Postgame Thoughts: KU vs New Orleans

Here are some postgame thoughts, in no particular order.

*Glad to hear Self say in his postgame interview with Fran Fraschilla that he can really see a couple of these freshmen coming along and that he would really expect to see them to start playing more minutes. I'm hoping and praying he is referring to Wright (who should be playing A LOT more going forward) and Chalmers, who HAS to play to gain more confidence.

*Anyone else think that Chalmers is getting relegated to the 2-guard spot and that JHawk and Vinson are #1 and #2 at the point? It sure looked that way tonight.

*Self also mentioned that this team has a lot of wasted possessions. I agree 100%. They don't value the ball. 18 TO's against this opponent is pathetic.

*It will be VERY interesting to hear what the deal was with Micah. I can't believe the announcers didn't say anything about it and didn't ask Self about it after the game. Anyone hear anything on the radio?

*Did I mention that JW needs to play A LOT more going forward? I was glad to see he had 29 minutes tonight.

*It's time for Rush to quit shutting down mentally when his first few shots don't fall. He was 2-for-11 and disappeared in the game, though did have 7 boards. However, that's not what we want to see from the one guy on the team that has the ability to take over a game offensively. He seems so tentative and out-of-control at times offensively. It's almost like he doesn't realize that he can take over a game.

*That first half was painful to watch. This team can, as Self puts it, really "labor to score".

*Also interesting when Fran asked Self about the team having depth and Self said "we're too deep". Hopefully the rotation is going to get trimmed soon, but WHO do you take minutes away from as only maybe one or two players are distinguishing themselves from the pack?

*The combined "effort" (6 rebs, 8 pts.) of Kaun and Giles tonight was pathetic. Those guys better find a mean, aggressive streak before Kentucky rolls into town and definitely before the conference season starts.

*Mario makes mistakes, but he also makes plays and forces turnovers. He also pushes the ball more, brings more energy and is quicker at getting the team into their offense than JHawk (4 TO's tonight, by the way), IMO.

*Great game for Case. He was on fire tonight. That being said, it's much different being on fire in practice or against a team with Division II talent than it is in a big game with the pressure on. I have serious doubts whether Case will consistently hit from 3-pt land when we play a team that has some talent. And I don't think this team has time to find out, so I expect Case to be back on the pine soon.

*The team shows some solid defensive effort, but got pretty lazy guarding the 3 on a few occasions tonight. The breakdowns in effort is very discouraging.

*I am really curious to see how good this team can be when they put together 40 minutes of quality effort and execution. Unfortunately from what I've seen to this point, we're a long way from seeing a game where that happens.

*Anyone else think Self looks very frustrated?

*Anyone else expect this team to look signficantly sharper in execution by this point in the season? I know I did.

*What's your best guess on when Self finally lands on the 9-man rotation? Will it be by the Big 12 Tournament? Will it happen at all?

*10 blocks was nice to see and 4 of them from Julian, giving yet one more reason to play him more.

*6 of 12 from the FT line tonight. I think Self should make these guys pay in practice when anyone misses a free throw. I really don't think these guys value those free points the way they should.

*Another quiet, yet effective night for Russell Robinson: 24 minutes, 9 points, 3 rebs, 5 assists, 1 block, 2 steals, only 1 TO.

*UNO outrebounded KU 34-32.

*Giles played, brace yourself, TEN minutes tonight.

*I REALLY like the energy and effort that Darnell Jackson brings to the court. He had 8 pts. and 5 rebs. in just 17 minutes.

*Nice stat for KU: 29 field goals on 23 assists.

*Nice stat #2 for KU: UNO shot 34%.

*Nice stat #3 for KU: 14 steals.

*What's up with Kleinmann only getting 1 minute?

*Here's the ESPN box score: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/boxscore?gameId=253632305

March Madness games shown free on the web

From The Kansas City Star....


Out-of-market March Madness games will be shown on the Web
Starting next year, if you don’t like the March Madness game you’re getting on your local television station, you can have your pick of any of the rest of the games through the regional semifinals.
That is, if you have a high-speed Internet connection on which you can get streaming video.
And it will all be free.
CBS, CBS SportsLine.com and College Sports Television are teaming with the NCAA to provide free streaming video rights for what they call out-of-market coverage. It will be called NCAA March Madness on Demand.
The game of primary regional interest will be shown exclusively on the local CBS affiliate (Channel 5 in the Kansas City area).
But if you’re not a Kansas or Missouri — or dare we even say Kansas State — fan and you would rather pick up a Gonzaga or Coastal Carolina game, you can tap into it at NCAAsports.com.
“For the first time ever, fans everywhere will have an opportunity to see their teams play live, at no charge, on NCAAsports.com via our new broadband channel, no matter where or when that game is being played,” said Larry Kramer, president of CBS Digital Media.
In addition to the games, the streaming video will feature interviews and pre- and postgame press conferences and highlights.
It may not all be good news for those cooped up in an office, however. Webcasts of games broadcast by CBS Sports in fans’ local markets will be subject to blackouts — making them available only on TV.
More information about the deal can be found at www.NCAAsports.com .

KU-St. Joseph's Thoughts

*Jeff Hawkins finally found his stroke in the first half. Unfortunately he left it in the lockerroom at halftime.

*The Jayhawks win this game if ANYONE would have guarded Gerry McNamara....er, Nick Fazekas.....er, I mean Chet Stachitas. 6-for-7 from 3 point range in 40 MINUTES OF PT and he, of course, ties his career high...some of that is good shooting...some of that is just flat-out poor defense.

*The University of Kansas is cursed from the FT line. It really is amazing. It seem sthat year after year, regardless of who the coach is, regardless of who the players are. 6-of-19 is atrocious. I just don't understand how poor FT shooting can consistenly infect AN ENTIRE TEAM.

*3-4 for the the first time since the year I was born. The NCAA Tournament looks a long way away....but I still have hope.

*The good news is this team has tons of talent and can play with virtually anyone in the country because of that talent.

*The bad news is this team is so inexperienced that their inexperience cancels out their talent. It won't always be that way...that's just the way it is now.

*I knew this season, especially early, would be a struggle...but I didn't expect three losses with three poorly executed plays at the end of each game. We've now lost by 1, 2, and 3 in those very winnable games. I know how frustrating it is for all of us. Just imagine how frustrating it is for those players in the lockerroom and for the coaching staff. This had to be a major blow to their already fragile confidence.

*I don't have the exact number, but I know I don't have enough fingers to count the number of times that we helped on defense, a St. Joe's player dished it to the open man, and we were late getting back to the shooter....running out desperately to the 3-point line....one arm stretched out......only to watch X St. Joe Player swish it. It was beyond frustrating to watch time and again...with no defensive adjustment...it really reminded me of some of RW's teams. If someone dares to watch it again...please count for us.

*I'm pretty sure our coaches teach to give up the baseline drive so that the big men can come over and close the drive off. But I'm also sure they don't teach to give up the ENTIRE baseline and for our big men to come over a half-step to a full-step late and foul. That damn learning curve will get you every time.

*The sky is definitely still intact...it's just a lot darker than it's been in awhile. When you're used to sunny, blue skies, it takes awhile to learn to appreciate the beauty of a rainy day.

*I only hope and pray that we don't lose to K-State this year the way Indiana just lost to Indiana State tonight. I think someone just bought the FIREMIKEDAVIS.COM domain name.

*Anyone else notice we had four freshmen on the court with 20 seconds to go in the game? Yeah, we lost...but boy is the future bright.

*CJ Giles and Sasha Kaun played like nervous freshmen tonight. That's a big reason why St. Joe's outrebounded KU 33-29. Darnell Jackson can't return soon enough.

*This had to be a huge blow to this team's confidence. Like the announcers said "KU really needs a win over a QUALITY OPPONENT to give them some confidence." Yes they do....and SOON. I don't even want to think what a loss to Cal will do to this team's confidence.

*Julian Wright played a solid all around game other than looking out-of-control on a few occasions.

*I really believe Micah Downs needs to see the floor more. We desperately need the offense he can provide.

