🏀 KuBuckets Archive

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Interesting totals so far.

What's clear is Jackson is not shooting the ball well and is averaging close to 4 fouls a game. Both of those stats are why some of the games have been closer then normal/expected.

Vick's conference numbers are also down.

Lucas is rebounding the ball so well and averaging a double/double in Big-12 play.

Free Throw shooting has been better in conference play overall but we have seen uncharacteristic misses from Mason/Graham lately. Jackson is still a prayer at the line and cannot be counted on.

Graham's assist to turnover ratio has been outstanding in conference play.

Five guys in double figures makes this team capable of withstanding anything

Thoughts?

@BeddieKU23

I might add that the FG% includes the 3pt% so, if you take Jackson's crappy shooting from the 3, his FG% would go up but hard to tell how much without all the figures. In other words, his FG% might be much better if he quits taking 3 point shots. On the other hand, becoming a decent 3 point shooter increases his draft value quite a bit.

@JayHawkFanToo

Your right, his FG% is 47% without his 3pt % added together.

Since he's attempting almost 2.5 3's per Big-12 game its apart of his offense and must be counted.

Teams have been laying off him from outside and from reading what his teammates say he still has the green light to shoot them.

I also agree that his NBA stock has dropped without a consistent shot. It's the lack of a mid-range game or the ability to make FT's that are hurting him the most in my opinion. Most places I see have him in that 3-5 range right now and that's low based on his overall skill level. But with Ball & Fultz becoming the darlings of the media so far for the draft its going to be hard to pass up on those. I honestly think Ball has played like the #1 pick so far. I can never trust a guy like Fultz (amazing talent) who can't make his team better. Ball transformed UCLA so far this year.

@BeddieKU23 Graham's stats stand out. Aside from Frank's otherworldly 3PT% and big time play in pressure situations, statistically Devonte is right there with Frank. I always shake my head a little when the commentators say they are "practically twins", but this shows that Devonte's contributions in conference play have been extremely valuable as well.

Lucas too. Good god. 13 rebs per game? 10 points per game? Wow, I need to take off the shades and let the sun's crimson and blue rays find my face.

To build on @JayHawkFanToo 's qualification of JJ's FG%, some of those misses inside are where he's batting the ball around and relying on his superior quickness to get the subsequent rebound.

Thanks for posting this. Great positive wakeup call, imo.

@BeddieKU23

Spot on on Ball and Futz. Ball also has not only a very good support cast at UCLA but a very good coach as well; I was surprised on the loss to Arizona at home...both teams are loaded with future NBA talent.

@approxinfinity

Devonte has really improved his numbers in conference play. I still don't like how he has one strong half and disappears the next. He had 15 at half against Texas, didn't take another shot until making that 3 that put the game away with a minute to go.

But he's certainly doing other things to help this team. A stat not mentioned, he has zero fouls in his last 3 games with 7 steals. Aggressive, smart defense for the most part. It's beyond a luxury having two point guards that feed off each other on both ends of the floor.

Lucas has made a believer out of me, I'm just embracing what he gives us at this point. He didn't have a great game offensively Saturday (while sick) but he rebounds as good as anyone in the conference. I do fear that his game Saturday is possibly a reflection how his games will go against Kentucky & Baylor coming up with their athletic front-lines. I hope Lucas rises to the occasion and proves me wrong.

@JayHawkFanToo

Good point about UCLA.

Fultz doesn't have the same talent around him and Romar has outplayed his stay at Washington by a few years already.

@BeddieKU23

I am seeing a lot of similarities between Devonte and Mario Chalmers. Both played off guard and had someone else be the primary ball handler. Mason for Devonte and RussRob for Mario. Both are good defenders with quick hands that can get steals. Both are relatively quick can shoot the 3 and both are undersized to play SG in the NBA and Devonte. much like Mario, will have to become a full time PG. If Devonte chooses to go through with the draft, at this time he would be a second round pick like Mario was although I believe Mario should have gone higher and maybe with a good second half of the season Devonte can move to the first round as well.

http://www.big12sports.com/fls/10410/pdfs/mbasketball/Big12Stats17.pdf?DB_OEM_ID=10410 ↗

@JayHawkFanToo

It's such a loaded draft its going to be hard for Devonte to be a 1st rounder without a lot of momentum the rest of the season. I won't say its impossible because teams can zero on specific talent they want and he might fit a need for a playoff team I just think overall he's probably not a first round pick when you look up and down at the possible freshman and younger guys that will enter + any Europeans that go as well.

l also think your comparison to Mario is valid.

