I guess my reaction is almost opposite yours, DGL. I'd call Davidson the anomalous game. USC seems more like what I'd expect from this team: not always pretty, and a rotating cast of scorers (though EJ has been looking more and more solid lately), but solid wins against decent teams—and on the road even!
Anyway, just to quibble a bit more with the previous dooming and glooming, according to ESPN, TT is averaging 50% from outside, Teahan 41%, and EJ 33%. I for one am pretty happy with those numbers.
Now, I missed the first half last night (darn birth classes!), but what I saw in the 2nd looked pretty good: Johnson had some great athletic plays, and TRob continues to shine, even against double-teams. Good stuff.
Friday, December 23, 2011
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
... And Back Down to Earth
I regret to say that losing to Davidson doesn't surprise me a lot. Particularly when you look at outside shooting, our dismal performance yesterday was unfortunately a lot more characteristic than our brilliant showing vs. the Buckeyes.
There are other factors, of course -- TT coming back from injury, some key defensive lapses, and esp. the continued turnover problems. But that stuff doesn't worry me as much...
TT will get better, the D has been mostly very good, and the turnovers are to some degree correctable. But if Conner, TT, EJ, and Travis continue to have games where they can barely crack 25 percent from distance while T-Rob gets doubled and tripled, we'll be lucky to make it out of the Round of 32 this year.
When Brady and Reed suddenly couldn't buy a bucket in the VCU game last season, it was a crazy, unprecedented, tragic fluke. With this year's team, it's becoming more like the norm.
There are other factors, of course -- TT coming back from injury, some key defensive lapses, and esp. the continued turnover problems. But that stuff doesn't worry me as much...
TT will get better, the D has been mostly very good, and the turnovers are to some degree correctable. But if Conner, TT, EJ, and Travis continue to have games where they can barely crack 25 percent from distance while T-Rob gets doubled and tripled, we'll be lucky to make it out of the Round of 32 this year.
When Brady and Reed suddenly couldn't buy a bucket in the VCU game last season, it was a crazy, unprecedented, tragic fluke. With this year's team, it's becoming more like the norm.
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Signature Win
Sullinger or no, that was awesome.
I can't figure this team out. In some games we seem utterly incompetent on offense with the exception of T-Rob. Then we come out against one of the toughest defensive teams in the nation in Ohio State, and shoot the lights out.
And where did Kevin Young come from? There wasn't a single aspect of that game in which he did not excel. If we can keep getting bench play like that we have a higher ceiling than I thought.
Even more important was EJ's shooting. This may be the biggest factor for us this year -- we desperately need that triple scoring threat, but EJ has been our least consistent guy.
Tyshawn's turnovers were driving me nuts, but I had no idea until the end of the game that he had put up Steve Nash-type assist numbers. Some of that may be a bit flukey just because we were nailing every 3-pointer we heaved up -- but you could turn that around and say TT would have a better assist-to-TO ratio on the year if not for EJ and Conner missing so many open shots in other games.
So let's give TT a round of applause as he heads off to surgery. Turnovers are inevitable when you're up against an elite defender like OSU's Craft, but the pluses outweighed the minuses, esp. when you factor in the injury. This was Tyshawn's finest hour -- so far.
I can't figure this team out. In some games we seem utterly incompetent on offense with the exception of T-Rob. Then we come out against one of the toughest defensive teams in the nation in Ohio State, and shoot the lights out.
And where did Kevin Young come from? There wasn't a single aspect of that game in which he did not excel. If we can keep getting bench play like that we have a higher ceiling than I thought.
Even more important was EJ's shooting. This may be the biggest factor for us this year -- we desperately need that triple scoring threat, but EJ has been our least consistent guy.
Tyshawn's turnovers were driving me nuts, but I had no idea until the end of the game that he had put up Steve Nash-type assist numbers. Some of that may be a bit flukey just because we were nailing every 3-pointer we heaved up -- but you could turn that around and say TT would have a better assist-to-TO ratio on the year if not for EJ and Conner missing so many open shots in other games.
So let's give TT a round of applause as he heads off to surgery. Turnovers are inevitable when you're up against an elite defender like OSU's Craft, but the pluses outweighed the minuses, esp. when you factor in the injury. This was Tyshawn's finest hour -- so far.
Friday, December 09, 2011
Weis, Sullinger, Obama, Etc.
I don't know what it's going to take to get some excitement going on the old blog... New football coach? Presidential shout-out? Pending showdown with No. 2 in the nation?
This is one of those rare KU games where the pressure should be off a bit, and yet I kind of feel we need to win this. We've proven we can compete with the big boys, and we've proven we can decisively beat some decent second-tier competition. But on our own floor, with a possibly ailing Sullinger, it's time for a signature win. Enough moral victories.
(If nothing else, a win over Ohio St. might propel us over those Missouri secessionists in the rankings. Also, my uncle's going to be in attendance, and it would really make his weekend.)
I watched the S. Florida game last week, and was, uh, somewhat encouraged. At least we proved in the 2nd half that we can hit some 3's on occasion. I didn't see the Long Beach State game, but I think that was a good win vs. a good team. I'm glad the Obama endorsement didn't jinx us this time.
As for Charlie Weis, I have my doubts, but if he can come anywhere close to his Notre Dame record, we'll probably be erecting statues of him at Memorial Stadium.
This is one of those rare KU games where the pressure should be off a bit, and yet I kind of feel we need to win this. We've proven we can compete with the big boys, and we've proven we can decisively beat some decent second-tier competition. But on our own floor, with a possibly ailing Sullinger, it's time for a signature win. Enough moral victories.
(If nothing else, a win over Ohio St. might propel us over those Missouri secessionists in the rankings. Also, my uncle's going to be in attendance, and it would really make his weekend.)
I watched the S. Florida game last week, and was, uh, somewhat encouraged. At least we proved in the 2nd half that we can hit some 3's on occasion. I didn't see the Long Beach State game, but I think that was a good win vs. a good team. I'm glad the Obama endorsement didn't jinx us this time.
As for Charlie Weis, I have my doubts, but if he can come anywhere close to his Notre Dame record, we'll probably be erecting statues of him at Memorial Stadium.
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