*As much as I love Mario, he looked like a first-grader in the first half. Thankfully Hawkins was playing ok. And then they switched roles in the second half. Once we get a PG that can play good for a full 40 minutes, we just might have something.

*If Russell Robinson played basketball in the forest, would anyone hear him? You hardly realize he's even on the floor. I'm not being judgmental of his game...I'm just amazed that I barely noticed he played.

*Youth and lack of experience....those are the differences between winning and losing right now. Oh...and some really bad FT shooting.

*It's definitely not the end of the season or the world, but I just can't help but think that our boys really lost a great opportunity tonight. I will be very interested to see how they bounce back against Cal.

*It's hard to believe we were actually up 17-4 in this game early on. It seems like so long ago, doesn't it?

*How awesome was it to hear Duke Vitale mention that KU/Self stole both Julian Wright and Sherron Collins from Illinois' backyard? I love it.

*For the most part, I liked the way this game was officiated. The refs let the guys play and called a fairly even game...and they gave both teams opportunities to win it from the line. St. Joe's took advantage of those opportunities and KU didn't. Simple as that.

*Dear Bill Self: You have reached your limit for close games in one season. Please make sure that no more games come down to a last posession this season. Thank you.

*Watching the Baby Jays can be frustrating...but also can be a lot of fun.

*"Pretty frustrating loss," KU coach Bill Self said. "We got to start doing what good teams do. 6-of-19 from the free-throw line. We gave them the game. Free throws have cost us two games now."

No argument here, Bill. Hang in there.

Chalmers, Hawkins...Hawkins, Chalmers

Let's use a baseball analogy..in baseball, there are starting pitchers and relief pitchers.....IMHO, Chalmers is a starting pitcher...Hawkins is a relief pitcher.....You bring in the starter to set the tone for the game and to set up the team for the best chance to win....you bring in the relief when the starter needs a breather....IMO, the team is more potent with Chalmers at the point, particularly offensively, than with Hawkins....I think Hawkins would be fine off the bench to give Chalmers a rest and to keep the ship sailing straight....but as a starter...at the most important position on the team...he doesn't do a good job of setting the tone, providing leadership, or providing offense.

And I, for one, am getting tired of people bagging on Chalmers for TO's. He had ONE bad game...against Arizona. Against Nevada, in nearly half the minutes Hawkins got, Mario had 4 assists and 1 TO to Jeff's 2 assists and 3 TO's. Against Chaminade, he had 5 assists and 1 TO. Against Arkansas, he had 2 assists and 1 TO. So the talk about him being so turnover prone isn't accurate unless the entire opinion is based on one game. I also don't buy the talk about Jhawk being some defensive wizard that is heads and shoulders above Chalmers...Mario plays fine defense.

Put Mario on the mound...and keep Hawkins in the bullpen.

NOTE TO BILL SELF

Please start Mario Chalmers over Jeff Hawkins. I would rather lose with a freshman than lose with a fifth year senior that plays like a freshman.

I'm not the only one that thinks MU SUCKS

Snyder's return only delays inevitable at Missouri
Nov. 16, 2005
By Gregg Doyel
CBS SportsLine.com Senior Writer

Missouri should have fired Quin Snyder in March, and I mean that in defense of Snyder.

Quin Snyder's Tigers are already off to an 0-1 start. (Getty Images)
Like Mike Davis at Indiana, who clearly must lead his team into the 2006 NCAA Tournament or start packing his things, Snyder is facing a win-or-else season at Missouri.

No one has come out and said exactly that -- no one who would know, anyway -- but that's the widespread speculation. Quin must win, or Quin is gone.

Even Snyder speculated as much this summer, and then last month he said he suspected that Missouri "might can my ass" -- an outrageously honest thing for a coach to say so close to the early signing period. Within days, point guard Armon Bassett had backed off his commitment to Missouri (and opted for Indiana, of all places).

The only person who knows Snyder's status for sure is Missouri athletics director Mike Alden, and he's not talking. He didn't respond to multiple interview requests from CBS SportsLine.com on the topic. Alden knew what my question was going to be. By refusing to even entertain it, he basically gave away his answer.

Quin must win, or Quin is gone.

Which is ridiculous, because Quin can't win. Not this season. Not with this Missouri team in this Big 12 conference. The Big 12 is awesome, perhaps as awesome as it's ever been. Missouri is young, perhaps as young as it's ever been. That's a bad combination. Losing to Sam Houston State on Monday night was not a fluke. It was an omen.

But there were omens before, if Alden had been paying attention. He should have known in March where Missouri fit into the Big 12's immediate picture. Don't start with Linas Kleiza, either. Kleiza knew in March he was leaving for the NBA. Snyder knew. Alden had to know, and if Alden didn't, shame on him for being unable to see the forest (the Big 12's outlook in 2005-06) or the trees (Kleiza's NBA plan).

Despite its recent mediocrity on the court and an NCAA investigation that ended with three years of NCAA probation, Missouri chose to bring back Snyder for a sixth season. Alden made that announcement in February. He also indicated that Snyder didn't have a lifetime appointment, or even a multiple-year guarantee. To keep his job beyond 2005-06, Snyder needed to win more games. Alden was clear on that.

Nice. You don't walk into a Kia showroom and ask to see a Cadillac. You don't hit the McDonald's drive-through and order filet mignon. And if you're the athletics director at Missouri, you don't look at the current state of your basketball program, and at the current state of the Big 12, and demand immediate and noticeable improvement ... or else.

You fire the coach. You make the move, and you move on. That's what Alden should have done, because it would have been a lot more realistic than expecting tangible improvement on the court this season. Missouri is not Indiana. Snyder is not Mike Davis. If Indiana can't get into the 2006 NCAA Tournament with the talent on hand, Davis doesn't deserve another year in Bloomington.

Indiana basketball isn't the mansion it once was under Bob Knight, but it's still a damn fine house, and it's move-in ready. Missouri is a fixer-upper. Missouri needs time. Whoever the coach is, he needs time.

Another layer to this conversation is the relationship between Snyder and Alden. There isn't one. That's the worst-kept secret in Columbia, Mo. They clash over everything, from the location of Snyder's parking space to the time of daily department meetings.

Their relationship turned during the NCAA investigation. The NCAA went looking for $100 bills but found only nickels and dimes, but it was enough. It was embarrassing, beginning with the Ricky Clemons fiasco that began to unfold in 2003 and had turned Missouri into a punch line by 2004.

Alden could have fired Snyder several times along the way. He didn't, though it's not clear if he was showing strong leadership or weak indecision.

Now, Alden apparently has given Snyder an NCAA-or-else ultimatum. That's not indecision, but it's not leadership, either.

It's a wasted year for everyone involved.

My Thoughts on the Darnell Jackson situation

I've been in the US=CLASS, THEM=NO CLASS boat for a long time....and I've finally recently come to the conclusion that that belief is complete horseshit.

There are, or have been, classy fans and idiot fans at every university. There are, or have been, classy players and idiot players at every university. There are, or have been, classy coaches and idiot coaches at every university. There are, or have been, classy administrators and idiot administrators at every university.

And I realize this means that I've said that MU has some classy people too. I don't have problems with them. It's the idiots I can do without....and that's regardless of what university they represent.

WE ARE KANSAS. But we are far from above the law....and I think that entire line of thinking needs to go out the window with the rest of the bathwater.

Should we strive for it as a university, as fans, as coaches, as administrators, as students, etc? Hell yes. But will there always be friggin' idiots that screw it up? Hell yes.

So we'll just keep fighting the good fight....keep having good natured rivalries.....keep cheering on our alma mater.....and roll with the punches when bad luck or misfortune falls upon our beloved university.....

I mean...what other choice do we really have? Is anyone here going to stop being interested in KU basketball or football anytime soon? I know I'm not.

Mic

Kurtis Townsend on 810 A.M.

Kurtis Townsend was on 810 A.M. this morning...here are a few tidbits....

