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CJ Online -- Jesse Newell: With help from bench, KU tops Wake Forest, 87-78 ↗

PARADISE ISLAND, Bahamas — Andrew Wiggins scored 17 points on 6-for-13 shooting, leading the Kansas men's basketball team to an 87-78 victory over Wake Forest on Thursday in the first round of the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament.

CJ Online: Live blog ↗

Jesse Newell:
Welcome to Paradise Island Bahamas, where KU is getting set to take on Wake Forest in the first round of Battle 4 Atlantis.

KU Athletics: NO. 2 KANSAS SHOWS DEPTH IN WAKE FOREST WIN, 87-78 ↗

PARADISE ISLAND, Bahamas — Watching a 14-point halftime lead sliced to four, freshman guard Frank Mason stepped up for a crucial three-pointer to restart the No. 2 Kansas offense, who went on to defeat Wake Forest, 87-78, to open its stay in the Bahamas in the Battle 4 Atlantis on Thanksgiving Day.

Kansas City Star: KU holds off Wake Forest 87-78 in Bahamas tourney ↗

Paradise Island, Bahamas — You might think that a weekend getaway on a tropical island would lighten the mood a little at the Battle 4 Atlantis.

KU Sports: Jayhawks win ugly in paradise ↗

The No. 2-ranked Kansas University basketball team lost its previously pristine shimmer. The eye-popping, head-turning, jaw-dropping plays that beat Duke in Chicago were replaced by shrugs, mehs and I-guess-that’ll-dos versus Wake Forest in the Bahamas...

KU Sports: Point guard, Demon Deacons not into moral victories ↗

Paradise Island, Bahamas — Down 14 points at halftime against the No. 2 team in the nation, Wake Forest University men’s basketball coach Jeff Bzdelik knew his team wasn’t through against Kansas...

KU Sports: Kansas bench keys win vs. Wake

Paradise Island, Bahamas — Kansas University basketball coach Bill Self was brutally honest with his star-studded starting five during his postgame speech following an 87-78 first-round Battle 4 Atlantis victory over Wake Forest on Thursday in Imperial Arena...

Post game press conference -- Bill Self, Jamari Traylor and Frank Mason discuss beating Wake Forest ↗

I didn't get to see the game. How did Kansas look? I heard Wiggins had some flu-like symptoms?

Also, what did Devin Thomas do to get ejected?

@kirkismyhinrich Our guys looked pretty decent on offense. Our defense had some lapses guarding the paint, and especially in transition. The game got as close as 4 points late in the second half. Our first unit appeared to get in the doghouse with Self, and we had ne'ery a starter in for a 7 minute stretch in the second half when the game in the balance. The second string performed admirably.

Wake Forest looked impressive and they seem Madness bound in March, if they play like they did against us for the balance of the season.

Thomas got ejected for jawing at an official (who was also jawing at Thomas inappropriately) repeatedly.

I didn't get to see the game and had to track it on ESPN game tracker. I got really nervous when they cut it to 4.
I'm really interested to hear the comments of those that watched the game.
It looks like we couldn't stop the McIntire kid. We evidently didn't play very good defense in the 2nd half.

In the post-game interview, Coach Self said the second team played better than the first team. I hope that is a wake-up call, but I also wonder if some of the first team are sick (something else that Coach Self mentioned). Either way I'm glad the first game is out of the way and look forward to better play tomorrow against Villanova.

I watched some of the first half of Iowa vs Xavier. Both teams seem energetic and play together as a team.

The starts played reasonably well in the first half but seemed to lose focus in the second half.
Let's be thankful we have such deep team that the second team full of freshmen played better than the starters. I noticed that Brannen Green is still MIA when his outside shooting could have been put to use; that is a deep doghouse.

Bill told Gurley afterwards that:

1)He thought Mason played his best yet today & reminded him of Mario. Something tells me this guy's stock is rising-hello!

2)Also several guys, Wigs, Perry, Na, are a bit under the weather but improving.

