and four rebounds, but played just 12 minutes.
Ricky Clemons has five poitns, and Travon Bryant has four points and four rebounds.
Kansas shot 41.9 percent (13-of-31) from the field, 80 percent (8-of-10) from the free-throw line and 50 percent (4-of-8) from three-point range.
Missouri shot 25.7 percent (9-of-35) from the field and 13.3 percent (2-of-15) from behind the three-point line.
Turnovers have been prevelant, as the Tigers have turned the ball over 11 times and the Jayhawks have committed 12 turnovers. Kansas outrebounded Missouri, 23-22.
