• SHOWDOWN TIME!
• KU BY 10.
• Surprise: Tharpe starts on Smart. Crowds up and under. Plan is for Tharpe to crowd Smart to Selden or Wigs for switches. Mason ditto. OSU counters with throwbacks to Markell.
• Usual MO: lots of bench first half to play for last ten of second half.
• Self gives the biggest amp so far.
• KU offends inside out, bench bigs regain their mojos.
• a good time is had by all.
Let's get this party started!
@globaljaybird, and it should be a big one!
Perry and Naa need to give the frosh a little history lesson on our next opponent and let them know we don't want to see this again....
[asshole](
@Lulufulu85, it is now a possibility, having gotten to road wins to set up possible sweeps. But I still think playing for A title is much more realistic than playing for running the table in conference. What we are seeing right now appears to be the fruit of self scheduling tough opponents early, plus choosing to start the season slowly and with a less heavy workload. Other teams seem already to be hitting the January wall. I doubt that it is probable that KU can avoid hitting a wall simply because of the light early workload. More likely the wall wiill come in February, hopefully when our team has built an insurmountable edge. Even if we can run the table, it may make more sense for self to develop more aspects of the team, and take a loss for doing it, rather than running the table. Further, they must guard against hubris, because turnovers and cold shooting on a team that does not disrupt much could lead to an upset by almost any team in the big 12. But the short form answer to your question is that, yes, running the table has now become a slim possibility. And if Ku's pony guards can find a way to contain smart in the OSU game, then that possibility grows significantly. Rock chalk!
@Kip_McSmithers, yup
@Kip_McSmithers - I hope Coach Self plays this non-stop all week long and then show it on the scoreboard just before tip-off.
Flip-Flop. Eh, what?
Maybe we should post that video on all of the players twitter feeds every day until Friday and twice on Saturday.
This OSU matchup is going to be interesting.
I think this is another good matchup for Frankamp, especially when either Forte or Stevie Clark is on the floor. Clearly don't want Conner matched up against Smart, Nash or Brown for any length of time, but against their smaller guards, I think the match up works and could give Conner a chance to really shine.
I would toy around with giving Mason a chance to guard Smart when he's in the game. He seems like the type of player that could really agitate Smart.
Without Cobbins, OSU can't match up with KU on the interior, so they may do much like ISU did and try to spread the floor with shooters and slashers. Because Nash, Smart and Brown are all good rebounders on the perimeter (all averaging over 5 boards a game), they are much better equipped to play small and not get mauled on the boards like ISU did. If OSU goes small, either Frankamp or one of the color guard (White, Greene) needs to be ready to come in play well off the bench.
This will be a real test for Andrew Wiggins. He will spend a lot of time matched up with a decent pro prospect in Le'Bryan Nash. Nash knows that this will be a true showcase game for him and, when properly motivated, Nash is one of the 15-20 best players in the country. Wiggins needs to make sure he's ready to play a complete game because my gut tells me Nash will be ready to show his best game.
Wayne Selden also needs to be ready. He may have to play 35+ minutes, as he will need to guard either Smart or Brown for most of the day. He doesn't need to have a big game, but he does need to make his man become a volume scorer rather than an efficient one.
Joel Embiid needs to control his emotions (and elbows). He absolutely CANNOT get kicked out of this game, or even get hit with a silly flagrant or technical. He's too valuable here.
Perry Ellis is the X factor. OSU really doesn't have anybody they can match up with him, so he should have a big day. Perry really needs to have a strong game inside. If he does, he can force OSU to go to some of their size, which will take out one of their better players. Perry needs to dominate his matchup and force OSU's hand.
Zebras will be watching the Lion (Killer) closely from now on.
The only flipping OSU is going to do this year in AFH is hand flipping off the crowd after they get humiliated for 40 minutes!
We'll accept that and not consider it hotdoggin'!
I also feel we will win by at least 10 points. Outside of Stillwater, the Pokies are pretty average, imo. Maybe we can drop two teams out of the top ten in the same week.
What about all the preseason bitching about Wiggins from Smart? Will either one be over anxious to perform? Is there a personal angle that will take away from team play. I don't think Wiggins will play outside of the lines? He has been fantastic during Conference. I hope CBS doesn't make too big of a deal about all of Smarts quotes at the BIG 12 meeting in KC.
CBS.- 3 P.M.
The game all pundits have ranked at the top of their must see list.
Wiggins vs Smart.
4 days of practice and scouting.
Plus, this guy!travis-ford-ok-state-4_3_r536_c534.jpg ↗
Tharpe-Smart,
Selden-Brown,
Wiggins-Williams,
Ellis-Nash,
Embiid-Murphy,
So I guess this is how they'll match up. Whoever Tharpe guards is going to have a height advantage on him. Between Smart, Brown, and Williams, Brown is the best shooter so I'm guessing KU will want to have length on him, either Selden or Wiggins. Williams is the worst 3-point shooter of the 3 but at 6'5 I think he's a little too big for Tharpe to guard. Murphy at 6'8 will have trouble guarding Embiid so halfcourt offense should go through Joel every time. Either pass out of the double team for an open shot or go at Kamari Murphy because OK St. has no frontcourt depth. Ellis and Nash matchup looks like a wash as they are nearly identical statistically.
KU should win this game if they can handle Oklahoma St's pressure. Smart is averaging 2.6 steals per game. Oklahoma St as a team is averaging 8.2 steals per game which ranks 21/351 teams in division 1. This is exacerbated by the fact that KU turns the ball over too much, 13.8 times per game exactly, which ranks 266/351. Ford will know this. He will also know that KU will have a big advantage on the glass and in the paint, so he'll press and pressure KU's guards to prevent KU's bigs from getting the ball. A huge key in this game will be how KU handles OK St's pressure. If KU can hold on to the ball they should win the game.
Selden will be guarding Smart. Smart is powerful player and Selden is the best defensive match. I can see Coach Self having Selden and Wiggins drive on Smart to get him in early foul trouble.