*Thought the kids played hard and really shared the ball. They played unselfish.
*Brandon can score 15-20 points and make it look easy. He played pretty good defense and rebounded the ball really well.
*Christian gives you "that steady hand and he's been there before".
*Russell Robinson--"Russell's had a great fall and a really good summer. He's gotten a lot stronger. I thought Russell did a good job. He can shoot the ball really good and didn't shoot it as good as he wanted to."
*Stephen Vinson--"Coach rewards guy that work the hardest and do the best. He doesn't have the talent that the other guys do. Coach sends the other guys a message on this is how hard you have to work. He's a great leader in practice. He's been the best of the guys in practice for 3 weeks. I thought he played hard like he does every day in practice and Coach rewarded him for that."
*Most important things to work on before Maui---Every day in practice, try to get better. We really have to get better defensively. Good teams aren't going to turn it over that much (as FHSU). We want to get the ball up the court and run. We've got things we definitely need to work on. I'm impressed on how hard they played and shared the ball.
*Best freshman last night--Rush--really impressed with how he played...and shot the ball so well from the FT line.
*Mario has unbelievable poise. He doesn't look or play like a freshman.
*Free throw shooting is always a concern, but they haven't worked on free throws much because they've been working on so many other things in practice. If you take Sasha out, the team didn't shoot that bad. Sasha has to get better because he is going to get fouled a lot. We'll work on it and get better.
*Different approach for coaching such a young team--Last year's group was great, but there is something about youth...they come in and are wide eyed....they are like sponges....even the sophomores....they all like each other...it's a challenge every day and it's fun....it's a good group and we're looking forward to the season.
*Darnell Jackson---has an eligibility issue--more precautionary thing--I can't say more than that--Coach Self would have to address that. I expect him to be ready for the season, but that's in somebody else's hands.
*Matt Kleinnmann--Matt's a fan favorite...he's a kid that works very, very hard....he works as hard as anybody...he's one of our best sealers of all of the big men, but doesn't have the athletic ability of the other big men...I think he's going to be able to help us before he gets done...that was fun to see him get out there and score enough last night.
*Sherron Collins--one word: TOUGHNESS...he grew up on the streets....he is a really tough kid that hates to lose...he'll be a really exciting player and I think you guys will really like him.
*Brady Morningstar--great feel for the game---great local kid---great program player--someone that will work hard every day, understand the fundamentals, and do the things that will help you win.

Mic

First Half Thoughts--KU vs. Fort Hays State

KU forced 9 TO's in the first 8 minutes. Quick, quick, quick hands!

Anyone else in love with Mario Chalmers yet?

Nice give and go from Rush to Sasha for a dunk early in the game.

Oh and did I mention the defense? Wow...I love the full court pressure....I love the intensity.

And how about CJ Giles showing some range on a couple of nice jumpers?

This team is going to be A LOT of fun to watch if they bring this type of intensity night in and night out.

Dear Sasha: Please call 1-800-I-Need-Help-With-My-Free Throw-Shooting. A little arc might help as generally the ball doesn't go in when you throw it in a straight line at the rim.

Clearly this team is learning who can score and will go through some lapses where no one really wants to take the shot. CJ seems like the only one that isn't a bit gun shy....but the unselfishness is nice to see across the board.

Hawkins with 3 fouls in the first 16 minutes....but also three 3's.

Mic

Random Thoughts: National Championship postgame

1. This year’s KU team couldn’t have beaten Illinois or UNC.
2. It is mind boggling how much better these teams were than KU from 3-pt land. I believe Galindo was our third highest three point shooter, making 17, this year. I think UNC and Illinois have about 10 players combined that could make that many 3’s in their sleep.
3. It sure would be nice to have a team that had 5 players on the court at the same time that are capable of scoring.
4. It’s a lot of fun to watch transition basketball. It strikes me as the exact opposite of what KU fans watched for much of the season.
5. Both of these teams played like TEAMS are supposed to play. They knew where each other was supposed to be…they passed the ball…they played unselfishly…and they had a will to win. I think either team beats this year’s KU team handily.
6. I would have loved to see Simien go toe-to-toe with May.
7. Billy pACCker was the reason the MUTE button was invented.
8. Did the officials treat Sean May with kid gloves tonight or what?
9. Amazing that Jim Burr and Ed Hightower weren’t calling the game. Rumor has it they were at an undisclosed location calling fouls on KU.
10. I’m glad Roy got his championship, even if it was at the wrong school. He’s put in a lot of effort over a lot of years to get to the top of the mountain. It’s just too bad he had to step on a few people’s heads to get there.
11. James Augustine got screwed tonight. 5 fouls in 9 minutes? That was a huge factor in this game.
12. This win is going to make it even harder for Kansas to recruit high school athletes over UNC. UNC has the championship…and they are a Nike school….both of those things matter to young high school kids.

Clarifying my thoughts on Roy

I’m not upset about Roy the person being gone....I’m over that part of it…...I’m upset that his decision to leave left us with a team of seniors that lost in the first round to Bucknell….and that likely wouldn’t have happened if Roy was still the coach at KU (because of continuity…not meant as a slight to Self). I’m thrilled to have Bill Self as our coach…Kansas fans will get the last laugh…and likely a championship or three….because of that.

But if you can honestly say you don’t care whether Roy wins or loses tonight, then I’m calling bullsh*t. You don’t follow a man…and a program….like all of us do for 15 years…..and then see players that we all really care about suffer a pathetic first round loss….and not hope that their former coach loses his a$$ on national television again….especially with the group of players that got Matt Doherty booted because he was too tough on them.

Again…let Roy win one….I think it would be good for all of his years and efforts….just not THIS year. Not while Simien, Langford, Miles and Lee have to watch the UNC whiners celebrating at midcourt…celebrating the championship that never would have been if Roy was a man of his word to KU’s four seniors.

What will make this Jayhawk fan happy?

The only thing that would make me happy at this point in the college basketball season is to see players Bill Self recruited celebrating their school’s first-ever National Championship, while Roy, the UNC players that Matt Doherty recruited who in return thanked him by getting him fired, and the arrogant Carolina administration and their fans cry about an opportunity lost.

Oh, and Wayne Simien being voted Player of the Year would be nice too….but we know that since the AP chose Utah's Andrew Bogut, it’s likely that he will get it, even though he had a quality season against inferior competition and Wayne had a tremendous season against the #1 schedule in the country (just take a look at all of the success that KU opponents had this year….South Carolina and St. Joes in the NIT final, Wisconsin-Milwaukee making a run in the tourney, the Big 12 with six teams in the tourney, etc, etc)

If there is a higher power out there that cares about college basketball, we will all go to bed on Monday night with a subdued smile on our face, Roy will be crying and will still be the most successful active coach without a championship, UNC will lose 3-4 players to the NBA, Bill Self will know he recruited the type of players that could get close the deal, and Wayne Simien will be the Naismith Player of the Year.

Mic's Truth About Roy

I think the truth will come out years from now…after Roy has retired….he’ll tell the story about why he had to leave…and KU fans will feel sorry for him and appreciate his motivations…and wonder why he didn’t just come out and say that in the first place….the reason, of course, is because he wanted UNC faithful to think he was coming there because of the almighty draw that is UNC…uh, no..that’s why he turned it down the first time….there were reasons he HAD to take it the second time it was offered….family illness and Dean putting pressure on him to save UNC basketball being the two biggest reasons….so he did it out of obligation to his own personal family and to the guy who was like a father to him (and Dean was wrong in putting Roy in the situation, by the way)….

But Roy will NEVER get over the fact that he lied to his players and let them down…and that their senior year ended in a first round loss to Bucknell. Part of that loss is on Roy..and he will never forgive himself for that.

I want Roy to win a championship…after Self does….and not this year while the seniors he betrayed are sitting at home watching THEIR championship go to a bunch of malcontents at UNC. Roy left them behind…and took TWO championship runs away from them.

He will FOREVER feel guilt…regardless if players “forgive” him for what he did….

He may be Carolina born and Carolina bread….but he is a Jayhawk in his heart….and he will never come to terms with the fact that he let so many people down by going against what his heart and mind told him to do…and that was to stay at Kansas.

