Currently: - Game info: 2:00 pm EST Sat Mar 15, 2003
DALLAS (TICKER) —Fourth-ranked Kansas hopes to move closer to its first Big 12 Conference tournament title in four years when it takes on Missouri in the semifinals on Saturday.
Kansas (25-6) won the first three conference tournaments but came up short each of the last three years.
But on Friday, the Jayhawks got off to a good start, defeating Iowa State, 89-74.
Keith Langford scored 19 points, Jeff Graves a season-high 16 and Aaron Miles 16 for the Jayhawks, who shot 60 percent.
Kansas, which won the Big 12 regular-season title, likely will clinch a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament with another victory.
Missouri (20-9) beat Oklahoma State in the quarterfinals on Friday, 60-58, when Travon Bryant collected a loose ball and hit a jumper just before the buzzer.
McKinney scored 16 points and Arthur Johnson added 12 for the Tigers, who held the Cowboys to 38 percent.
Kansas defeated Missouri twice this season, including a 79-74 triumph in Columbus on Sunday. It was the Tigers’ only home loss this season.