Big 12 Basketball: Best non-conference win from each team since 2012

Kansas

November 15, 2016. 77-75 win over No. 1 Duke.

Kansas has about two or three marquee non-conference matchups every season. However, 2016 Duke might be one of the most impressive teams Kansas conquered. However, the Jayhawks didn’t come into that game lighting the world on fire.

Kansas was coming off an Elite Eight exit against Villanova and started the 2016-2017 season with a 103-99 loss in overtime to  No. 11 Indiana. Four days later, they would play in one of the most historic venues in college basketball, against the best team in the country.

This game is far from the prettiest for the Jayhawks, as there were clear flaws in this game that they miraculously overcame. Not common when teams shoot two of 17 from beyond the arc while turning the ball over 14 times.

However, Udoka Azubuike’s 12 rebounds off the bench were massive in the Jayhawks’ rebounding advantage. Kansas also shot 64.6% from inside the arc.

Another important aspect of the game was Grayson Allen’s injury near the end of the first half. It was not the most efficient evening for the current Memphis Grizzly, as he scored 12 points on four of 15 shooting from the field.

After holding two separate eight-point leads in the final five minutes, Duke would not give up and kept clawing into Kansas’ lead.

It was Frank Mason’s jumper with under two seconds to give the Jayhawks the lead and the win.

Honorable mention: November 12, 2013. 94-83 win over No. 4 Duke.

Kansas State

December 22, 2012. 67-61 win over No. 8 Florida.

The consensus around the 2012-2013 team was that they could take care of the bad opponents, but could not hang against some of the best in the country. Losses to No.4 Michigan and No.14 Gonzaga

Kansas State was led by Rodney McGruder, who landed among my top 20 Big 12 players of the 2000’s. However, it was the Kansas State defense that kept Florida a distance away, even without great offense from the Wildcats.

McGruder and Will Spradling didn’t have the best performances, both shooting four of 12 from the field.

However, it was Kansas State’s elite defense that shut down the Gators. There wasn’t a true dominant scorer on that Gators team, but the scoring was spread out. Four players averaged double figures, while Scottie Wibekin averaged nine a game.

This game added confidence to the Wildcats as they went on to win seven straight after the game and reach as high as No.11 in the AP Poll.

The postseason result is not what Wildcat fans were hoping for with a first-round exit to La Salle. However, the elite defensive performance is one many Wildcat fans remember and cherish.

Honorable mention: March 22, 2018. 61-58 win over No. 18 Kentucky.

Oklahoma

March 26, 2016. 80-68 win over No. 5 Oregon.

Arguably the most successful Oklahoma team of the past decade has the most marquee victory in 2016.

Oklahoma has a niche for finding a college generational talent. It started with Blake Griffin during the late 2000s, before transitioning to Buddy Hield from 2013-2016. The Sooners had a chance to take it a step further and a Final Four berth was on the line against Dillon Brooks-led Oregon.

Hield was in the midst of an iconic senior season, posting 25 points per game, on 45% shooting from beyond the arc, to go with 88% from the charity stripe.

To put it bluntly, this is a game Oklahoma dominated from the opening tip. Hield showcased his value, with a 37-point performance, to go along with 13 made field goals, eight of them being three-pointers.

Brooks was limited to just six shots and the lone efficient player for the Ducks was Elijah Cook. Hield’s 37 was his third-highest of the season, behind his 46-point effort in a loss to Kansas and 39 in a win against Iowa State.

Oklahoma would eventually fall in the Final Four, as the Sooners had no shot against Villanova. However, when looking back at the 2015-2016 season, the special talent that was Buddy Hield and the Oklahoma Sooners had a final four berth, thanks to a dominant performance against Oregon.

Honorable mention: January 30, 2021. 66-61 win over No.9 Alabama.