He wasn't true to himself...and he wasn't true to Jayhawk nation...and that is why he is constantly trying to "make amends" with Jayhawk fans and players because the scarlet letter he bears on his chest says UNC...and he is ashamed for what he did to his Jayhawk family.

JR Giddens and Next Season

I can see next season for JR Giddens going one of two ways...and I'm praying for #2:

1. JR remains one dimensional, continues to struggle with his shot, gets a big head and starts acting like the leader of the team before the team has collectively chosen him as the leader, ends up taking a "back seat" to a younger player or players who perform better on the court, and then becomes "disgruntled" and negatively impacts the team's chemistry.

2. JR works on his game in the off-season and develops more aspects to his game so he is no longer a one-dimensional three-point shooter, learns how to dribble and create his own shot and that part of his game really develops by about mid-season, continues to joke around with players and keep the lockeroom loose, gladly accepts the role of leader AFTER the team has collectively placed that honor in his hands, continues to mature as a young man and particularly as a young man in the spotlight of Kansas basketball, becomes a solid supporter of Self and the coaching staff and what they are trying to teach, helps the younger guys get through the "sophomore slump" by sharing what he learned through his slump this season, starts to find confidence from three-point land again, starts to play with the energy and enthusiasm that he tried to unnaturally muffle, comes out and provides stronger leadership than we saw from any of the four seniors this year, comes to play EVERY night and doesn't feel like he can turn the switch on or off whenever he feels like it (hopefully he will have learned from this year's seniors), and start enjoying basketball again and becoming the contagious positive personality that we all know he has inside of him....and getting the opportunity to indirectly say "GO F*CK YOURSELF" to the idiot fans that boo'd him this season and to all of the radio personalities and others that beat him down this year.....and that he finally starts to trust people around him that truly care about him and his well being. And by season's end, he'll be leading the team back to the promised land of the NCAA Tournament....and conversations about him being a first-round pick in the NBA draft will actually be legitimate conversations.


Did I mention I'd be PRAYING hard for #2?

Rock Chalk.

Mic

We don't know what to expect from Self...yet

We don’t know what Self is, or isn’t, capable of when he has a team of “his guys” and doesn’t have to try to figure out how to coach around the “baggage” of inheriting a team of successful seniors who, by some reports, never fully bought in to what he was teaching. And if the seniors don’t follow 100%, it’s safe to assume the younger guys won’t either.

I never felt like this was Self’s team…I never really felt like the seniors brought the team together as one….unified in what their mission was and aligned with the mission of the coaching staff….

It’s an over-used cliché, but a big part of making a run in the tournament is team chemistry.

And this team’s chemistry was out of whack for pretty much the whole year. The first round loss was a culmination of a year-long struggle to find something that simply was never there.

Reasons to be positive going into the NCAA Tournament

Folks, as I read through this morning’s articles, I am convinced there are several things to be positive about as we head into the NCAA tournament:

*All of the quotes I am reading today are focused on the right mindset…..JR saying that he got back to shooting yesterday “without thinking”….Galindo saying he feels good that his teammates trust him…..quotes that the seniors have talked to the team about the NCAA tournament and what to expect and now that “it’s on”….Self saying that he feels better about this team now than he did heading into the Big 12 Tournament and that the team learned something about themselves in the Big 12 tournament…..Keith saying that he liked what he saw out of the team as he sat on the bench….EVERYONE finally talking about how they understand that the ball must go into Wayne and that they must ride his coattails.
*Something clicked with this team yesterday. I’m not sure what it is, but it clicked.
*The senior class has been playing all season long for this moment. They have unfinished business. They still have the sour taste of the loss to GT and the loss to Syracuse in their mouths. They will be ready. And they will step up their games.
*JR had his best shooting game in forever yesterday and was playing with the swagger that has been missing. Remember how important confidence is for a shooter. And I think JR has his confidence back.
*IF the NCAA selection committee puts KU at a 3 seed, the players and coaches will have extra motivation to shove it down the committee’s collective throat during tournament play.
*We are starting to get solid contributions from Robinson, Galindo, Giles and Jackson. They, too, know how important they are to this team making a run and that the stakes are higher in the tournament. All of the talk has been about the seniors wanting to finish things, but there should be a lot of talk about the freshmen making their dreams come true and playing in their first NCAA tournament.
*Langford will be back…with a vengeance….and well rested.
*Wayne Simien is playing the best basketball of his career as we enter the tournament.
*We will be playing teams that, most likely, have only seen us on tape, and not teams that have played us year after year and know what to expect. You cannot simulate Wayne Simien in practice. You cannot simulate Keith Langford driving past you in practice. You cannot simulate the sense of urgency that the four seniors will be playing with. You cannot simulate just how ready Bill Self and his staff will have this team for the tournament.

KU-OSU Thoughts

Click the title "KU-OSU Thoughts" to see some pictures from my last couple of days at the Big 12 Tournament.

And here are my thoughts on today’s game:

*It was a helluva basketball game. Definitely had the feeling of two heavyweights going at it punch for punch.
*A great effort by KU today, without Keith. To have a shot to tie at the buzzer…and get a good look…was a tribute to the entire team. They left it all out on the floor today.
*With Keith, we are the better team out of the two. Without Keith, we are equal to OSU.
*Kemper Arena got LOUD on a few occasions. It was a great college basketball atmosphere.
*The food and bathrooms at Kemper still suck.
*Kudos to Bill Self for going with a 3-point shooting lineup, which allowed KU to climb back into the game after two threes from J.R., one from Jeff Hawkins and one from Alex Galindo. I loved this lineup.*Shame on Bill Self for abandoning that 3-point shooting lineup after it got KU, and the KU fan base, back in the game.
*Wayne Simien should be the Player of the Year. After his last three games, there is no question about that. And today he has 30 points, 7 rebounds, and only 1 foul and 1 turnover. This team can go far if they keep going to Wayne. He is ready to take this team on his shoulders for a deep tournament run. OSU had NO ANSWER for him today. He was a man among boys.
*Why did we not continue to go to JR when it was clear he had the hot hand and was feeling it? He could have really helped blow that game wide open.
*Excellent job by KU today as they had only 11 turnovers. Unfortunately, OSU only had 5, which is really remarkable when you think about it.
*I like how we shared the ball. 23 assists on 31 field goals.
*We went through a 6-7 minute lull where we forgot to get the ball to Wayne. Again, there is NO REASON he shouldn’t touch the ball on every offensive possession.
*Russell Robinson played some MAD defense today.
*CJ Giles should be starting…and get more playing time…than Christian Moody. We have ridden Moody far enough, but he has become a serious liability, particularly offensively, for this team. The right answer is definitely to start CJ Giles. He brings an energy and enthusiasm that Moody simply doesn’t have. And CJ’s upside is far more than Moody’s. Oh yeah, and CJ had THREE blocks today.
*I think it is ridiculous that KU had 10 free throw attempts to OSU’s 24. Think that makes a difference in a 3-point game? And OSU’s Joey Graham had as many made free throws (10) as KU had free throw attempts. Operators are standing by…just call 1-800-BULLSH*T. There is no question that a huge disparity like that pretty much decided the game.
*I think it is ridiculous that Joey Graham had three fouls in the first half and NONE in the second half. And it was doubly ridiculous that apparently he has carte blanche when it comes to dipping his shoulder and driving into his defender.
*I think it’s even more ridiculous that Bill Self and his staff didn’t make it a point to get that fourth foul on Joey Graham. We barely went after him.
*Kudos for Alex Galindo to have the cajones to take that last shot to go for the tie….and for Self to trust him. It was a well executed play. It just didn’t fall this time.
*Fran Fraschilla could very easily be confused with Froto.
*I saw Coach Jankovich today. He was wearing a Carolina blue tie. I yelled out, “Hey Coach Jank. That’s the wrong color blue.” To which he responded “That’s the only one I had.”. Well, get a new one, Coach. NEVER where that color of blue.
*Wayne, Miles, and Lee were WARRIORS today. They gave it everything they had.
*I do take a lot of consolation in the fact that KU has had more success in the NCAA tournament when not playing on Sunday in the forever meaningless Big 12 Conference Tournament.
*I really wish Miles would have stepped it up offensively today, though I do think he was exhausted from the tremendous defense he was playing. And he deserves major props for dishing out 11 assists.
*So much for Darnell Jackson “getting it”. He played 2 minutes.
*And Sasha Kaun must definitely not “get it” as he played ZERO minutes.
*Has JR busted out of his slump? Hopefully so…nice job going 3-of-5 from deep today.
*While I am beyond impressed by the way other players rose to the occasion in Keith’s absence, it has me wondering why they don’t consistently step up more often. Mike Lee, for example, has played AWESOME the last two games. Ditto for Jeff Hawkins. What changed? I hope we see more of this stepping up the rest of the way, regardless of who is healthy and who isn’t.
*A question: Texas Tech has this hand signal that looks like they are holding guns up. And OSU does the same. Who has a patent on it?
*OSU did a fine job of taking care of the ball on the offensive end. That was a big key to KU’s inability to get over the hump in the second half.

