Self experiments with small KU lineup in second half

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Andrew Wiggins drilled a three-pointer that stretched Kansas’ lead to 26-19; the Jayhawks led 32-23 at the half.

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Oklahoma State shot nine for 29.

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Trailing 67-65, Wiggins pulled up and hit a soft jumper that tied the score with 1:05 left and eventually forced overtime.

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Wiggins had 17 points in the second half.

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Sophomore forward Perry Ellis had a rebound and putback that broke a 70-70 tie with 2:26 left in overtime.

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KU is 17-1 in its opening game of the Big 12 tourney.

Bill Self experimented with his rotations on Thursday, playing freshman wing Brannen Greene at the four spot while employing a small lineup in the second half. The Jayhawks were facing foul trouble — Perry Ellis and Tarik Black both had four fouls — and post depth was a question mark with freshman center Joel Embiid on the sideline. Greene missed his only three-point look while committing two turnovers, but the lineup stole some minutes before Ellis and Black returned in the final minutes.

“I thought it was effective,” Greene said. “I just didn’t hit the shot. But I easily got wide-open looks.”

The Jayhawks have played small at some points this year, but Greene said he got his first work as a pick-and-pop four-man during practice this week.

“It’s an option,” Greene said. “We lose a big man at the position, and depth is cut a little short at that big-man position.”

• Freshman Andrew Wiggins’ 71 points in two games are the most by a Jayhawk in consecutive games since the record began being kept in the 1988-89 season. Sherron Collins, who had 57 points in the first two games of the NCAA Tournament in 2009, held the previous mark. Wiggins now has 552 points this season, 37 shy of Ben McLemore’s freshman record of 589 set last season.

• Kansas senior Tarik Black had a season-high 12 rebounds, including 11 on the defensive end. His 26 minutes were also the second most he’s played this season.

“He rebounds the ball like a monster,” Wiggins said. “He’s a monster.”

This story was originally published March 13, 2014 at 9:10 PM with the headline "Self experiments with small KU lineup in second half."