Despite losing to No. 1-ranked Kansas on Sunday by a final of 69-62, Kansas Head Basketball Coach Roy Williams and teammates were quick to give credit to No. 6-ranked Iowa State, and specifically ISU senior point guard Dedric Willoughby.

Willoughby scored a career-high 36 points of 11 of 16 shooting, including nine three-point field goals on the Jayhawks’ leading defensive stopper in Jerod Haase.

“He’s a great player, and we knew that he was. Someone asked me if I wanted to put anyone else on him (Willoughby). I tell you, on those last two three-pointers, there is nobody in the world, including Michael Jordan, that could have guarded him better than Jerod,” Williams said.

Jayhawks’ Paul Pierce, who scored 17 total points, voiced his early fear of Willoughby’s hot hand.

“We knew what he could do. He’s a big-time player. I just thought it was going to be a long game the way he was knocking it down,” Pierce said.

Kansas’ senior leading scorer and native Iowan Raef LaFrentz, who scored 21 points to lead the Jayhawks, including six straight free-throws to ice the victory, said he’d not soon forget the victory over the Cyclones.

“This victory feels as good as any one I’ve ever had. It’s a special for me in the sense that a lot of friends and family, that usually wouldn’t get the chance to see me play, can come out,” LaFrentz said. “But my hat is off to Iowa State. They are a great team and they had a great game plan. We’re just glad we survived it.”

Although LaFrentz took his hat off to Iowa State, senior point guards Jaque Vaughn and Williams took their hats off to themselves.

“I said all year that I thought we were a team that had a lot of experience. It definitely showed today. I was very proud of our team’s toughness, both mentally and physically. Iowa State is a good defensive team, but I think we’re a pretty good defensive team too. They play defense a little different than we do, but they are effective. I respect their club,” Williams said.

Vaughn couldn’t agree more.

“This is a really sweet win. They were anticipating a victory, but we battled through. We just played together and had fun. I don’t think I smiled once from the beginning of warm-ups until the game was over, but we were having fun,” Vaughn said.

The victory for Kansas may secure its No. 1-ranking that was in jeopardy after the team’s Jan. 7 96-94 double-overtime loss to Missouri.

The question is whether a victory over the No. 6-ranked Cyclones is prestigious enough to erase the dark shadow of a loss to a losing opponent?

“I don’t care about those things. I don’t even vote anymore. We just control our emotions and get ready to play,” Williams said.

While Williams doesn’t care about the polls, Haase believes his team is worthy of the No.1-ranking.

“I certainly believe we’re good enough to be placed there. Right now it doesn’t matter to me. In three months we’ll be there. That’s when we need it,” Haase said.