On to the NCAAs…

Understanding Bill Self

What I find myself trying to do as a “new Bill Self” fan is understand him…why he does things the way he does….why he doesn’t do certain things….etc.

I, for one, think I got so comfortable with RW over the years that I pretty much had a good feeling for the way he ran things or the decisions he would make. I didn’t always agree, but I generally had a good understanding of why he made the decisions….or I had come to the conclusion that “that’s just the way Roy does it” and I accepted it because of his tremendous winning percentage, the way he represented the university from a national perspective, the Final Fours he took us to, the conference championships he won, etc.

With Self, we’re still in the “getting to know ya” stage, so it’s uncomfortable. Some of us want that same comfort level quickly and some of us are fine with just letting it play itself out. It’s kinda like people and relationships…some people want things to move fast….others want them to move at a slower, more “natural” pace.

It is extremely difficult for the players that were recruited by, and played for, Roy Williams to fully buy in and trust Bill Self. They, too, are in the “getting to know ya” stage and some will move faster in that trust and others will want to take things more slowly….and may not have that true trust until they are long gone and graduated. Add in to the mix a bunch of freshmen that are adapting to college, being away from home, playing at the Big 12 and college level, etc. and Bill Self has a lot on his hands in terms of trying to figure out exactly what buttons work for each player. By default, he’s going to go with what’s worked before….but if it doesn’t work with a particular player, then he has to figure out what does. So he has a lot of learning to do as well…and I believe he knows that.

This may not be a divine revelation, but I was definitely struck with a little bit more clarity on just how difficult it must be for Bill Self to be everything to everyone after following someone that had been so successful. We are indeed in a transition period. And we’re doing pretty damn well all things considered. So put me in the camp of people who will question Bill Self….but do so for understanding and not meaning to be critical…..but I think Kansas Basketball is going to be in really good hands for a long time to come.

So let’s enjoy the ride and take some time to get to know Bill Self, the man and Bill Self, the coach.

But put me down for one of the folks that strongly believes we’ve got a good one….on both fronts.

Concerns entering the post-season

At this point in the season, I'm concerned about:

*Keith's ankle
*Galindo and RussRobb: Can they consistently contribute solid minutes in the postseason even though Self has hardly played them over the last couple of months? They did a fine job today in a tough situation, but can they do it consistently now all of a sudden that we need them? SELF: "I haven't given Russell a chance to play much lately." Yeah, no kidding.
*Our team's unbelievable ability to repeatedly forget that Wayne Simien is on the floor...and for Self to not be able to get them to execute getting Wayne the ball. He said in his post game comments that Wayne should touch the ball every time down the court. I agree. So why doesn't he?
*Christian Moody's propensity to foul and inability to score...and how clueless the team looks on offense when Christian has to sit because of fouls.
*The team's propensity to place little value on critical possessions at key moments in a game
*The fact that our seniors lost for the first time in the regular season to MU
*That Aaron Miles said that MU was tougher and stronger than KU today
*Whether JR will ever find the deadly shooting stroke we saw last year
*Our team's confidence level after losing to a shitty MU team who haven't even qualified for the NIT
*That Alex Galindo said he feels like they let the seniors down today
*That OU is playing heads and shoulders above where KU is playing right now
*Whoever we play in the first game of the Big 12 tourney, whether it is KSU or A&M. If Keith is out, we're very beatable.
*MU went 8.5 minutes without a field goal in the second half...and they still beat us
*KU had a chance to win the title outright and secure the #1 seed and they weren't able to take care of business.
*That if you take out ONE of our starters, then our entire offense goes completely in a funk
*This team let numerous opportunities to lock up the conference title, each time letting it slip through their fingers
*That KU has played 40 minutes of Kansas Basketball maybe 3-4 times this season
*That we enter the post-season having lost 4 of our last 6

Can this team make a run in the post season? Maybe.

I'm just not very confident based on what I've seen in the last 5-6 weeks.

Way to go, Seniors

KU, predictably, beat a much improved K-State team tonight in what was an emotional Senior Night.

Aaron, Mike, Wayne, Keith: Thank you for four incredible years. You are the epitome of Kansas basketball and the four of you will forever go down as one of the best classes of all time.

Congratulations on another Big 12 title and best of luck in winning the title outright when you head to Columbia to face the KU-wannabee-MU Tiggers.

Rock Chalk.

Aaron Miles deserves some love

As I read through the days articles, Aaron Miles, as has been the case through most of his career, has once again taken a backseat to a teammate. Not that he would have it any other way, of course.

But lost in all of the much deserved praise for Wayne Simien is the fact that KU’s version of the little engine that could was 5-of-7 from the field, 2-of-3 from three point range, played 35 minutes (more than any other Jayhawk), had 6 assists to only 1 turnover, had only 1 foul, and hit the game winner.

Let’s give the kid some love.

Note to Billy pACCker

Dear Moron, er Billy:

Nice call attributing poor lighting in AFH to one of the reasons KU holds opponents to a low FG%. (Nice call, especially since OSU shot something like 56%)

And you should be ashamed for this comment: “…if J.R. Giddens isn’t hitting 3’s, he’s worthless.”

Billy, if you have your mouth open, you're worthless. Newsflash: YOU are not bigger than the game.

KU-OSU: Wayne's World

Congratulations to Wayne Simien for locking up Big 12 Player of the Year honors. Helluva game, big guy.

Congratulations to the Kansas Jayhawks for overcoming a lot of adversity and pulling together to win a great basketball game.

Congratulations also to OSU, for playing one incredible game. You and your fans should be proud.

What an incredible game.

KU-OSU: An opportunity

I just can’t stop thinking about this game. It’s big for so many reasons.


*It’s an opportunity for the team to regain confidence in themselves after three tough losses.

*It’s an opportunity to take control of their destiny and take a big step toward one of their goals: A Big 12 Championship.

*It’s an opportunity for the team to come together as one, united against a 4-game losing streak, against losing the Big 12 Championship, sticking it to the moron fans that booed one of their own, and to send a message to anyone and everyone that has begun to doubt them that they are still a team that can end the season as National Champions.

*It’s an opportunity for the fans to blow the roof off of Allen Fieldhouse.

*It’s an opportunity for J.R. Giddens to bust out of his shooting slump and get the “home love” he so rightly deserves.

*It’s an opportunity for all…players, coaches, and fans…to show a national television audience all of the glory that is Allen Fieldhouse and just how special it is to be a Jayhawk.

*It’s an opportunity for the four seniors…Aaron, Michael, Wayne and Keith…to prove that they can lead at a time when their teammates desperately need leadership.

*It’s an opportunity for Bill Self and his coaching staff to prove that they can weather this storm and come out stronger because of it.

*It’s an opportunity for our freshmen…Sasha, CJ, Darnell, Russell, and Alex….to come together and establish themselves as the future of Kansas Basketball, either by producing on the court or supporting their teammates that are busting their tails to get the Jayhawks to St. Louis.

