Kansas City, Mo. ? That old joke, “The team hit the road, but the road hit back,” got twisted around like a hairpin curve.
For one day in the Big 12 Conference, the road took it on the chin. The only visiting team to lose Saturday — and in a blowout — was also the only one whose embattled coach had just received a vote of confidence.
But at least lowly Missouri and coach Quin Snyder did their part to maintain what everyone assumes is the natural order in college basketball, the sport where home-field advantage usually means the most.
Iowa State, Kansas University, Colorado, Oklahoma State and Texas Tech would have none of it, however.
And when Iowa State wins on the road — against a ranked opponent, no less — it’s a weird weekend.
The Cyclones had not won a Big 12 road game since 2001, a streak of 28 games. But with freshman Tasheed Carr scoring 13 points in a span of 3:54, Iowa State shocked No. 20 Texas, 92-80, in overtime.
Colorado, another team that struggles away from home, would not be denied at Kansas State. On a day the Wildcats should have been inspired by a ceremony retiring the jerseys of three former stars, the Buffs rallied for a 70-60 victory.
No. 10 Oklahoma State had little trouble at Baylor before dispatching the Bears, 81-63.
No. 14 Oklahoma was a home favorite over Texas Tech. But a convincing 88-81 victory established the visiting Red Raiders as a solid Big 12 contender.
No. 3 Kansas received 27 points from Keith Langford and 18 points and 14 rebounds from Wayne Simien and blew past Nebraska, 78-65.
And then there was Missouri. Athletic director Mike Alden called media representatives Friday around the state personally to announce that despite a parade of problems, including NCAA sanctions, Snyder would be back as coach next year.
Snyder certainly coached like a man who does not need wins to keep his job. His top scorer and rebounder, Linas Kleiza, had drawn a technical foul for popping off to an official the previous game, so when the game began, he kept his seat.
And he kept sitting until 16 minutes, 1 second remained. Oddly, the Tigers led by one point at halftime without their best player.
But then the Aggies, the turnaround story of the year in the Big 12, caught fire. They made nine straight three-pointers in one blistering stretch and finally polished off the league’s only losing visiting team of the day, 91-63.
“That’s probably the best we’ve played in the Big 12 since I’ve been around here,” said Antoine Wright, who in the final 18 minutes had 17 points, six rebounds, three assists and a blocked shot for A&M.
“It was just one of those nights where everybody was making shots.”
Texas obviously is not the same team without P.J. Tucker, who has been declared academically ineligible. But the Longhorns had won 16 consecutive games at home and not lost in Erwin Center to an unranked opponent in 34 games.
And this is the same Iowa State team that began the conference season 0-5 before shocking Oklahoma — at home, of course.
For the Cyclones, it was the first conference road victory since they beat Kansas State on Feb. 21, 2001. And it was their first overtime conference victory since Feb. 11, 1995, breaking a string of 10 straight losses.
“I played with confidence,” Carr said. “I refused to lose. I was willing to take big shots. Opening with the three in overtime was huge for our confidence, and it got us on a roll.”
Missouri trailed by as many as 30 while losing for the seventh time in eight games, but Kleiza took his punishment like a man.
“It was a coach’s decision, and I’m totally behind that,” he said. “It was my fault getting that technical foul.”
Maybe the road simply is starting to seem less threatening. On Jan. 29, Kansas State won at Missouri for the first time since 1985. A week before that, Colorado snapped a 13-game losing streak at Iowa State.
“Any win is big, but when they come on the road it’s even bigger,” Colorado coach Ricardo Patton said.
