🏀 KuBuckets Archive

Very similar team, play 4 guards, 1 big since the Boucher injury.

Our advantage again is our guards in this game. Benson & Pritchard are not athletes and cannot stop Mason or Graham. Oregon will play a soft press into a zone and switch into man at times. Basically Villanova Elite 8 all over again. Cannot have a ton of live ball turnovers against this group. Guard the shooters, make our shots.

Quick rundown of the players:

Tyler Dorsey is the biggest concern IMO for Oregon. He's been shooting the lights out of the ball. KU recruited him out of HS. Kid has really stepped up late in the season.

Dillon Brooks and Jackson is a fantastic matchup. Probably will be a lot of KU fans first introduction to the theatrics of Brooks. He's got game, but if JJ is locked in defensively can force him into a volume shooter. Brooks is a very emotional player and can carry a team. Has made a few game winners this season (UCLA, Cal).

Dylan Ennis is 2-15 from 3 last five games, hopefully that continues. 6th year guard, he's something like 25 years old.

Payton Pritchard has been solid for them as a freshman. Can shoot it but has struggled recently as well. Had a big game in the the first round, hasn't done much in the past two games.

Jordan Bell is one heck of an athlete. Lucas has his work cut out for him again. Might be the best shot-blocker in the country. Has expanded his offensive game. Have to keep him off the boards, heck of a rebounder. Forcing him into foul trouble is a key to look at.

Casey Benson- steady point guard who shoots most of his shots from 3 (53% of made baskets from 3).

The Bench: Williams & Benson are the primary subs. Significant drop down to Williams. They have used another freshman big Keith Smith sparingly. No other guards play. KU would be smart to be aggressive and force fouls.

Honestly I hope the refs don't decide the game. They very easily could though.

@BeddieKU23

If we continue to bring the high energy... we are unstoppable!

That run last night in the second half reminded me of the first half of our UNC game in 2008. Blitzkreig!

Oregon can't run with us when we have that energy.

My only concern is a letdown. But I think it all rides on our three amigos bringing energy and pace.

We flipped the pace on Purdue last night and left them in the dust. When that happened the game created a stark contrast to what had already been played. It was like watching two different games.

I carefully watched the expressions and body language of Purdue last night. When we turned the game into a race, they showed FEAR in their faces!

You know you have a pretty friggin' scary team when you make a Big 10 team FEARFUL!

I also saw a "deer in the headlights" look from them, too. They didn't know what hit them. They just knew that a game they were competitive in just became non-competitive.

@drgnslayr

Doesn't hurt that the crowd will once again feel like we're in Allen Fieldhouse.

The kids will bring energy, this team is on a destiny. Last night was amazing.

If we play our game we cannot lose.

@BeddieKU23

Oregon is us (or we are Oregon) to a large degree. They run almost everything through Brooks. He and Jackson going back and forth should be some of the best basketball we will see all year. That matchup alone is worth the price of admission.

Their key guy will be Dorsey. He and Graham should matchup, although it will be interesting to see what happens when Vick is in the game. Had Dorsey not gone to Oregon, it's likely he would be at KU and Vick would be somewhere else. Vick has to know that, and probably would like to demonstrate that KU ended up in the superior position.

I expect a huge game from Lucas, oddly enough. He struggled last night, but he remembers that Villanova game and I don't think he wants his career to end like that. Lucas double double to the tune of 14 points, 15 boards.

@justanotherfan

I thought it was interesting that Purdue doubled Lucas which was a large part why he had 2 points (plus some tick tack foul calls) that limited his minutes. He has a definite size advantage on Bell but Bell has always made up for his size with superior athletic ability. 76 blocks on the season is no joke!

I agree about Dorsey, he's kind of taken over the scoring role and having watched Oregon's games he's making everything regardless of who's guarding him. Graham has to take the assignment. Mason on Pritchard/Benson. Svi/Vick on Ennis.

@BShark said:

Honestly I hope the refs don't decide the game. They very easily could though.

They certainly helped last night with their ability to carom the ball right back to us. If that had gone out of bounds for another early TO, might have been bad news. "Home course bounce" we say in golf!

@BeddieKU23

Doubling Lucas was quite odd.

@BShark said:

@BeddieKU23

Doubling Lucas was quite odd.

