Sherron's coming-out party continues (despite some dumb TO's in the first half). No one seems to have video of his crazy thread-the-needle assist to Darrell in the 2nd half, but the Star captured it nicely here ...
Sherron, Darrell, and Mario were the only Jayhawks who really had a good game (including the coach, in my opinion--why risk bringing Brandon in w/ two fouls at the end of the 1st half when it just means we have to hang back and play zone anyway? If this game proved anything, it's that this team can score, and win, even without much help from B-Rush)...
Other negatives? Our team assist-to-turnover ratio was 12 to 16; even Sherron's was like 3 to 4, I think. On the other hand, you've gotta be happy with us shooting 51% (against Huggins' Mad Max-style defense) while holding KSU to 32%.
Below, another interesting photo from the Star: Self doing Mick Jagger ...
This was a grind-it-out win that I actually enjoyed. I think it's because we played too fast - tried to do too much. As ugly as it sometimes was (loads of turnovers especially in the first half) - it wasn't from lack of effort.
ReplyDeleteNo complacency. They were just forcing the run and gun. Which is what we want to see them do - so no complaints from me.
Yeah, it was a hugely entertaining game despite the ugliness. Great crowd enthusiasm, great intensity from both teams.
ReplyDeleteIf Huggins really does have the 3rd-best class in the nation coming in next year, our streak may be in danger but it can only be good for the conference (until the inevitable mug shots and recruiting scandals, that is).
Well we definitely look like a solid #2 seed but after watching Wisconsin fall to MSU I'm wondering if we have a chance at a #1 seed. There's still a fair amount of basketball left and we are looking really good. If we win out the rest of our games (Texas being the only real challenge left) and there's a couple more upsets (I think both Maryland and Duke could beat UNC, Wash st could beat UCLA, and ohio state and wisconsin still have to play each other) do we have a realistic shot at a #1 seed -- especially considering that we beat florida earlier this year?
ReplyDeleteGood to have everyone blogging again. Welcome back, Aaron. (Now if we could just find Ismail) ...
ReplyDeleteA 1-seed looks more possible every day. But I think to get it we still have to win out the rest of the season and advance in the conference tourney, probably make the Final.
And we also need A&M to lose. (It could happen tonight -- they're in Stillwater). We're still tied in the standings and the tie-break goes to them. If we can't win a relatively weak conference outright I don't see how we get a 1, regardless of what UNC and the others do.
I really enjoyed that MSU-Wisc. game, esp. when Neitzel made one of his circus shots down the stretch and they cut to a fan with a banner reading "That ... Just ... Happened!" -- a la "Ricky Bobby."
I'm here, I'm here. Things have been crazy, but I don't want to disapear completely during one of the best parts of the year. I don't know dgl, no other commentator thinks the 'Hawks have a shot at a #1 seed. I am with you though. All it takes is for one of the 1's to fall hard and KU to win out and I think they have to take the Jayhawks regardless of their weak RPI and related (and much discussed) cupcake non-conference schedule.
ReplyDeletethat being said- does UNC really have THAT much better of a non-conference schedule? They beat a mediocre AZ team on the road- so what? We have the FL win, and the USC win was looking better (until the ASU debacle). I guess KU really lacks a "marquee" road win. I predict a 2 seed.
Word on the wire is that Russell is out at least one game with a foot injury, so Sherron will be starting.
ReplyDeleteBack to seedings for a moment: The Sporting News's Mike DeCourcy tells the LJW that KU has no chance at a 1:
"The Jayhawks can write a best-selling novel, invent a new wonder drug, volunteer at the local ‘Y’ and maybe even beat Texas A&M in the Big 12 championship game, but the committee still will find them lacking ..."
His reasoning is that KU has only one victory against the RPI top 25. But so what? The committee knows what that one victory was, and it's a hell of a lot more impressive than say, beating Indiana.
There are still several games left; if we win out and A&M loses and one of the current top 5 loses more than once (all distinct possibilities) then DeCourcy may have to eat his words.
(Not that I'd be crying about a 2).
Oh yeah, and thanks for nothing, OSU. That was pathetic!
And, Ohio State has only lost to good teams, but have hardly beat any good teams.
ReplyDeleteThey barely beat Penn State again last night.
Doug Gottleib seems to aggree with me:
ReplyDeleteDoug Gottlieb
1. Florida
2. UCLA
3. Kansas
4. North Carolina
5. Wisconsin
6. Texas A&M
7. Ohio State
8. Washington State
9. Memphis
10. Nevada
11. Georgetown
12. Pitt
13. Southern Illinois
14. Texas
15. Duke
16. Winthrop
Kansas might seem a bit high to some, but look closer at what the Jayhawks have done and you can see my logic. Yes, they lost to A&M at home, but if we think back to that game, we remember that the Jayhawks dominated for 36 minutes before Acie Law put them to sleep. A&M has been incredibly impressive for the most part, but KU has won its five games since that loss by an average of 27.2 ppg and KU's out-of-conference performances are far superior to that of A&M's. To whomever voted on either poll for Ohio State to be No. 1, I have to ask, "Why?" The Buckeyes are a very solid young team that seems to be improving, unless they play Penn State, but they have one victory over a ranked team all year -- and that was Tennessee, at home, by 2, and Tennessee cannot win on the road. No one is saying that either Ohio State or Wisconsin are bad teams, but they have just not shown themselves to be as elite as the top four. Memphis is the wild card here. They have been in the witness protection program for that past couple of months, but the Gonzaga game was impressive, considering what was at stake for the Zags.