Thank the LORD the Kansas Big 12 basketball streak is over

Rest easy Big 12 basketball fans, it is finally over. The Kansas streak Big 12 regular season championship streak is finished. It was a long fourteen years but we made it through it.

Kansas lost to Oklahoma tonight 81-68. Oklahoma dominated the first half 41-28 and never looked back. Kristian Doolittle scored 24 and shot seven for eleven from the field. Holding Kansas to 68 is what really won them this game though. The Jayhawks only shot 40 percent from the floor and was not able to get their offense rolling, especially in the first half.

So what went wrong this season for the Jayhawks? Let’s start with losing two key players with Lagerald Vick leaving the team and junior center Udoka Azubuike being injured for the entire year. Vick was a veteran senior who decided to not enter the NBA draft after a solid junior year. Before leaving, he was the team’s third leading scorer and was a key piece to success. Azubuike still is the second best statistical rebounder on the team, even though he hasn't played since January. His big body and presence has been missing for the Jayhawks this season.

Their second issue was their road record. Awful. All eight of their losses are on the road including 3-6 in the Big 12. In the non-conference, a bad loss to a lowly rated Arizona State team does not look good. An eight point loss in Lexington is not the worst, but still a loss. Losing to bottom half teams West Virginia, OU, and Texas is what ended the streak. Win those games and you’re first in the Big 12. At home they were fine, a perfect 8-0 with a game against Baylor coming up on Saturday.

Now does this mean Kansas is going to struggle for the rest of the month? Who knows. They could go to Kansas City and win the Big 12 tournament and shut us all up. Depending on the result against Baylor, they are going to be a 3 or 4 seed next week. As for the big tournament, they are going to be a huge question mark. A probable 3 seed (lowest since 2009) they could be dangerous when they face a 2 seed in the Sweet 16. On the other hand, they could be the Kansas team that plays on the road and lose to the 6 or 11 seed in the second round. It would be a true miracle if Bill Self can find a way to get this team to a Final Four.

Congratulations to Texas Tech and Kansas State to being the final two teams remaining in the Big 12 regular season championship hunt. Even though you both went 1-1 against Kansas, you did it! You ended the streak! Let's start a new streak of teams not named Kansas winning the Big 12. It is what is best for the conference, helping it grow and become more competitive.