MANHATTAN, Kan. — Sherron Collins winced through back spasms all night, only to have it flare up at the worst possible moment. He limped off the floor and started contorting his body, drinking electrolytes — anything to get the pain to stop.

It did, and just in time.

Collins returned from a debilitating bout with back spasms to score on a hard drive with 9 seconds left in overtime, helping No. 2 Kansas pull out a gritty 81-79 win over No. 11 Kansas State last night.

"He has a flair for the dramatic," Kansas coach Bill Self said.

The Jayhawks (20-1, 6-0 Big 12) needed it for their second shot at No. 1 this season.

After dismantling Missouri on Monday, Kansas closed out the rivalry week sweep by winning an epic back-and-forth battle with Kansas State (17-4, 4-3).

Cole Aldrich had 18 points and 13 rebounds, and Marcus Morris finished with a double-double of his own (13-10), giving the Jayhawks a two-game Big 12 lead and a likely No. 1 ranking after Kentucky's loss to South Carolina on Tuesday. Collins finished with 16 points for Kansas, which is 31-2 against Kansas State since the inception of the Big 12 in 1996.

The senior hit the floor hard with 2:44 left in overtime and gingerly walked to the bench. Collins worked out the kinks, so to speak, then returned just in time to score on a baseline drive, also being fouled on the play. He missed the free throw, but Aldrich grabbed the rebound and Brady Morningstar hit two free throws to close out the Jayhawks' 26th win in their last 27 games in Manhattan.

"It was crazy. I just wanted the ball in my hand," Collins said. "I knew I could make a play, I just kept cramping the whole game."

NO. 1 KENTUCKY 85, NO. 21 VANDERBILT 72

DeMarcus Cousins posted his 12th double-double with 21 points and 10 rebounds, leading the host Wildcats (20-1, 5-1 Southeastern Conference) past the Commodores (16-4, 5-1).

Kentucky built an early 19-point lead then made it hold up while NBA superstar LeBron James, a friend of coach John Calipari, watched from courtside.

NO. 4 SYRACUSE 59, DEPAUL 57

Wes Johnson scored 16 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, and the visiting Orange (21-1, 8-1 Big East) rallied from an 18-point deficit to beat the Blue Demons (8-13, 1-8) for their eighth straight win.

Syracuse scored 16 straight to cut its deficit to two late in the first half, then took the lead with a 16-2 run in the second.

NO. 5 MICHIGAN STATE 79, NORTHWESTERN 70

Durrell Summers started each half with an alley-oop dunk and finished with a season-high 24 points and 10 rebounds, leading the host Spartans (19-3, 9-0 Big Ten) over the Wildcats (14-7, 3-6).

John Shurna made six 3-pointers and scored a career-high 31 points for the Wildcats, which trailed 38-28 at intermission.

NO. 24 BAYLOR 80, NO. 6 TEXAS 77

Freshman guard A.J. Walton made three of four foul shots in the final 17 seconds of overtime as the visiting Bears (16-4, 3-3 Big 12) got its first regular-season win over the Longhorns (18-3, 4-2).

NO. 7 GEORGETOWN 89, NO. 8 DUKE 77

With President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden seated in the front row, the host Hoyas (16-4) shot 71.7 percent — their best shooting game in 30 years — to run away from the Blue Devils (17-4).

NO. 9 WEST VIRGINIA 77, LOUISVILLE 74

Da'Sean Butler scored a season-high 27 points, including the go-ahead basket with 16 seconds left, as the host Mountaineers (17-3, 6-2 Big East) overcame a 12-point, second-half deficit to beat the Cardinals (13-8, 4-4).

NO. 12 BYU 82, UTAH 69

Jimmer Fredette scored 36 points, including 23 in the second half, and the host Cougars (21-2, 6-1 Mountain West) built a big lead before holding off the Utes (10-11, 3-3) for their sixth victory in the last seven meetings between the longtime rivals.

SAN FRANCISCO 81, NO. 13 GONZAGA 77

Dior Lowhorn hit consecutive 3-pointers in overtime and scored 22 points, leading the host Dons (8-14, 3-4 West Coast Conference) to an upset of the Zags (17-4, 6-1). It was the Dons' first victory over the Zags since 2005.

NO. 15 TEMPLE 64, LA SALLE 52

Ramone Moore scored 14 points, Lavoy Allen had 12 points and 10 rebounds and the host Owls (18-4, 6-1 Atlantic-10) held on to beat the Explorers (11-10, 3-5) before a crowd that included longtime coach John Chaney.

MARQUETTE 70, NO. 19 CONNECTICUT 68

Jimmy Butler scored 21 points, including a driving shot with 2.4 seconds left, lifting the Golden Eagles (13-8, 4-5 Big East) to their first road win of the season by handing the Huskies (13-8, 3-5) their second straight loss.

NO. 22 GEORGIA TECH 98, KENTUCKY STATE 50

Glen Rice Jr. scored 15 points, D'Andre Bell added 14 and the host Yellow Jackets (16-5) breezed to an easy win over the Division II Thorobreds (4-13), who hit just 28.3 percent from the field.

NO. 23 NEW MEXICO 73, TCU 57

Darington Hobson scored 19 points and the visiting Lobos (20-3, 6-2 Mountain West) used a 9-0 run for a 43-32 lead and the Horned Frogs (10-12, 2-5) got no closer than nine thereafter.

UTEP 74, NO. 25 UAB 65

Derrick Caracter had 20 points and 18 rebounds, and had five points in the second overtime, to lead the visiting Miners (15-5, 6-1 Conference USA) over the Blazers (18-3, 6-1).

WAC

UTAH STATE 77, SAN JOSE STATE 58

Nate Bendall scored 20 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, and the host Aggies (16-6, 6-2 Western Athletic) opened the second half with a 14-6 run for a 53-42 lead with 13:03 to play in beating the Spartans (12-9, 5-4) for their sixth straight victory.

NEW MEXICO STATE 91, LOUISIANA TECH 77

Hamidu Rahman had 22 points and 12 rebounds, and the visiting Aggies (13-8, 6-2) opened the second half with a 9-2 run for a 57-46 lead and never trailed again in routing the Bulldogs 18-4, 6-2).

BOISE STATE 65, FRESNO STATE 49

Daequon Montreal and Kurt Cunningham scored 13 points each to lead the host Broncos (11-11, 2-7) over the Bulldogs (11-12, 4-5). Cunningham's three-point play gave the Broncos an 11-8 lead and they never trailed again.

IDAHO 87, SEATTLE 85

Steffan Johnson had 18 points and the visiting Vandals (10-10) converted 10 of 12 free throws in the final 2 1/2 minutes, with Kashif Watson making 4 of 4, to hold on and beat the Redhawks (9-13) in a non-conference game.

PACIFIC WEST

HAWAI'I PACIFIC 85, ACADEMY OF ART 60

Mike Helton scored 24 points to lead three teammates in double figures as the Sea Warriors (15-4, 7-1) rolled to a Pacific West Conference victory over the Urban Knights (0-16, 0-6) at Neal Blaisdell Arena.

Norman Wells added 13 points and 10 rebounds, C.J. Jackson had 12 points and 13 rebounds, and Reggie New had 11 points for HPU, which led 34-19 at halftime.

Lance Olivier and Ivan Prema scored 12 points apiece, and Jordan Knox added 10 for the Urban Knights.