Kansas in Driver's Seat after Big Win

We saw most of the faces of the Kansas Jayhawks in their 87-78 victory over Oklahoma on Monday night.

The quick start, the inability to score, and the subsequent 14-point deficit early on in the game. The surge just before halftime.

The Jayhawks started the second half with a huge run, followed inevitably by the inability to put their opponents away. Finally a close victory with just free throws made it look a bit more respectable.

Oklahoma without Blake Griffin were definitely up, competing against a Kansas squad that seems to be coming into its own game after game.

The guard play of this game was terrific and made the game very entertaining. Kansas' starting guards put up 54 points, while OU's starting guards had 34 respectively.

In the end, you can only think the outcome may have been different had Player of the Year candidate Blake Griffin played.

There is still a great possibility that the two teams will face off again in the conference tournament in a couple of weeks' time.

While Oklahoma put up a valiant effort that needs to be recognized, they have lost two in a row without their star and have to face their nearest competitor, Missouri, before the regular season ends.

Kansas, on the other hand, has to be lifted up. They are 12-1 in conference play now, and just three points from being undefeated in conference play.

Don't look now, but this is a team with an outside chance at a Final Four, should the chips fall into the appropriate places come late March.

For me, the defining moment of the game didn't come when Kansas fought back from the first half deficit, or even when it looked like they were going to beat OU by 30.

It came when OU guard Omar Leary hit a three-pointer to cut KU's lead to just three.

KU Sherron Collins decided to put the team and the entire game onto his shoulders, launching a three-pointer from at least 30 feet away, making it to put his team back up by three.

His work wasn't over there, though.

Oklahoma's Willie Warren canned another three on the ensuing possession to cut the lead back to three. Collins responded in kind, with a three-pointer that looked like it was three feet behind NBA range.

That shot sent the Kansas lead back up to six. A missed dunk by OU's Juan Patillo, and that was really the game. Kansas extended their lead to seven and never looked back.

Every year and for every team there are moments that define a season. This was that moment for Kansas.

This Kansas team was not expected to win the conference, and many fans like myself had the team finishing with 21 or 22 total wins.

The Jayhawks are now 23-5 and look to be well on their way to a three seed in the tournament. They have the personnel to go on a deep run in March, headed by junior point guard Sherron Collins.

Instead of continuing to fawn over my Jayhawks who are certainly in the driver's seat for the Big XII title, I'll say that the task is not over.

A home game against Missouri, as well as a trip to Lubbock, and a season-ending home game against Texas still stand in the way of KU's fifth straight Big XII regular season title.

While there is still work to be done, the win over OU, Griffin or no Griffin, is a win the Jayhawks can hang their hats on when they've completed their season in March, or (gasp), April.