At some point in the aftermath of a 67-63 victory over Texas Tech, Kansas guard Kevin McCullar Jr. hoisted the Big 12 championship trophy in the air with a big smile etched across his face on Tuesday night in Allen Fieldhouse.
The scene that might as well have been from a movie took place after McCullar helped the Jayhawks clinch a share of the Big 12 regular season title with a win over his former team. Texas Tech never finished higher than third in the league standings during McCullar’s three years in Lubbock, but he has managed to secure a conference title for the Jayhawks during his lone season in Lawrence.
“I just wanted to win,” McCullar said. “I wanted to win a Big 12 championship with these guys. That’s one of the reasons I came here, to win games like this. It was a very emotional night and I’m glad we came out with a dub.”
The Jayhawks (25-5, 13-4 Big 12), who have now won seven games in a row ahead of the regular-season finale, certainly don’t win on Tuesday without McCullar’s contributions on Senior Night.
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Box score: Kansas 67, Texas Tech 63
Photo Gallery: Kansas basketball vs. Texas Tech
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McCullar finished with 14 points on 5-of-12 shooting — giving him exactly 1,000 for his career — including 2-for-5 from long range. He added nine rebounds, two blocks, and one steal. Yet even that impressive stat line doesn’t tell the whole story.
When Kansas needed him the most, McCullar made winning plays in a game that neither team led by more than nine points. With just under seven minutes to go, McCullar delivered an emphatic chase-down block to deny a point-blank attempt from Texas Tech’s Kevin Obanor.
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— ESPN (@espn) March 1, 2023
In the final minute, McCullar scored the decisive bucket that illustrated how much energy and effort he plays with at all times. Jalen Wilson missed his shot attempt, which led to a scrum for the loose ball, and McCullar darted in there to snatch the rock.
From under the basket, McCullar converted on the layup to give Kansas a 63-60 lead with 25 seconds to go.
“I was kind of behind the backboard,” McCullar said. “Once I squared my shoulders, it was easy to lay up. Every time it gets down the stretch or late game, I am just looking to try and help the team win,” McCullar added.
That’s what made McCullar’s storybook performance on Tuesday so special, as he has come through in the clutch on multiple occasions for the Jayhawks this year.
In last Saturday’s win over West Virginia, McCullar banked in a 3-pointer as the shot clock was expiring down the stretch to help KU survive the Mountaineers. He delivered the game-sealing block in last week’s road win over TCU to cap off a defensive master class. His second-half defense proved to be pivotal in a win over Baylor on Feb. 18.
And all that occurred across four games over the last 10 days.
Opposing fan bases might be claiming he can’t keep getting away with this, but McCullar has been coming through in the clutch since league play began. In the conference opener, McCullar swatted Bryce Thompson’s game-tying attempt with 1.1 seconds left in a 69-67 victory over Oklahoma State.
“He comes in with plays like that, he’s done it all year,” said Wilson, who was honored with McCullar for Senior Night on Tuesday. “The block against Oklahoma State, the and-one against OU, and now this. He makes plays when it matters the most. That’s why he is here.”
During the current era of the transfer portal, there can be an adjustment period for teams with new additions. Even Remy Martin wasn’t fully integrated into KU’s rotation until closer toward the postseason, and ended up being a big reason why Kansas eventually won the national title.
But McCullar’s transition has been seamless since the very first day, thanks in large part to his knack of producing winning plays and his commitment on the defensive end.
“I just try to step up for the moment,” McCullar said. “I know we are all out there battling, and I just know I got to try and do something and try to help them out.”
In a year where eight of KU’s league games have been decided by five points or fewer, McCullar’s mindset and ability in crunch time has been crucial.
The Jayhawks might not have won a second straight Big 12 title without him.