I thought the CBS analysts did a great job of pointing out the problems with both that and the two-towers offense leaving no one to get back and defend the guards. Both times, the next few plays occurred as if they had scripted them to fit the discussion.

@mayjay

I've been loving the Harlan/Miller and company crew. So refreshing. They have been excellent

And everytime they mentioned Lucas being doubled I think KU got another open 3 attempt..

@BeddieKU23 After posting that, I recalled their jinxing of Frank's FT streak!

@mayjay

I loved the part of the telecast where Mason skied for a rebound and I believe Reggie Miller said "is there anything Frank Mason doesn't do" he probably is the team manager and coordinates all the team flights". Something around those lines. Was hilarious.

FRANK to FOLD Oregami Ducks soon.

Will Self use lotto pick Josh as GLUE again?

Will Self ask "2 little guards" to play as lotto picks offensively again?

Without Boucher, is Oregon a 1-winged duck, or a 1-legged duck? Or just some 3-limbed creature--the proverbial odd duck? They are about to run into a 5-wheeled buzz saw (FM3,DG, JJ, Vick, Svi).

Who is masking more--Self or Altman?

As I was looking at the matchups with Oregon, I find that my analysis has shifted and I can't help it. How are the Ducks going to stop the Jayhawk Juggernaut? How do you stop Mason, Graham, Jackson, and now Vick and Svi? Whatcha got, Ducks? This special team is playing with more energy and athleticism than any other Jayhawk team. And Oh Yea, they are having a blast. The fun they are having leads to more positive plays. How about that goofy play at the end of the first half where we got a runout dunk with an assist from the ref. Fun, Fun, Fun. RCJH

@stoptheflop assist from the ref! Was awesome!

I just can't wait for @wrwlumpy to post the Oregon campus and people and just Oregon pictures.

My high school / collage girlfriend is married to an OR assistant coach. She mentioned the arena was bleeding blue. Then said OR could only buy 1000 tickets, and that KC IS NOT a neutral court, and calling it BS. LOL Sure we have an advantage, but we earned our seeding, and won the right to play in KC. Not our fault. Excuses, excuses.

Line started at KU -6.5

@BeddieKU23

I'm not at all afraid of leaving the friendly confines of the Sprint Center for Phoenix.

I think our crowd helps us... but I also think home games add pressure to our guys. They want to do well so badly that it can make it stressful.

We have an experienced team that enjoys traveling and playing in different venues. They like it when they face an adverse crowd.

If you can believe it... we may not have even seen the best basketball this team can play!

Frightening thought! (at least, to our opponents)

@hawkmoon2020 After the 2007 debacle where we were a #1 seed and UCLA a #2 seed in SAN FREAKING JOSE, I dont ever want to hear a complaint about a "home game" if ou are the LOWER seed!

We were a 1 seed and got screwed!

@drgnslayr

Interesting note. Other than UCLA, I believe Baylor is the closest location to Phoenix followed by KU, amazingly enough closer than Oregon and Gonzaga.

I would think that being PAC 12 country, UCLA or Oregon would have the home crowd; without them it would be fairly neutral crowd. Phoenix is an easy flight from KC and most Southwest flights to the West Coas stop either in Phoenix or Salt Lake.

@hawkmoon2020 😂

@BigBad

WSU was a 1 seed, Kentucky an 8 or 9 (don't remember) when they played closer to Lexington. I believe in ST Louis.

@JayHawkFanToo said:

@drgnslayr

Interesting note. Other than UCLA, I believe Baylor is the closest location to Phoenix followed by KU, amazingly enough closer than Oregon and Gonzaga.

I would think that being PAC 12 country, UCLA or Oregon would have the home crowd; without them it would be fairly neutral crowd. Phoenix is an easy flight from KC and most Southwest flights to the West Coas stop either in Phoenix or Salt Lake.

I'm really glad Arizona is out.

@BShark

Other than UCLA (right under 400 miles), Baylor is the closest at just over 1,000 miles, and KU is close to 1,200 miles away. In hindsight, not the best of locations geography-wise.

@BShark They didn't double him to keep Lucas from scoring. They did it to keep him from easily passing the ball out to Frank, DeVonte, and Josh.

@hawkmoon2020 If she thinks KC was bad, the 1968 regional was at AFH. Unfortunately it didn't do us enough good.

Just heard Altman just called us the Chickenhawks during his presser?

@Eric-san heard that too. Why would he say that?

