It was a fitting sendoff for the seniors who never failed to stand their ground at home.
Raef LaFrentz, Billy Thomas and C.B. McGrath, who never lost in 58 games at Allen Fieldhouse, were honored with emotional and grandiose tributes before and after the fourth-ranked Jayhawks beat Oklahoma 83-70 Monday night.Tears flowed, flower petals littered the court and fans' chests swelled with pride.
"I didn't know if they were knighting kings or honoring seniors," Oklahoma coach Kelvin Sampson said. "I mean, I've seen some celebrations, but my goodness."
The Kansas seniors ended their careers with a 58-0 home record and four conference championships. They also helped the Jayhawks post back-to-back 30-win seasons for the first time and run their unbeaten home streak to a school-record 60 games overall.
"A couple of years back, we were talking one night in the locker room after everybody had gone," said the 6-foot-11 LaFrentz, the Jayhawks' No. 2 career scorer and rebounder.
"We decided that we hadn't lost at home that far, and we didn't ever want to. There haven't been too many players in college basketball who never lost at home."
Paul Pierce, a junior who also might have been playing his last game at Allen Fieldhouse, put on show of his own.
The 6-7 junior, who could enter the NBA draft and forego his senior season, scored 15 straight Kansas points during an eye-popping 6-for-6 surge in the second half as the Big 12 champions (30-3, 14-1 Big 12) capped their fourth straight unbeaten home season.
NO. 6 UCONN 77, PROVIDENCE 68: Richard Hamilton scored 20 points and Khalid El-Amin added 19 as UConn overcame a sluggish start and pulled away in the second half at Hartford.
Jake Voskuhl added 15 points and 13 rebounds for the Huskies (25-4, 14-3 Big East), who are guaranteed at least a share of the regular-season title and one of three first-round byes in next month's conference tournament.