*It’s an opportunity for Russell Robinson, who is not used to sitting on the bench, to use this opportunity as a learning experience and to know that he, if he chooses, will have a huge opportunity in the next three years to establish himself as one in a long line of great KU guards. (*Note to Russell: Son, your time will come. Jayhawk fans LOVE you. And we will be there for you when it’s your time to shine.)

*It’s an opportunity for the best walk-on in the history of college basketball to show everyone that he belongs and that this Jayhawk team is at its best when he is on the floor. Christian: This team is yours next year.

*It’s an opportunity to put a stamp on this season and take one big step toward in what may well be a great season to remember.


Rock Chalk.

If you watched the KU-OU game

Then you know the answers to most of the questions I asked in the Pregame Ponderings post.

It's a sad time for Jayhawk fans.

It will be interesting to see where this team goes from here.

I, for one, have no idea what they are going to do.

KU vs. OU: Pregame Ponderings

We will find out a lot about this Jayhawk team and coaching staff tonight, one way or the other.

Here are a few things I want to know:

*Can Bill Self find a way to motivate this team after two tough losses?
*Did Bill Self and his coaching staff come up with a better game plan after being outcoached the last two games?
*Will our four seniors lead tonight the way this team so desperately needs them to?
*How pissed are the seniors that the 32-home game conference winning streak ended on their watch?
*How pissed are the seniors that they just lost the third to the last game they will ever play in Allen Fieldhouse?
*How much will Giles and Galindo play and can they be effective having barely played over the last 6 weeks?
*Will Sasha Kaun play like a man tonight against Bookout and Gray or will he get pushed around and get in early foul trouble?
*Will J.R. Giddens be able to put behind poor shooting and (inexcusable) booing from the home crowd and blow his shooting slump out of the water in front of family and friends in Oklahoma?
*If J.R. isn’t able to bust out of his slump, will he be disciplined enough to cut back his shooting and do other things to help his team win? And will Self realize that is the right answer in order to give the team the best chance to win?
*Will Keith play hard for 40 minutes and keep the same pair of shoes on for the entire game? And will he hit his free throws if he gets to the line? And will he take the ball to the hole aggressively before the game has 30 seconds left?
*Will the other four players on the court get the ball to Wayne as much as he should get it, at least touching it once or twice on EVERY offensive possession?
*If Wayne does get several touches, will he get MEAN and dominate the paint like we need him to do tonight?
*Assuming Christian Moody again is not able to play, will some combination of Giles, Jackson, Kaun and Galindo be able to give this team the solid 40 minute effort that it needs at the 4 spot?
*Will Aaron Miles be more aggressive on the offensive end, both in taking shots himself and in creating shots for other using DRIBBLE PENETRATION?
*Will any of our perimeter players actually take a jump shot in front of the three-point line?
*Will we rebound better, after being outrebounded by one of the worst rebounding teams in the conference (ISU)?
*Will Bill Self put some faith in our bench players (and will they respond) so that our starters don’t have to play 39 minutes a game and can stay fresh?
*Will Michael Lee have one of those consistent all-around games we’ve been missing from him for quite some time? And will he avoid fouling out for the third straight game?
*Will the Jayhawks make a statement tonight that the Big XII Conference Championship still runs through Lawrence, KS?

And what of Iowa State?

I have heard very little about the KU-Iowa State game leading up to today. Why is that?

• Is it because we are still pissed about Aaron Miles Black-Eyed Traveling call?
• Is it because we are starting to realize that the bigger picture that is March Madness is just around the corner?
• Is it because it is starting to become more of a reality that this is our last dance with the four seniors?
• Is it because we are all so busy with our lives that we haven’t had time to think about this game?
• Is it because, for those of us in the Midwest, that Spring is so close we can almost taste the days where we can spend time outside and feel the sun?
• Is it because we already beat Iowa State once and we are unaware that they have won 6 in a row and are fighting for their lives to get to become NCAA tournament worthy?
• Is it because when you think of Iowa State, you really only think of those putrid yellow and red uniforms?
• Is it because Iowa State’s head coach looks like an inflated J.J. Walker?
• Is it because we’re all so excited about the zippidy-doo-da NBA All-Star game this weekend with all of the selflish players that make up that glorious league? Nick, Kirk, Drew, Raef, Jacque, Paul, Billy T, etc. are ironically excluded from both groups.
• Is it because the Jayhawks are back to the friendly confines of Allen Fieldhouse and lose at home as often as Quin Snyder gets love letters from MU fans?
• Is it because we are looking past this game because the “bigger” games come Monday and next Sunday against OU and OSU, with the latter likely deciding the conference championship?
• Is it because we have bigger things to worry about, like what else is Big Lew going to do to milk every last cent out the cash cow that is Kansas Basketball?
• Is it because we are all dreaming of a Final Four meeting with Illinois in the semifinals and our four seniors crying at mid-court of the TWA dome as Roy Williams cries in the opposing locker room?

Well, for this Jayhawk fan, it’s because I have complete faith that our team will be more than ready to play today, especially the four seniors, who with each bounce of the ball, know that their journey inside the sacred walls of Allen Fieldhouse is coming sooner than anyone wants.

It’s because WE KNOW that the Jayhawks will not lose another game at home…and maybe not even on the road. No team is coming into Allen Fieldhouse for the rest of the year and walking out with a smile on their face. It’s go time. The players know it. Bill Self knows it. The fans know it. So we walk into today’s game with a confidence that only Jayhawk fans can truly understand. Iowa State could come into this game with a 50-game winning streak and would not beat these four seniors….this team….in Allen Fieldhouse.

So let’s sit back today and enjoy….truly enjoy….every bounce of the ball… every Aaron Miles assist….every Mike Lee three-point swish….every Keith Langford drive-to-the-basket-and-finish….every point and rebound of another Wayne Simien double-double.

Soak it all up because the day will soon come where we long to see just one more assist, just one more three-pointer, just one more drive-to-the-basket-and-finish, just one more double-double….just one more of anything from the greatest senior CLASS (in both meanings of the word) in Jayhawk history.

It’s a great day to be a Jayhawk fan.

Rock Chalk.

More KU-Texas Tech thoughts

*Our Jayhawks played with a ton of heart. They have nothing to be ashamed of. They went in a difficult environment and competed their tails off. They deserved this win. It’s too bad the officials took the W away from them.

*Texas Tech’s students should be ashamed of themselves. The United Center wasn’t even sold out for ESPN’s Big Monday and the #2 team in the country in town. Pathetic.

*Darrell Dora hits only his fourth 3-pointer of the season to win the game. Can you say FLUKE? Of course he wouldn’t have gotten the shot had the officials done their job.

*Is it humanly possible for a Jayhawk team to get beat off the dribble more in one game? Just wondering.

*This was a well played game, with tremendous effort by both teams. It was a great college basketball game. And the officials ruined a classic game by making the wrong call and taking the game into their own hands. They should be ashamed of themselves. I know, I know..it shouldn’t have gotten to that point…but it did. And players should decide games. Not zebras.

*Did I mention the officials blew this game? I can’t even remember….which one of those morons made that horrendous call on Miles? He should forever be boo’d in Allen Fieldhouse.

*Martin Zeto had 24 pts and 6 rebs. Ross had 21 pts, 11 boards, and 7 assists. Johnson had 19 points.

*Simien had 20 points and DID NOT SCORE in either OT. 13 rebounds. His final bucket was with 3:28 left in regulation. He didn’t get ONE SHOT in the second overtime. He played 47 minutes.

*Miles had 11 points. Three 3-pointers. He played 47 minutes.

*Giddens did not score in the second period or either OT. Finished 3-of-13 shooting. 9 points in the second half. Outside of the horrible traveling call on Miles, Giddens poor shooting in both OT’s really hurt our chances of winning. He played 45 minutes.

*From Bill Self: “Exhausted right now. Unfortunate the way the game came down to the end….it was a great game…..it’s unfortunate it came down to one call…..we were up 5 and Christian let him beat him on the baseline and we fouled him….we go man the last possession, which I think was a smart play….I’m really proud of our guys…they are hurt in their right now….they are disappointed, which they should be because we had it right in our grasp….we rebounded like men…..didn’t make our free throws…Keith is playing with a hyperextended elbow…..a lot of good things tonight, but it was one we should have had…”

We own Ricardo Patton.

