*From the time of Big 12 divisions, through realignment and the subtraction/addition of teams and a new 10-team format, one thing has remained constant in the conference for the past decade: Kansas University’s men’s basketball team has always finished in first place.*
*All week long, we’ve been looking back at KU’s 10 consecutive Big 12 championships by highlighting the top players and moments of each conference schedule, from 2005 to today.*
2013
—-
**Big 12 record:** 14-4, tied for 1st with Kansas State
Top 5 scorers:
————–
**Ben McLemore, 15.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.0 assists**
**Jeff Withey, 13.7 points, 8.5 rebounds, 3.9 blocks**
**Travis Releford, 11.9 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.3 steals**
**Elijah Johnson, 9.9 points, 4.6 assists, 3.1 rebounds**
**Kevin Young, 7.8 points, 6.8 rebounds**
3 memorable moments
——————-
[No. 1 — Perfect storm: Elijah Johnson buries ISU with 39 points][1]
– Point guard Elijah Johnson exploded for 39 points (30 after halftime), carrying Kansas to a 109-96 overtime win at Iowa State. He scored 25 of KU’s final 36 points after the Cyclones built a seven-point lead with more than five minutes to play.
> “Wilt had some good games, but this
> will go down as one of the best games
> any guard has played at Kansas. I’ve
> never had a guy make every play in a
> game like that down the stretch. He
> was huge. He was the best player in
> the country. I’ve never had a guy get
> 30 in a half.”
>
> — Bill Self
[No. 2 — Calling his shot?: McLemore’s banked-in 3 saves KU in 97-89 OT win][2]
– Ben McLemore hit 6 of 6 three-pointers on his way to 33 points in the Big 12 opener. He banked in his fifth trey just in time to send the home game against Iowa State to overtime, and the Jayhawks prevailed, 97-89.
> “I mean when it left my hand, I
> actually called, ‘bank,'” said
> McLemore, who scored 33 points — two
> off the freshman record of 35 set by
> Danny Manning against Oklahoma State
> in 1985. “The way it left my hand, I
> knew it was going to hit the
> backboard. It was a good release. It
> went in, so I’m glad.”
>
> — Ben McLemore
[No. 3 — Mr. Big Shot: Naadir Tharpe’s field goal puts KU on top][3]
– Naadir Tharpe only scored four points and hit two shots in 31 minutes, but he made the biggest basket of the night — a short, go-ahead jumper late in double overtime — to help the Jayhawks win, 68-67, at Oklahoma State, and avenge a home loss to OSU.
> “A lot of people don’t believe in me.
> (Self) does.”
>
> — Naadir Tharpe
2013 BIG 12 STANDINGS
———————
Kansas, 14-4
Kansas State, 14-4
Oklahoma State, 13-5
Oklahoma, 12-7
Iowa State, 11-7
Baylor, 9-9
Texas, 7-11
West Virginia, 6-13
Texas Tech, 3-15
TCU, 2-16
**10 years of Big 12 supremacy**
*Monday: [2005][4] and [2006][5]*
*Tuesday: [2007][6] and [2008][7]*
*Wednesday: [2009][8] and [2010][9]*
*Thursday: [2011][10] and [2012][11]*
*Friday: 2013 and 2014*
[1]: http://www2.kusports.com/news/2013/feb/26/perfect-storm-elijah-johnson-buries-isu-39-points/
[2]: http://www2.kusports.com/news/2013/jan/09/calling-his-shot-mclemores-banked-3-saves-kansas-9/
[3]: http://www2.kusports.com/news/2013/feb/21/mr-big-shot-naadir-tharpes-field-goal-puts-ku-top/
[4]: http://www2.kusports.com/weblogs/all_eyes_ku/2014/mar/3/10-years-of-big-12-supremacy-2005/
[5]: http://www2.kusports.com/weblogs/all_eyes_ku/2014/mar/3/10-years-of-big-12-supremacy-2006/
[6]: http://www2.kusports.com/weblogs/all_eyes_ku/2014/mar/4/10-years-of-big-12-supremacy-2007/
[7]: http://www2.kusports.com/weblogs/all_eyes_ku/2014/mar/4/10-years-of-big-12-supremacy-2008/
[8]: http://www2.kusports.com/weblogs/all_eyes_ku/2014/mar/5/10-years-of-big-12-supremacy-2009/
[9]: http://www2.kusports.com/weblogs/all_eyes_ku/2014/mar/5/10-years-of-big-12-supremacy-2010/
[10]: http://www2.kusports.com/weblogs/all_eyes_ku/2014/mar/6/10-years-of-big-12-supremacy-2011/
[11]: http://www2.kusports.com/weblogs/all_eyes_ku/2014/mar/6/10-years-of-big-12-supremacy-2012/