@wrwlumpy The scoring stats really drive home the point (pun kind of intended) that the B12 is completely guard-dominated this year.

@BeddieKU23 Turning the ball over too much. That's all I'm seeing. Everyone but DG is turning the ball over at too high of a rate. That combined with our undersized team scares me to death. I'm not worried about us in conference play. But I am worried about us that first weekend of the tournament. We let teams hang around that we shouldn't and will come back to haunt us at some point. We have yet to have a 20 point route of a team in conference play. And it isn't because the Big XII is so good and so competitive. A great team should win games by 20 that you don't expect to win by 20. Not win at home because of a traveling non-call game winner.

If we don't take another step where we can stomp on an opponents throat and finish them off we can kiss a final four or even elite eight goodbye. I have that horrible feeling an 8 or 9 seed could beat us on a bad night with the way we have been playing so far in conference.... This 3 game stretch will tell us a lot. Anything worse than 2-1 and I won't think this team has a final four in them.

If Frank is shooting 60% from 3, and 48% overall, what is his percentage on 2 point shots? It must be pretty low which is really strange. He is 30-69 or 43% on 2's if I added everything up properly. That may be an NCAA record to have a 2 point percentage 17% lower than your 3 point percentage. Most guys when they jack up threes the coach yells no no no, but when Frank jacks up 2's, the coach yells no no no!

JJ's steals and blocks makes up for his poor shooting somewhat I'd guess.

I do like that our team is shooting 75% from the line in conference play.

If you round up, we've got three starters at or above 40% on threes. That's significant.

The one stat that graph doesn't show is wins, and 7 of them is a great way to enter this tough stretch we're going into.

From University of Kansas Athletics:

aka The Jayhawks Will Be Fine.

Kansas leads the Big 12 in field goal percentage at 50.2 percent, 3-point field goal percentage at 41.6 percent and rebounding at 40.7 per game. KU is tied for first in the league with a 94.7 won-loss percentage. Additionally, KU ranks in the upper half in the Big 12 in scoring (third at 85.4), scoring margin (second at +15.2), field goal percentage defense (second at 40.6), rebound margin (second at +6.6), assists (second at 17.5), assist-to-turnover ratio (third at 1.4) and blocked shots (third at 5.2).

• During Big 12 play, KU is shooting 72.4 percent at the charity stripe. In nonconference games KU had a 59.2 free throw percentage.

• The Jayhawks have maintained a lead at the five-minute mark of every game this season.

• Senior G Frank Mason III leads the Big 12 in scoring at 20.1 points per game, 3-point field goal percentage (53.7) and is third in assists at 5.4 per game.

• Mason is making 60 percent (18-for-30) from 3-point range in Big 12 play.

• Mason has led KU in scoring in 14 of 19 games this season, including nine of the last 12 contests.

• Senior C Landen Lucas is averaging a double-double in Big 12 play with 10.6 ppg and 11.4 rebound averages, which is first in the league. Lucas' 65.2 field goal percentage is also first in the league in conference games played.

• Freshman G Josh Jackson ranks eighth in the Big 12 in scoring at 15.1 ppg, which leads the conference freshman class. His 6.7 rebounds per game are ninth in the league and he is tied for eighth with 1.6 steals per game.

• Junior G Devonte' Graham has two 20-point games this season with both against Big 12 foes. Graham's 18 points against Texas (1/21) marked the first time this season he has led KU in scoring.

• Graham is 19-of-48 (39.6 percent) from 3-point range in Big 12 play.

• Graham has 22 assists and three turnovers in his last four games. He also has nine steals in that span.

• Junior G Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk has made multiple 3-pointers in three of his last four games. He is seventh in the Big 12 in 3-point field goals made at 2.2 per game and fourth in 3-point field goal percentage at 43.8.

Streaking

Here are some active Kansas streaks, all of which lead the nation :+1:

• 12 Big 12 Conference regular-season titles

• 27 NCAA Tournament appearances

• 27 seasons with 20+ wins

• 53 wins at home, including 50 in Allen Fieldhouse

• 151 weeks ranked in AP Top 25

• Won at least 12 league games for 16-straight years.

@Kcmatt7

And it isn’t because the Big XII is so good and so competitive.