KU takes on Colorado today. I, for one, am not concerned about this game. It's in Allen Fieldhouse. The players are feeling good after continuing The Streak against K-State. The team is getting healthier. March is getting closer. And we own Ricardo Patton. I don't care that Colorado is playing better of late. We own Ricardo Patton. This will be an easy win for the Jayahwks today, in my opinion. I'm expecting at least a 15 point win and a frustrated look on Patton's face after yet another loss to the Kansas Jayhawks. Hey Ricardo...you are 1-20 against the Jayhawks. WE OWN YOU.

Sounds like Alex and CJ are feeling better, so I expect to see a bit of them today. Self has got to keep these guys semi-fresh as we may need them come tournament time. I’m also hoping to see RussRob get some time. I simply can’t believe he has fallen off that much and that JHawk is outplaying him so dramatically. The kid makes turnovers…but he also plays great defense….It’s time for these guys to start getting some confidence back and getting some time on the court. And what about Darnell?

I’m hoping for a blowout because that will open up their opportunities.

They want it. Jayhawk fans want it. Hopefully Self wants it.

Rock Chalk.

74-65: KU Over KSU...AGAIN

*And the streak lives on.

*KSU did what they always seem to do. Play out of their minds at times. Hit more 3’s than they typically do. And fold like a 5-dollar bill when it was all said and done. They tried hard. They played hard. And they lost…again.

*Did anyone else feel sorry for Christian Moody? He was completely overmatched against Massey tonight and fouled within seconds of entering the game on a couple of occasions. I love Moody to death, but performances like that could hurt this team in the tournament unless guys like Kaun and Giles can continue to step up.

*Massey was 6-of-16 from the floor and 8-of-11 from the FT line. I think the officials gave Massey a whistle as it seemed like every time he didn’t score, a whistle was blown to put him on the line.

*Solid game offensively and defensively for Sasha Kaun. He is really coming around and is strengthening our depth in the post with each game he plays.

*This team has to take an honest look at how they let a 17-point lead dwindle to 4. That is inexcusable for a team with the experience that this Jayhawk team has. I give them credit for finishing the game off, but I also think they need to look deep inside themselves and ask how they could let off the gas and let KSU back in it.

*Fred Peete did some ballin’ tonight. 6-of-8 from 3-pt range. Anyone wanna bet he won’t shoot like that for the rest of the season?

*Could the Jayhawks have looked more clueless against the zone? Again, inexcusable. They had glimpses where they looked like they knew what they were doing, but those were few and far between. Self, on the poor play against the zone, said “we started playing like we were trying not to lose….too many unforced errors….” Playing not to lose and going for the jugular are two different things. It concerns me a bit that this team has a tendency to do the former moreso than the latter.

*Who took over Aaron Miles body for a few minutes in the second half? A ball bounces off his face and leads to a turnover. He throws an alley-oop lob about 30 feet above the backboard. And he has 8 of KU’s 15 turnovers. He had 1 point. Self said “…he was due a game like this”. Uh, ok.

*A few KSU fans had a cheer I hadn’t heard before. “Who’s your daddy?-ho-ho…Who’s your daddy?-ho-ho”. After extending The Streak for another year, I think the answer to that question is rather clear.

*In Self’s postgame comments, he sounded none too happy. He sounded extremely frustrated with our sloppy passing, turnovers, and defensive breakdowns toward the end of the game.

All in all, another good win at The House The Jayhawks Built. It’s a conference win on the road against a “rival”. Those don’t usually come easy, and it didn’t come easy tonight.

I honestly never really doubted that the Jayhawks would pull it off. It was the difference between a team that knows how to close out a game vs. a team that is trying to learn how to do it.

Rock Chalk

Mic

KU-KSU: 1st Half Thoughts

*35-25 at the half

*The Hawks played some great defense. Think about it. The Mildcats only have 25 points at half.

*KSU fans were in it to start the game. As they always are. And then they were quiet as KU continued to increase their lead.

*KSU fans sound a lot like MU fans. Boo’ing anything and everything. That’s what uneducated basketball fans do, I guess.

*KU: 47% FG KSU: 33% FG

*Is Tyler Hughes a taller version of Richie Cunningham?

*Anyone else see Jeremiah Massey stare down the KU bench after he scored early and was fouled? Hey Jeremiah? SCOREBOARD.

*Langford hit some big threes in the first half and is playing with more swagger than I’ve seen from him at any point in the season.

*Great first half for Wayne. Well on his way to another double-double.

*Nice clutch 3 point shooting from J.R. as well.

*I LOVE how our guys hit 5-of-9 from 3 point range while KSU was as hot as they’ve been all year, hitting 4-of-7 from 3 point land.

*The most impressive thing about the first half? KU remained calm, played their game, played with a swagger, and just kept on swinging.

*KSU won’t stay hot and will start missing 3’s, start turning the ball over more, etc, etc. It happens every year and a big reason why The Streak lives on.

*Self left the starters in for pretty much the entire first half. Not a whole lot of substituting, but he was subbing at key times…give the starters a quick breather…and get ‘em back in.

*Sweet alley-oop dunk to JR from Aaron. You could feel the air coming out of Bramlage with that one.

*Anyone else notice Jeremy Case sitting BEHIND the Jayhawk bench in street clothes? What’s up with that?

C’mon Hawks! More of the same in the second half.

Rock Chalk,

Mic

KU-KSU 2002 Revisited

Here's a story I wrote back in 2002 after KU beat KSU yet again. Ahhhhh memories.

LONG LIVE THE STREAK
Much of the talk from the Land of the Purple prior to Saturday’s match-up between the Kansas Jayhawks and the K-State Wildcats was about The Streak. KU had won 19 games in a row in Manhattan and 26 in a row overall. After K-State took a 36-35 lead into half-time, purple fans everywhere had visions of their first win over KU in Manhattan since 1983. Then the Jayhawks, led by an incredible effort from senior Kirk “Not On My Watch” Hinrich, came out in the second half in an all-out blitz that would make Bill Snyder blush.


The Streak: 26 in a row in the series. 20 in a row in Manhattan. K-State has never beaten KU in Bramlage Coliseum. It’s the longest active winning streak on an opponent’s home court and only six games away from the longest streak EVER in Division I college basketball. Even K-State fans have to admit that their recent dominance in football doesn’t touch The Streak. It’s truly one of the most mindboggling statistics in college basketball.

Kirk Hinrich: What an incredible game for Kirk: 39 minutes, 28 points on 11-of-16 shooting (4-of-7 from three-point range) five rebounds, and five assists. And those numbers don’t even give a glimpse of how dominant he was in this game. He played with so much heart and intensity and put the team on his back when Nick went to the bench with his fourth foul. I think everyone in Bramlage Coliseum can appreciate the effort that Kirk gave in his last trip to Manhattan. You could feel him thinking “The Streak will NOT end on my watch.” When he wanted to score, he scored. When he wanted to involve his teammates, he’d
do it. When he wanted to turn up the defensive pressure, he did it. And, in the end, he willed his team
to victory.

I only wish Kirk’s performance would have been witnessed by a national television audience because anyone in their right mind (i.e. the voters) can see that he has All-American written all over him.

Aaron Miles: Aaron Miles played a solid game, scoring 13 points on 6-of-11 shooting and dishing out six assists while grabbing four steals. However, Aaron’s biggest contribution this season and again in this game was his defense. If you haven’t paid attention to the suffocating defense that Aaron has been playing this year, make sure you watch him in the next few games. He is one of the best on-the-ball defenders that has ever worn the Kansas uniform and it’s time that he starts getting credit for that part of his game.

I do have to disagree with Coach Williams, however, who said: "Nobody I've ever coached has gotten more criticism than Aaron Miles. That's just silly.” Uh Coach, I think Eric Chenowith and Greg Ostertag might disagree with you.

