COLUMBIA, Mo. — No matter how imminent a Jayhawk victory appeared Monday night at Mizzou Arena, Kansas coach Bill Self always had a feeling it would end like this.

Missouri’s 62-60 victory was far from a surprise to him. It wasn’t that Self dreamed of fans clad in gold and black rushing Norm Stewart Court or predicted Missouri guard Zaire Taylor’s game-winning shot, but Kansas’ turnovers certainly warned Self it might be coming.

Photo Gallery

Kansas Basketball vs. Missouri

Photo gallery of basketball game against Missouri, Monday, Feb. 9, 2009, at Mizzou Arena.

Kansas committed 27 turnovers. Self credited that for causing Kansas (19-5, 8-1) to drop its first Big 12 Conference game of the season.

“Obviously, that was a big deal,” Self said.

“We did a pitiful job — pitiful job — of handling any kind of pressure.”

It was extra frustrating to the Jayhawks because of how well they followed the outline of winning a conference road game.

They took control early, leading by as many as 14 points in the first half. They weathered Missouri runs in the middle of the second half — Missouri went on two separate 8-0 runs without taking the lead or tying the game.

Kansas lost in the details, the same ones Self stressed — turnovers and defense.

“We didn’t play defense,” junior guard Sherron Collins said. “There’s not much else to say.”

Still, Kansas led 58-51 with four minutes remaining after sophomore center Cole Aldrich made two free throws. Aldrich was the reason Missouri (21-4, 8-2) seemed destined to suffer its sixth-straight defeat to Kansas.

Aldrich finished with 15 rebounds and five blocks, but only eight points on eight shots. Self thought Aldrich’s offensive inefficiency wasn’t his fault.

“Our players did a real good job guarding Cole because they didn’t get him the ball,” Self said. “That was frustrating.”

After Aldrich made his two free throws, Kansas only needed a couple solid possessions to ensure victory. It didn’t happen. Turnovers did.

Missouri forward Leo Lyons wrestled the ball from Aldrich on the next possession to force a jump ball that went to the Tigers. Collins fumbled the ball while driving 40 seconds later. Sophomore guard Brady Morningstar followed it with a pass the Tigers picked off.

Suddenly, Missouri was on a 9-0 run. Suddenly, the score was 60-60.

“That’s one thing we didn’t do too good a job of,” Aldrich said. “We didn’t limit their runs when they went on them.”

Collins had a chance. Collins, who finished with nine points on 4-for-13 shooting with six turnovers, went to the free-throw line with 1:48 remaining and missed both shots.

Less than a minute later, Missouri took its second lead of the game when J.T. Tiller made a jumper. Junior guard Mario Little, who had nine points and four rebounds, answered with a fadeaway to tie the game at 60.

It all came down to Missouri’s final possession. Zaire Taylor had the ball on the right wing against sophomore guard Tyrel Reed.

“He shot-faked me and went around me,” Reed said.

Taylor released. The shot was good with less than two seconds remaining to play.

Morningstar rocketed an in-bounds pass the length of the floor to Aldrich, who heaved a 10-foot buzzer beater. It clanked off the backboard. No good.

“It’s going to be one of those games that lingers for the longest time,” Aldrich said.

Because it looked so promising at the beginning. The Jayhawks found a way to take over.

Everyone did their part for Kansas in the first half. Aldrich grabbed nine rebounds. Reed hit a three-pointer. Junior guard Mario Little showed off his midrange game with an 18-foot jumper. They closed the half with a 20-5 run and went into the locker room with a 30-16 lead.

“As a coach,” Self said, “you feel like you need to win those games.”

But it’s never sure thing — especially not with 27 turnovers.