3) First team looked bored in the 2nd half but 2nd team played with good energy. )

Also...Thomas had been whining all game when he got the first T & second when he assertively & verbally stood up to the ref. He now must learn quick when to let it go or he'll end up as a marked guy waiting for the suspension to happen. I thought he was oh so close to that today.
JMO but maybe as the stakes get increased the starters will ratchet up some defense. Right now Wigs & Mason seem to be the most consistent defenders, but I've only seen about 3 games. Others (Perry) seem slow to switch, or (Black)look to heavy hand block & foul too often. I also don't think Embiid should be on the pine as much-he needs the reps in the non con.

My takeaways:

• Until Wiggins really explodes, Embiid is the most breathtaking player on this team. He even does the little things like screen out defenders when a teammate drives to the hoop. I cannot believe this mon.
• To my untrained eye, Ellis just doesn't look good on D.
• Mason is a jewel. Imagine freshman Sherron with his weight under control.
• I'm happy for Andrew White
• I'm unhappy about Greene: I'd hate to see Matt Tait's percentage wheel on him transferring. I'm not even sure he'll come back for second semester.

Wiggins was obviously sick. I thought so long before the announcers told us. Shouldnt have been allowed to play, for his health and that of the rest of the team. Perry also was said to be under the weather. Seth tweeted after the game that Wiggins had not left his room since they arrived. Apparently the docs thought he was no longer infectious and allowed him to play. He still turned it on at the end. I can't wait to see him healthy and ready from the opening tip. The player of the game once again was Andrew Wiggins.

A sick Wiggins leads the team in scoring. That's just sick.

Wiggins will explode, it is just a matter of time. Who knows why he hasn't done that yet. That said, I do think he has had some good games and clearly he is going to be a high elite nba talent some day too.
Mason is Sherron Collins Jr! That guy is awesome.
I really hope Greene doesn't wash out of the program, doesn't transfer. HOpe the guy can be patient for a while.

@Lulufulu
I know Self compared him to Mario, but I was thinking Sherron as well.

I only was able to watch about 3/4 of the game and I'm glad to hear (in a way) that Wiggins, Ellis and Tharpe were sick. They did not play like the usually do.

It seemed like WF played a lot of 2-3 Zone and just dared us to take outside shots. They also got some easy back door cuts to the basket and some easy transition buckets to pull close in the second half. I think our bench did a good job, but we will need some more firepower and better D against Villanova.

Mason did a great job! I feel we are very lucky to have 2 PG's who each bring something a little different to the table.

I hope Wiggins, Ellis and Tharpe feel better for today's game.

Wake played zone till around under 10 in 2nd half. Likely many teams will with the rule enforcement fiasco taking place, Drew will love this in Wacko. Slow ball reversal shines like a huge turkey turd on the end gate rod. Mason & Na must pierce the seams, get the zone outta shape, then the others must fill the passing lanes. There were times when Mason went straight to the rack, but others were standing around too much. Truthfully, guys were sick & this is certainly not indicative of the way they'll play going forward. Also FYI, look for the game tonight on dish channel 167, nbcsports network. Lack of forceful D is seriously changing what Bill has taken to the level of play we're accustomed to. FT shooting will decide many games if the trend continues. JMO, but if there is consistency nation wide we'll adjust, but conferences that are not uniform will create problems when the dance begins, with more upsets than ever before. I think parity is what this is all about secondly, only to the almighty buck.

Big 12 Conference Highlight Video -- look for in video section

link text ↗

I've got the game yet to watch (in full) on someone's DVR. Will see it tomorrow.

But I did see part of the game on the internet via the link someone posted on here. I just caught a few minutes of the second half.

I recall watching our fast break defense collapse. Someone on WF dribbled the ball, coast to coast, right by Perry (who had his back to the ball and not even watching). Perry actually was a moving screen against his own teammate.

That will be a humiliating piece of tape to run back in Lawrence next week when coaches evaluate this road trip.

I also watched Mason totally keeping us alive with scoring and energy.

I wonder if our second team, in general, can typically match the performance of our first team. As long as Embiid and Mason stay on second team...

I hope several of our guys were just sick... because some of the play looked sick. Don't know if they can improve much playing again today.

Seems that we rarely play well on these island pre-conference tourneys.

We have to realize how good it is to win games now where we play bad. We don't get penalized with a loss, but CS collects plenty of ammunition to take into practices and drill these guys. It's hard to keep a team of young guys paying attention all the time and hustling. It is clear that CS had to pull the starting five in order to get their attention in the Bahamas.