I disagree. When KSU comes to AFH and loses one by a whisker or OU can go to West Virginia and steal a game and then loose at home to ISU, yes, the Big 12 is a damn good conference, very competitive form top to bottom and ranked #1 by all the major rankings. Maybe if KU would be playing in the SEC it might be wingames by a larger margin. Having said that, I don't don't see any of the top teams in any of the other major conferences routinely winning games by 20 either.

@BeddieKU23 Just one observation about the stats to date - they've come against a schedule in which every team we've played has at least 5 losses. This week and next will reveal the true character of this team against much higher quality competition. The guys will need to step up their games....

Not that Im too worried about Baylor's HC (be more justifiably worried about that key asst coach)... but I'm far more worried about containing Jonathan Motley. The Baylor kids are doing it on talent alone+natural chemistry, as they returned a ton of key players, much like KSU.

Here are my observations on our guys...

Landen - I was never worried about his game coming around because his game is based on fundamentals. Fundamentals typically show up in the stat line after many games have been played. I give him a super "thumbs up" for stopping his long gathering. That has been the big change in his scoring and has bumped up his point average by at least 4 ppg.

Frank - I do believe he isn't pushing as hard as he can in order to save his health down the stretch. If he was really pushing his scoring 100% we would see him averaging 8-10 points more a game. He is doing the right thing. Frank wants to go out of his college career with a BANG! Be prepared for a freakish Frank Mason March!

Devonte - He has been picking up his game quite a bit recently. Playing sound, shooting well, well rounded. He has more in his tank for March, too. I think he is our difference player. Frank will get his 25 or so ppg in March, but what will Devonte do? He can score big numbers but what will be more important is his big potential for assists. He has the ability to make us a real team.

Josh - We can't ever forget he is a freshman. He is a bit of a wildcard. His flashy plays are great for SportsCenter and also he is good at getting all our guys motivated. But what really COUNTS with Josh is his CONSTANT HUSTLE. A big part of what he does will never show up on stat sheets. When Josh has a bad night he scores 6 points... but he grabs 8 rebounds, has 3 assists, 2 steals and helps shut down several opponent possessions. If you want to know a big reason why we consistently win, look no further than Josh Jackson. He has been outrageously consistent about contributing a great amount every game.

Lagerald - Has monster potential, but I wonder if we will just see it now and then for the rest of the year. Once he figures out how to bring better performances during conference play we will then skip into March, and that is a totally different environment and learning experience. I'm not sure how he will translate effectiveness in March. We can only hope...

Carlton - I think he will continue to make improvements this year. I'm doubtful he will put up many points, but we really don't count on points out of our post with this team. Concerning low post play, he really needs to learn how to hold his ground. He still gets pushed out of the paint with ease... even guards push him out. I'm thinking he needs to slightly lower his center of gravity, spread his stance a bit more and angle his feet different from each other so he can't always be pushed out in one direction. He probably needs to lean just a big more forward. His center core should be balanced between his feet better. I advise him to learn some Wing Chun next summer. He could stand to learn a few positioning tricks, just to stay even with our opponents. And he needs to gradually become more aggressive without fouling. He could also learn about where rebounds are most likely to go. If he can learn to rebound equal to Landen, he will add a lot of help for us in March.

Svi - He is doing well on offense. He has become more selective on his jump shot and he is driving more than he ever has as a Jayhawk. He is one of our top scorers on the drive, and he can create his own shot while guarded. He is a capable defender but sometimes is a bit slow reacting and that causes him to foul. His defense will continue to improve... it already has quite a bit!

Mitch - He needs to be mentioned. He represents the biggest chunk of extra depth we have. He is going to become a real quality player and we are very lucky we have him for future years. Can he contribute now? Heck yes. He puts out complete hustle every play he is out there. And that does pay off. If he was playing 25 mpg you would see just what he would produce. It certainly wouldn't be zero!

Bill Self - He has done a great job of putting this team together. He has grown his coaching abilities immensely over the years and it really shows this year.

I like the overall direction of our program. Look how far we have come since Bill came here. Night and day... I rank him as the best coach we have ever had.

@Kcmatt7

Lately we have turned the ball over at an alarming pace. In the Texas game a lot of them were just mental errors. Not finishing transition plays by making the right pass or just losing the ball down low. I don't think those mistakes continue to happen but if they do they are cause for concern. Makes you wonder is tonight is a night where that issue comes full head of steam. I really hope not.

