by Fitzgerald Cecilio

Irving, TX

The Big 12 Conference has admitted that game officials blew two crucial calls in Monday's encounter between No. 5 Kansas and Iowa State.

"The Big 12 Conference acknowledges that officiating errors were made at the end of regulation during last night's Kansas at Iowa State men's basketball game," league officials said in a statement issued Tuesday.

Game officials missed a potential charging violation against Jayhawks' Elijah Johnson in the closing seconds of regulation.

Then, the referees whistled Iowa State's Georges Niang for a foul as he and Johnson battled for the ball.

Johnson sank a pair of score-tying free throws to force overtime. He then scored 12 of his career-high 39 points in the extra period to lead the Jayhawks to a 108-96 victory.

"The plays have been reviewed and appropriate measures will be taken by the Coordinator of Men's Basketball Officials to adjust the number of future assignments for the two officials involved in conjunction with Conference policies," the statement added.

The win helped the Jayhawks remain on top of the Big 12 Conference together with rival No. 13 Kansas State with identical 12-3 records.

The loss dropped the Cyclones to 19-9.

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Big 12 Admits Blown Calls in Kansas-Iowa State Game