KU rebounds against cruddy purple bears

I was able to watch this game live finally (I had to DVR the last two, after knowing the outcome of the Memphis game, grr). Anyway, it looked like our practices since Memphis were probably picked up a bit. This team we played though, did not have the bigs to stop our bigs. Plus, they shot like crap (mostly thanks to our excellent D) and it was pretty much hopeless at the outset. We've got three of these joke schools in a row. For a team that's supposed to be #1, why are we scheduling like we are K-State? This is apparently not a very good UCLA team we are going to play (lost in 2ot to Cal State Fullerton), but it is on the road, so maybe we will learn something. I am concerned we will not be ready when we go to Knoxville, TN. That is a very good team full of seniors and juniors that looks ready to run everyone out of the gym.

St. Louis Blues

Unfortunately, like most people, I got my first view of the 2009-10 'Hawks from last night's butt-ugly game against Memphis in St. Louis.

Good news first: our inside game was dominant. Cole looked like the POY out there -- they credited him with 5 blocks, but he had more. The twins, as advertised, seem to have matured, except for Kieff fouling on a 3-point shot.

But the fact that we could dominate inside and still almost lose just goes to show how important guard play is in college hoops. Sherron was a hero at the end, and I like the fact that Xavier got 6 boards (a very Rush-like stat), but other than that our perimeter play su-u-u-ucked. The freshmen played scared -- not a surprise -- but so did Tyshawn and Tyrel. Even Sherron seemed off before he cramped up.

This team has hugely talented perimeter guys, but the question is, do we have any solid, dependable backcourt stalwarts to get us through these rough patches? Do we have a Russell Robinson?

Self's comments after the game seemed to indicate that Morningstar will be getting more playing time this season than most people assumed.

* Footnote: Scott, what do you think of your Tigers? Are they the real deal, or should 'Hawks fans be embarrassed that this game was so close?

* Another footnote: Do you think our players might have been distracted by this whole Mangino business? What's going on there, anyway?

* Also, one other key footnote about the game: We won! We won!

XOXO

Xavier Henry's line vs. Hofstra:

27 points
8-12 shooting
5-8 on threes
6-6 at the line
5 rebounds
2 assists
1 steal
1 block
0 turnovers

24 minutes. Good god.

Other numbers I like: 6 assists for Tyshawn, 23 points for Sherron, 4 blocks for Cole, 8 boards for Cole and 7 for Kieff. Also, 20-12 assists-to-TOs for the team.

This could be a juggernaut in the making. No, that's not a typo; I said "juggernaut."

Gorilla Warfare

Kansas doubles up Pittsburg State!

Both the Journal-World and the Star devoted entire articles to Marcus Morris' tomahawk slam (highlights here). In fact, this was the Star's only article on the game. Has a single dunk ever gotten as many column inches as this one?

A lot of buzz, also, on Thomas Robinson. I'm going to reserve judgment on that, because big men always tend to look good against the D2 patsies. But I can't wait for my first opportunity to see this team play -- hopefully this week.

FHSU Highlights

Got the link from Sido; thought you'd like to see it (if you haven't already):

Emily and I watched a good deal of the game, but I didn't get a strong sense of the team (still trying to learn the names and numbers...). It was very nice that Elijah's highlight dunk started with Xavier on the floor making the steal and the pass.

Oh, and Deron has to be right about the ranking. Juggernaut. Should be a hell of a year.

preseason #1

So we're the clear preseason #1, first game is tuesday against Temple, and I got myself a signed ball with the whole team and coach Self... Good times!

Late Night in the Phog

The new season is almost here and last night the newly renovated fieldhouse was packed and rocking.






The play was a little sloppy but still impressive. I couldn't believe how good of shape everyone was in. The Morris twins look like completely different players this year. And Xavier Henry is going to be amazing. He has incredible athleticism. Plus Cole and Sherron who were named co big 12 preseason players of the year! We are going to be tough to beat, to say the least.

The fieldhouse got a face lift and was unveiled last night. The sports museum was expanded and had all kinds of cool interactive exhibits. But the highlight had to be the giant trophy case in the center of it all.


The first game is nov. 3rd. Rock Chalk!

X, Man!

Hoo boy.

It just seemed too good to be true, but as with so many Bill Self recruiting stories, the best-case scenario has come to pass. Xavier Henry's a Jayhawk -- as is C.J. apparently.

If we were the 2010 pre-season #1 already, now we're ... well, put it this way -- no one else is even worthy of #2.

Depending on which list you look at, X may be the biggest Kansas recruit since Manning. (Don't hold me to that, but that's an educated guess. Julian, Nick, Paul and Raef were big recruits, but were any of them ranked as high as #3 in their class?)

But even if X doesn't turn out to be the second coming, that's OK. This team is so loaded, he doesn't need to be. He'll have his ups and downs like any freshman, but if he can just average double figures -- and believe me, if you've seen this kid's jump shot, he can -- that should be enough to put us over the top.

This gives Kansas the holy trinity of great players that most championship teams must have -- guard, wing, big man.

Kansas 2010: Collins, Henry, Aldrich
Carolina 2009: Lawson, Ellington, Hansbrough
Kansas 2008: Chalmers/Collins, Rush, Arthur
Florida 2006-7: Green, Brewer, Noah/Horford
Carolina 2005: Felton, McCants, May
Syracuse 2003: McNamara, Anthony, Warrick
Duke 2001: Williams, Dunleavy, Boozer
Duke 1991-2: Hurley, Hill, Laettner
Kansas 1988: Pritchard, Newton, Manning

Scott, we haven't heard from you in a while... Thoughts? I'm genuinely sorry that so many of KU's recent successes seem to come at Memphis's expense...

I'm Back, Baby!

But more importantly, so are Cole and Sherron.



Here's some video on the announcement.

So, are we #1?

And, this kind of puts all that hand wringing about Xavier/Cal/Lance in perspective.

Here We Go

Finally the wait is over. The good news is rolling in--someday we'll look back on April 3rd as a historic day, the day that the Iowa Supreme Court finally did the right thing and
...
in an unrelated story, the day that the AP named Bill Self national coach of the year.

Congrats, coach!

Hell of a year. Hell of a year!


And in other news, although there's no word from Stephenson, Xavier Henry wants to be a Jayhawk, according to his father.

It's a good day to be an American, and a good day to be a Jayhawk.

Rock Chalk!