I get your concerns or frustrations with this team. Saturday wasn't pretty, it was the first time all season I was upset at our play especially at home against a terrible Texas team. I expected better but we got a "good enough" win. We've had a lot of them.

We don't have that signature game yet where this team has hit its ceiling. I'm okay with it as long as this team is still working it's way up to it. I do think we'll see a game coming up and maybe this week where everything just clicks. Past KU teams have shown that potential.

Maybe we are trying too hard to compare this team to others that had peak efforts. This is a team unlike any other especially when we are running 4 guards and have just seven rotation players. The margin for error is really small, individuals have to bring it every night because there isn't a next man up who's going to save the night. I'm enjoying knowing exactly what is expected of each player, we've had too many seasons where we spend most of our time criticizing guys who are/not playing.

Lastly, I think we all have the same fears of what March will bring. I know one thing, I expect our back-court to make the difference when it matters. Some other teams might be flashier, they might be bigger but if we lose in March its going to take a team that can beat Frank Mason & Devonte Graham. Those guys have felt the pain of the last two years together and I just have the feeling they won't let it happen this year. Just my opinion. I hope your ready for an exciting 3 months of basketball

@JayHawkFanToo What major rankings? The Big 12 is the 2nd or 3rd best conference right now. ACC is hands down the best conference right now. Big East is arguably as good as the Big 12.

I didn't say we should be winning games by 20 routinely. But we should have won a game or two by 20 points.

@BeddieKU23 I think we have the talent to do it. I'm just not sure we have the instincts. I'd love to see us get hyped tonight and get things clicking and then take that energy into Rupp on Saturday.

What worries me is that a team that turns the ball over and can't defend the post isn't able to dictate the games pace. We either need to figure out how to defend the post or be air tight with the ball. Otherwise we will get exposed, and I do not want to see another early round exit.

@Kcmatt7

It's hard to have the best of everything. I don't think either issue will be what gets us beat. It will be our best players not playing up to their level like we experienced against Villanova last year. I fail to believe that if our starting 5 plays its best there is a better team out there. And this is a team that arguably has still yet to reach its potential.

@drgnslayr love the wing chun advice for Bragg. Or perhaps some tai chi. Either would help with centering and being solid.

@Bwag

Tai chi would work for him, too. Just liked the aggression in wing chun, and of course, the focus on foundation and center core.

@Bwag said:

Or perhaps some tai chi.

I have been practicing some Mai Tai.....

@mayjay

Can I join you? I am a big fan of that "art"... :smile:

@Kcmatt7

I don't have access to the Pomeroy rankings (paid section) but I have the Sagarin and Massey rankings below and I believe Pomeroy is pretty much the same ...I don't understand why you keep insisting that the Big 12 is not the top conference...

Here is a link to Bleacher Report... ↗

!image.png ↗

@JayHawkFanToo Those metrics favor us every year. Last year was the first time that the Big 12 actually showed up in the tournament in what feels like a very long time. Until we show tournament success as a league, we might as well throw these rankings out.

Because I look at the ACC and I see FSU, UNC, Duke, Notre Dame, Louisville and Virginia all as possible Final 4 teams.

Who can you say that about in our league besides KU, Baylor and WVU? And the way WVU has played in conference, I'm not sure you can even say that about them...

These rankings show nothing during tournament time. I hope I eat crow. But I seriously doubt it. Big 12 is overrated and weak. Us winning the championship 12 straight times is evidence of that. Is it impressive? Absolutely. It speaks volumes about our fans and the home court advantage that AFH is, about Bill Self and about our program. But it also speaks volumes about the other programs that they couldn't even beat us in years where we were vulnerable. Take the blinders off and give it the ole eye test. Actually look up and down our conference and tell me who is a good enough team to win 3,4 or 5 games in a row in March? Who would you be willing to put $10k straight up to win a game in the first round of the NCAA tournament? Because all of those ACC teams I mentioned I would in a heart beat.

@Kcmatt7

None so deaf as those that will not hear. None so blind as those that will not see. - Matthew Henry

I show you actual verifiable numbers from respected sources, you write a subjective opinion and tell me I am wrong? No sense in continuing this discussion.

@JayHawkFanToo "There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics."
- Mark Twain

@Kcmatt7

If you want credibility, maybe you should start attributing your quote to the right person...just sayin'...

@JayHawkFanToo I don't need more credibility. Big 12 tournament success speaks for itself...