I, for one, think it's silly that Roy thinks it's silly that folks have criticized Miles. You might remember that Roy himself went off on Aaron's performance in the MU post-game press conference just a few days ago. The majority of the criticism toward Aaron has been for his inability to hit the open jump shot. I think that criticism is both fair and valid. We should all appreciate the fact that Aaron generally does a great job running this team, dishing out assists, getting to the bucket for lay-ups, forcing the tempo and playing great defense. But until he starts hitting his jump shot with some consistency and forcing teams to guard him on the perimeter, people will criticize his shooting.

Keith Langford: Keith shrugged off a less-than-spectacular performance against Missouri and came up with some huge plays in this game. I believe he ended up with three “bucket and the foul” situations and continues to be Mr. Consistent. When it’s all said and done, Keith will go down as one of the best finishers in the history of KU basketball. I love watching him glide through the air for lay-ups and knock down jumpers like he was born to do it. 18 points and 6 rebounds. What else is new?

Jeff Graves: Let’s give credit to Jeff Graves for one thing right off the bat: STAYING OUT OF FOUL TROUBLE. After having foul trouble in the last several games and getting two fouls early in the first half, Jeff had only one foul the rest of the way. Let’s hope this is a trend that continues and that The Mountain is finally learning to keep his hands to himself. Not only did Jeff stay out of foul trouble, but he ended up scoring 8 points and grabbing 10 rebounds (his sixth double-digit rebounding effort this season). He also was 4-of-4 from the free throw line on his way to having, as Roy said, “one of his best games of the season.” Way to go, Jeff. Keep it up. You will do great things if you stay out of foul trouble.

Michael Lee and Bryant Nash: Michael Lee and Bryant Nash continue to improve and are becoming solid contributors off the bench. Nash played 23 minutes and came up big with six rebounds. Lee played 12 minutes and had three rebounds and a three-pointer to go along with his aggressive defense. I don’t know about you, but I’ve really enjoyed watching these two develop and come into their own. They gain confidence with each and every minute on the court and the team knows that they can be counted on in crunch time.

"With Nick out, it was a matter of us stepping up with others on the bench. I knew we could do it," said Nash. And that is the difference. Earlier in the year, they weren’t sure of themselves. Now they are and the team is reaping the rewards.

Defense Becomes the Offense: Nick Collison heads to the bench after getting his fourth foul with 14:13 left in the game. K-State fans smell blood and KU fans feel an uncomfortable lump in their collective throat. At that moment, KU trailed 47-45. Then a funny thing happened. The Jayhawks picked up their defensive intensity with the ferociousness of a pit bull in a meat locker and completely devastated the Wildcats. With Player of the Year and All-American candidate Collison on the bench for nearly 12 consecutive minutes in the second half, the Jayhawks outscored K-State 35-13 and turned a two-point deficit into a 20-point lead. Go back and read that sentence again and tell me that isn’t beyond impressive.

Make no mistake about it, folks. This team’s best weapon is their defense. As we’ve seen time and time again this season, when this Jayhawk team commits….truly and unselfishly commits….to play in-your-face man-to-man defense, they are downright scary. They force turnovers that lead to baskets in transition and their defensive intensity creates a frenetic pace that forces the opponent out of their comfort zone.

We all know it and can feel it: This team is coming together and has the pieces to make a deep run in the NCAA tournament. Just how they far they go depends on their commitment to their bread-and-butter: DEFENSE.

Lavender Is NOT Your Color: K-State coach Jim Wooldridge decided to shake things up a bit when he asked his seniors what they thought about wearing replica jerseys to celebrate 100 years of basketball in Manhattan. The idea was to take K-State fans back to the glory years of purple hoops…back to a time when the KU-KSU game actually resembled a rivalry.

Here’s my take on the lavender unis, which I have to admit I had a hard time looking at: If this was truly “just another game” as Wooldridge offered during the week, why would he suggest that they change their uniforms? It may have fired up his team in the early going, but I think if any of his players had truly put The Streak out of their minds, bringing out the old jerseys brought it right to the forefront. I say forget the gimmicks and go out and play.

I think Keith Langford summed it up best for Jayhawk fans everywhere: "Their jerseys were kind of ugly if you ask me. But, then again, I don't like purple."

From the “Not So Original” department: K-State fans were heard chanting “H—A—R—R—Y
P—O—T—T—E—R” on a couple of occasions while Kirk was shooting free throws. That would have been funny if the chant wasn’t about two or three years old. I guess that just goes to show that things still are a couple of years behind in Manhattan.

A Tale of Two Teams: If you take a look at the two games between KU and K-State this year, there’s an interesting item to make note of: If K-State could have taken their first half from the game in Manhattan and the last 32 minutes or so from their game in Lawrence and put them together into one game, then
The Streak might have ended. Unfortunately the purples simply couldn’t avoid huge Jayhawk runs in
both games…..16-0 to start the game in Lawrence and a 21-6 run in Manhattan after K-State pulled to within 61-58.

Live by the Three, Die by the Three: K-State had seven three pointers in the first half due in large part to Roy switching to a zone defense because of foul trouble. Give K-State credit for taking advantage of the situation and knocking down the long ball. I have to admit that visions of the Nebraska game in Lincoln last year were dancing through my head as three-pointer after three-pointer went through the net. K-State’s hot shooting from behind the arc and impressive defense in the first half were the reasons the Wildcats took a 36-35 lead into the half.

Of course, there are two halves in every game and K-State didn’t show up for the second half. Not only
did their shooting cool off considerably (they hit one three-pointer in the second half), but they simply didn’t have the energy to match the defensive intensity they showed in the first half. “They ran us out of
the gym at the end there,” said Matt Siebrandt. “It seemed like they had an extra gear and we couldn't keep up with them.”

The Scratching Your Head Stat of the Game: KU was 14-of-20 (70%) from the free throw line. Collison, Graves and Langford combined to go 12-of-14 and Hinrich, who is usually an excellent free throw shooter, was 2-of-6.

After Further Review, The Officials Missed the Call: Kirk Hinrich shoots a three-pointer and one official raises his arm to signal that it indeed was a three-pointer. Swish…3 points for the Jayhawks. But wait, the officials decide to stop the game and take a look at the tape to see if Kirk’s foot was on the line. For those of us that saw the replay, it was clear that Kirk’s foot was behind the line and that is was a legitimate three-pointer. The officials, one who I believe was wearing lavender under his zebra outfit, reviewed the play and said that it was a 2-pointer instead of a 3. Huh? What? You’re kidding, right? Are we on Candid Camera?

In the end, it wasn’t the difference between a win and a loss, but it continued this season’s story of questionable officiating in the Big XII. I’m not just talking about calls that go against KU. I think there have been some horrible calls both ways in Jayhawk games and in other conference games. It’s really something that should be looked at by the Big XII leadership.(Did I mention that I’m still fuming at the “kid glove treatment” the officials gave TJ Ford when KU knocked off Texas?)

Give Credit Where Credit Is Due: This team loses it’s leading rebounder and second-leading scorer and is in prime position for another Big XII conference title. Roy Williams has done a great job of motivating this team and keeping them focused on the task at hand. He whipped Graves into shape, has made adjustments where necessary, and developed a questionable bench into a group of solid contributors that are buying into their roles on the team. Roy said this year has been more challenging than last year, but sometimes the payoff in life is so much sweeter when you have to work harder to reach your goals. I think Roy has done a great job this season of dealing with the adversity and should be commended for putting the pieces together and getting the team to buy into what he is teaching.

Wayne’s World: Did you hear the news that Wayne is hoping to be back for the Iowa State game on February 16? Keep those prayers coming, Jayhawk fans. This team will improve by leaps and bounds when the big guy is back on the floor. That thought, in a word, is delicious.

Up Next: KU takes on the Baylor Bears in Waco, Texas (8 p.m. Central time, ESPN+). The Bears are coming off an embarrassing 91-42 loss to the Oklahoma Sooners and will undoubtedly be more focused when the Jayhawks get to town. That being said, I think the Jayhawks will be ready and will head back to Lawrence with another double-digit road win.

Rock Chalk.

Mic

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