NORMAN, Okla. — Two blue blurs raced across the floor at the Lloyd Noble Center as the buzzer sounded on Kansas’ 87-78 victory against Oklahoma.

It was junior guard Sherron Collins running up the sideline smiling and freshman guard Tyshawn Taylor sprinting toward the middle of the court. Eventually, the two paths of celebration met.

They shared a quick exchange, telling each other “good game,” before Collins added an extra message.

“He was like, ‘Man, this is what we’ve been waiting for,’ ” Taylor said.

Collins, Taylor and the Jayhawks are done waiting now. Kansas (23-5, 12-1) is in sole possession of first place in the Big 12 Conference and three victories away from winning its fifth straight Big 12 regular season championship.

The Jayhawks have Collins, Taylor and sophomore center Cole Aldrich to thank for it. Aldrich might not have had the energy to sprint across Oklahoma’s gym after the game, but his presence was as important as anyone’s.

After all, Aldrich recorded a career-high 20 rebounds. Taylor set a career-high with 26 points. Statisticians don’t keep career-highs of big shots, but Collins would have certainly passed his.

“This was a great win,” Kansas coach Bill Self said. “You don’t see this too often from young kids.”

But Self didn’t want to take too much credit. Heck, he wasn’t even the one calling the shots by the end of the game.

At least three times, Collins waved off the plays Self wanted from the bench with the game on the line. Self was helpless.

“I have no choice,” Self said. “He’s got the ball.”

Not that Self would want it any place else. Collins reaffirmed that Monday when he tied a career high with 26 points.

The Jayhawks appeared to be in a position where they could coast to victory with 11 minutes remaining and their lead at a game-high 20. It wasn’t that easy.

Twice, the Sooners trimmed the Jayhawk lead to three points within the final five minutes. Both times Collins refused to run the Jayhawks’ offense. He took three-point shots from the top of the key and swished them to ensure Oklahoma wouldn’t get any closer.

“He feels like it’s his team,” Self said. “I’m really proud of him. He’s been great.”

Collins’ biggest shot came with 2:30 remaining. The crowd had reached deafening levels after Oklahoma freshman Willie Warren — who had a team-high 23 points — swished a three-point shot to make the score 74-71. The next possession, Collins received a pass from Taylor and made one of his own. Oklahoma never got it down to a one-possession game again.

Of course, Kansas may have never been in that position without Taylor. Oklahoma opened the game on a 22-8 tear. At that point, Collins gathered the team and told them not to let this one slip away.

Taylor must have listened. He made three three-point shots before the end of the half to finish the first 20 minutes with 16 points. Kansas went into the locker room with a 36-29 lead.

“I told him it was his game,” Self said. “He was great. Tyshawn — best game he’s had in college.”

Self stopped right after that statement. He wondered aloud if it might have been Aldrich’s best as well. The center crippled Oklahoma’s offense by dominating the glass and getting nearly every loose ball around him.

He also scored 15 points. But on a night where no other Jayhawk totaled more than three rebounds, Aldrich’s 20 rebounds might have been the difference.

“I knew I had a lot,” Aldrich said. “I thought, ‘Well, I’m going to try to get every board I can.’ ”

Of course, this might not have happened if Oklahoma forward Blake Griffin would have played. Griffin — the favorite to be named the national player of the year — averages 22 points and 14 rebounds per game and could have neutralized Aldrich inside.

Griffin sat out of the game with a concussion. Self admitted the Jayhawks were at an advantage playing the “Blake-less” Sooners. But Aldrich wasn’t so sure the outcome would have changed.

“With or without Blake, they’re a great team,” Aldrich said. “They showed that tonight.”

With Collins, Aldrich and Taylor performing as they did Monday, Kansas can call itself a great team — one that’s now at the top of the standings in the Big 12.

No wonder Collins and Taylor didn’t slow down once the game ended.

“We feel pretty good,” Collins said.

— — Edited by Casey Miles