@Eric-san said:

Just heard Altman just called us the Chickenhawks during his presser?

If true, thanks for providing us with additional motivation, Coach Altwoman.

@hawkmoon2020

It is true. It was in jest but still...

Altman: When you spend 7 years at KSTATE, you don't like the Jayhawks or the Chickenhawks

Doesn't set well w/me!

@Crimsonorblue22 me neither.

@BShark

Do you have a link? Altman is a pretty classy guy and I find it hard to believe he would say it.

We match up well with Oregon. Four guards, one big. Lots of shooters, play good defense, play good offense.

Thing is. KU has home court advantage. If Oregon even wants to have a fighting chance at beating KU, it has to come out swinging and knock the 6th man out of it.

Call me biased, but I don't see that happening. KU is just too too good. Its crazy what they have done to MSU and Purdue!!

Obliteration seems an apt description.

Who among us saw this coming!?

KU is playing defense like it was 2008 and playing offense like they are the Golden State Warriors.

Kenpom says that Oregon is a very good team. They are..

Thing is, KU is even better right now.

@hawkmoon2020 Of course its an advantage! That happens when your a 1 seed. Rock Chalk

KU is rested and as healthy as they've been all year. They are going to try and run everyone out of the gym because UCLA is the only other team in the field that can run with KU.

@Lulufulu I agree about the matchup. The key is defense. We need to make it hard for them to get to the rim and avoid turning the ball over.

Apparently, Bill's lack of success in the E8 has not been forgotten. One of the guys on Pardon the Interruption (not sure their names) kept talking about how tight Bill gets in the game and how it affects the team. I sure hope he lets the guys play their game, just like what theyve done so far in the tournament. As long as we dont get caught in a slow, plodding half court game, we should be fine. Frank and the guards need to push it at every opportunity.

@Crimsonorblue22 Altman is a dip shit of the first degree. Same caliber coach as Liberace'. Prob stupid enough to say "you're welcome " if we thank him for the timely bulletin board material . If a player did that we'd say he is brain dead. Stage is too big for Wltman he has no clue what to say that would be proper.Speaking of dip💩's, what happened to Marsha on the tv 📺 broadcast? Was lookin forward to him make an asshole of himself on Nat TV. OH, he already did that - my bad....

@JayHawkFanToo I watched in on fox4kc.com live stream at 6:00pm. You can re watch their newscasts 24/7

So, isn't Peyton......... Kevin's son? He will surely be rooting for his son's team............but will have to feel kind of funny about it.

@HawkChamp Because he's a former KSU loser & career moronic coach with that "little (road) 🍎 apple" dimwit smile. Animal husbandry major is my guess with a nck name of cow-poke a rumor.

Washington Post article I found about the KU game against Purdue, for your reading pleasure ↗

@Lulufulu thank you for the link. Good article. Stats showing Oregon giving up more 3att's than during the regular season. We'll get our 3 looks.

The 3 is called the Equalizer. KU is using it as a bludgeon. A hammer. And the article did NOT mention Frank Mason by name one time even.
And curiously also suggested Oregon's chance would lie in slowing the game down to lengthy possessions and better ball screen D by them, although admitting in the Tourney, they're actually slightly worse at it.

Yall know the script by now: that Bell bruiser rebounder for Oregon is literally on a collision course with Frank (& Josh). Sitting Duck, you could say.

Brooks can chase Josh all day, and get chased by Josh all day.

WE are the 1 team that matches up with this Oregon team. Sitting Ducks.

@Texas-Hawk-10 I'm liking Coleby's apparent recovery. He is more aggressive and confident in each game. I hope he peaks this game and continues.

BIG is off the menu and we now have ordered some Pac12. I don't think they are any better than the BIG.

@ralster @Lulufulu

Actually, that article was not their writeup of the game. It was an analysis of how our current metrics and outlook are in good shape compared to our weaknesses and question marks entering the game.

Here is the WPost game story. Features FM muchly!

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/sports/wp/2017/03/24/kansas-blasts-into-elite-eight-burying-purdue-under-a-blurry-barrage-of-points/?utm_term=.d4b14476e328 ↗

@JayHawkFanToo

If they played the games at Sky Harbor, it would be home games for everyone. I can't go anywhere without stopping there!

@stoptheflop Yep, kudos to Vick for not skipping a beat on that play. Some players in that situation may have hesitated just long enough to lose the moment.