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  • Oklahoma State guard Markel Brown (22) dunks while covered by Kansas forward Thomas Robinson ( in Lawrence, Kan., Saturday. Brown scored 21 points in the game. Kansas defeated Oklahoma State 81-66.

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February 11, 2012

Kansas runs over Oklahoma State

The Associated Press Associated Press

STILLWATER, Okla. — LAWRENCE, Kan. — Nothing was going to stop No. 7 Kansas in the first half, not even 5-foot-9 Keiton Page.

The senior guard for Oklahoma State tried setting a screen on Thomas Robinson, the Jayhawks’ 6-foot-10, 237-pound forward, who steamrolled right over him.

“That was the game plan going in, for me to set more screens,” Page said. “He got a hold of me over in front of the Kansas bench. It didn’t feel too good.”

That pretty much summed up the first half Saturday, when Page scored 10 of his 19 points. Kansas held a commanding 51-24 lead heading into the locker room, and withstood a big second-half comeback by the Cowboys for an 81-66 win.

“We’ve been through this before,” said Oklahoma State coach Travis Ford. “We’ve been punched in the mouth before. Our guys didn’t like the taste of it at halftime.”

The first half was similar to the one Oklahoma State (12-13, 5-7 Big 12) played against Baylor on Jan. 14. The Bears led 46-31 at halftime and went on to win 106-65.

This time, the Cowboys fought to within 12 at one point in the second half.

“Our guys decided to change it a little bit,” Ford said. “It could have gotten worse, the day they were having. I told our team, Kansas is a Final Four-type team.”

Markel Brown led Oklahoma State with 21 points.

“They attacked the area and we didn’t fight back until the second half,” Brown said. “We had to turn it around the second half and show we’re capable of playing with anybody.”

Jeff Withey finished with 18 points and a career-best 20 rebounds, while Robinson burnished his player of the year credentials with 24 points and 14 boards for Kansas (20-5, 10-2).

Tyshawn Taylor added 12 points, Elijah Johnson had 11 and Travis Releford 10.

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