No. 13 Oklahoma 76, Kansas 70

2/21/2007 9:25 PM

By DOUG TUCKER
AP Sports Writer

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) -Courtney Paris had 32 points and 13 rebounds for her 53rd straight double-double and No. 13 Oklahoma overcame shaky foul shooting to pull away late and beat Kansas 76-70 Wednesday night.

Oklahoma (21-4, 11-3 Big 12) entered the game tied with Texas A&M and Baylor for the conference lead. However, the last-place Jayhawks (9-18, 3-11) trailed only 62-60 when Kelly Kohn hit a 3-pointer with 3:24 to go.

Oklahoma had never led by more than four against the smaller, quicker home team until Ashley Paris hit one of two free throws to make it 62-57 a moment earlier.

But after Kohn's 3-pointer, Erin Higgins immediately answered with a 3 for the Sooners, who were just 2-for-10 from beyond the arc. Then after Courtney Paris rebounded a Kansas miss, Amanda Thompson banked home a 12-footer and the Sooners had a 67-60 lead en route to their ninth straight victory over the Jayhawks.

Helplessly outmanned underneath the basket by the 6-4 Courtney Paris and her 6-3 sister, Ashley, the Jayhawks played rough in the second half, and sending Oklahoma to the foul line late proved smart. The Sooners were only 18-for-32 from the line, while Kansas - 8-for-8 at one point - hit 12 of 17.

Courtney Paris also had three assists, making her the first Big 12 player with 1,300 points, 900 rebounds, 200 blocked shots and 200 assists.

The Sooners used their size advantage, led by the Paris sisters, to outrebound the Jayhawks 42-25. Oklahoma started four players 6-feet or taller while the 6-1 Porscha Weddington was the only Jayhawks starter over 6-0.

Ashley Paris had 16 points and nine rebounds for the Sooners while Britney Brown had 14 points, including a free throw with 4:31 left that put Oklahoma back on top by three points after two free throws by Shaquina Mosley made it 59-57.

Mosley, a senior playing her final home game, had 20 points while Kohn had 16 and Sade Morris 13.

The Sooners hit their first eight shots, with the Paris sisters getting every bucket except the 16-footer Chelsi Welch hit.

But the quicker Jayhawks also had nine steals in the fast-paced first half compared to only one the Sooners and trailed at intermission only 37-35.

Every time the Sooners looked to be pulling away, Kansas answered.

Courtney Paris' bucket made it 53-49 after Leah Rush stole a Kansas pass, but Sharita Smith and Kohn responded with baskets to tie it at 53 a minute later.