LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Big 12 got one basketball team into the Final Four before Kansas tipped off on Saturday.
That, in itself, was an encouraging feat for a league that had not sent a team other than KU to the Final Four since 2004. The Jayhawks advanced two times after that, winning the national title in 2008 and finishing as runner-up in 2012.
Oklahoma, behind the 19th 30-point game for senior guard Buddy Hield, a Big 12 record, downed Oregon in the final of the West Regional in Anaheim, Calif.
“It’s been a while since we’ve had a Final Four team, so I guess I’d say I’d have been happy to have any team in,’’ said Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby, who attended the South Regional final at KFC Yum Center pitting Kansas against Villanova.