Three takeaways from Kansas’ rout of skidding Oklahoma

Eighth-ranked Kansas routed reeling Oklahoma, 104-74, on Monday in Lawrence, Kan., holding star Sooners freshman Trae Young to a career-low 11 points.

But it was more than a key Big 12 basketball victory. It was a statement. The Jayhawks, winners of 13 consecutive conference titles, aren't going to let that streak end easily.

Here are three takeaways from Kansas' big Big 12 victory on Monday:

1. Kansas needed this kind of win.

The Jayhawks played consistently for the full 40 minutes, something they've struggled to do all season — even at Allen Fieldhouse. KU has lost there to Texas Tech and Oklahoma State, and a handful of its wins were by single digits, not what we've come to expect from Bill Self's teams.

Monday's win pushed Kansas (22-6, 11-4 in the Big 12) into first place alone, at least temporarily. So was it a confidence-builder? "It's got to help," Self told reporters (via ESPN.com).

If so, it came at the right time.

Kansas has a half-game lead over No. 6 Texas Tech (22-5, 10-4), which plays at Oklahoma State on Wednesday before hosting the Jayhawks on Saturday in a game that likely will decide whether KU wins its 14th consecutive conference title. 

2. KU's Silvio De Sousa broke through.

Senior guard Devonte’ Graham, the preseason Big 12 Player of the Year, looked like the best player in the league (game-high 23 points plus seven assists), but the seldom-used De Sousa was a revelation.

The 6-9 freshman from Angola "gave us great minutes," Graham said (via KansasCity.com). "Coach said in the locker room his attitude has been great even though he hasn’t been playing that much. He was huge for us.”

De Sousa had 10 points and six rebounds in 13 minutes and, according to Self, "was great."

"He’s had a great attitude the whole time he’s been here," Self added. "He struggled. He was frustrated. The game was too fast for him. We put him in a tough situation.

“I thought it’d be Feb. 1 before he’d really be able to impact us. It didn’t really work out that way. It’s taken him a little extra time. Tonight he was poised. He took his time on the post.”

3. It was an(other) ugly Oklahoma loss.

The Sooners (16-11, 6-9 in the Big 12) have now lost six straight. Kansas held Young, who came in as the nation's leading scorer (29 ppg), to 3-for-13 shooting, and a season that began so promisingly for him and his team is teetering on disaster.

Once ranked No. 4 in the nation, OU has lost nine of 11 and is flirting with missing the NCAA Tournament. The Sooners have home games against Kansas State (8-6 in the Big 12) and Iowa State (4-10) sandwiched around a game at Baylor (7-7).

"I know we've got three more games," Young told reporters (via ESPN.com). "If we take care of business like we're supposed to, these next three games will be fine.

"We know we have to win at least two. We've got to get better. We'll get better."

They'd better.