🏀 KuBuckets Archive

just thought I'd throw this out KU heading into conference:

PPG: - -3rd in Conference @ 87.0 per - -- tied for 15th - -Nationally
RPG - - 2nd ' ' '' ' ' ' ' @ 41.0 per- - - 20th - - '' ''
APG- - t 2nd ' ' ' ' '' ' ' @ 18 per- - - 19th '' '' '' ''
SPG- - t 3rd ' ' ' ' '' ' ' @ 8 per- - - N/A '' '' '' ''
BPG- - t 1st ' ' '' '' ' ' @ 6 per- - - 16th '' '' '' ''
TPG- - 7th ' ' '' '' ' ' @ 13 per- - - N/A '' '' '' ''
FG%- - 2nd ' ' '' '' ' ' @ 51.7 % - - - 6th '' '' '' ''
3pt%- - 1st ' ' '' '' ' ' @ 41.3 % - - - t 11th '' '' '' ''

AND THEN - - -WONDERFUL - - FREE THROW % - -YIPPEE - - -LAST IN CONFERENCE - -59.2% AND, - -- DRUM ROLL PLEASE - - - - 348TH IN THE NATION. - -let me say this again - - 348th IN THE NATION. - -JUMPIN GEE HOSSA FATS. just thought I'd throw this out, be interesting to see how these reflect change in conference = =ROCK CHALK ALL DAY LONG BABY

I've been harping on it for a while now. If we don't improve FT shooting, we don't win the Conference Championship or any other kind of Championship. Just sayin.

@jayballer54

Look at the bright side. I think most D1 teams out there would be happy to have our stat line. On paper it looks like the only thing we really have to fix is FT shooting.

But in reality, we still must continue to improve in many areas on both sides of the ball. The good news is we have experienced players in key positions and our freshman phenom plays like an old soul.

WHY we will be one of the favorites to win it all this year isn't just because we have a lot of talent and experience. The key to it all won't be exposed to the public. The key for this team is to ADVANCE RAPIDLY in practices. LEARN, LEARN, LEARN! EXECUTE, EXECUTE, EXECUTE!

I have the WVU game in Morgantown circled on my schedule as being the key bell weather game to judge these guys on. If we can go into that hostile environment with our Top 5 ranking and pull out a win, it will tell me what I need to know... that we are capable of winning it all in March.

It would also be a good sign if we could finally win another game down there in Stillwater. I think that game will show us if our guys can play consistent ball.

That FT number is scary. Remember the 2008 title year? All year, the talk was about Memphis having FT shooting come back to burn them at some point. They shot 61.4% as a team. Shot 12-19 in the title game, but the crazy thing is, Memphis was a very respectable 9-12 until the last two minutes of regulation. They went 3-7 down the stretch in regulation.

They say that your greatest weakness will always pop up at the most inopportune time. I dread seeing us with a five point lead with two minutes to go and have guys parading bricks at the FT line as the lead dwindles. We either get better, or as @nuleafjhawk said above, we ain't winning nothing. I agree with @drgnslayr that we are very good, but in a single elimination format, bad FT shooting is the boogeyman that will pop up in a close regional final.

@drgnslayr I have been saying it for the last two months, as you said, wins at Morgantown and Stillwater, as well as Ames, will be the tell tale sign of our post season success.

The only bright side to losing Doke is that he won't be shooting any more free throws.I re-watched the Duke game and we don't win that game without him.

@HawkChamp

You have been saying that and I totally agree. We may not need those wins to win the Big 12 (or maybe we will), but we need to be able to execute in super high pressure situations, and that is what Morgantown provides us.

I am very thankful we have Huggy in our league.

The win in Okie State represents a game we may not need in conference play (maybe) and for whatever reason is a venue we historically don't do well in. Winning a game under those conditions tells me our guys hate to lose anywhere. It tells me they don't need a whipping stick just to get motivated... they are self-motivated not "self"-motivated!

If Bill has to prod them to motivate them in March... we are toast.