The ones who figure to be most disappointed Friday by the quarterfinal results in the Big 12 basketball tournament are the Kansas City merchants since the Iowa State fans are heading home early.
Of the four games played at Sprint Center, only the last game of the day between Oklahoma and Iowa State went down to the final minute. The Sooners prevailed with senior Buddy Hield scoring 39 points. Fellow senior Georges Niang of the Cyclones scored 31. His biggest disappointment was not making it three years in a row for a Cyclone tournament championship.
“Going out like this obviously stings. The competition that goes on in the Big 12 is obviously special and something that I’ll miss,” said Niang. “This one obviously hurts and stings, but this team will bounce back.”
The top-ranked Kansas Jayhawks open up the semifinals Friday night at 6 p.m. against Baylor. The Sooners will follow in the other semi against West Virginia.
