I watched the second half.
I looked at the box score.
55% shooting from the field.
High 30s from trey.
Beautiful 78% FT shooting.
Among the starters...
Doke racked up especially good numbers for only 20 minutes on the shellac: 21/10 and only 2 PFs is a very good nights work. Only hitch might be still not getting to one of those 15-18 reeb games one would expect against a mid major, but clearly Self was giving big minutes to Lightfoot and Garrett to get them a lot of work on the glass, so I'll stop picking nits about Doke. He brought it again.
Vick played positively Josh Jackson-ish. He was active in all phases of the game. Probably his best game at KU: 7 boards, 3 assists, 3 steals, 3 blocks, and the null set on turnovers. Vick is a sending signals that he is something very special. 15 highly efficient points. With his monster floor game and his high scoring efficiency, it was the equivalent of a 30 point night. Really an impressive performance. if Self ever gives him the touches, LOOK OUT! But the team is much better if he can keep playing this role. There rest of the players do not seem able to bring such a an active, well rounded game AND the scoring efficiency. Vick may stay under the radar screen this way, but he is very likely to be the toughest match up for an opponent of all our guys, if he keeps playing this role to Oscar levels of performance.
Devonte was effective but neither as sharp, nor efficient as he can be. This was another 5 pop tart game and that is kind of concerning against a team like Oakland. But he keeps dishing the assists and it will take till much of December to really understand what all his mates can and can't handle in the receiving department. The lid will come of the basket when it comes off.If he has another 5 TO game this next game, then I'm going to start scrutinizing for a hand injury. But that can wait. He was solid, just not that mind-blowing kind of stellar he can be.
Svi played a good floor game, got on the glass, avoided a turnover, and was aggressive on the stripping. Probably can't strip like that against a major, but that's okay. Good game, Svi, just not as efficient as I'd like.
I would be pretty upbeat about Malik's performance, but for the 3 pop tarts. Against a well drilled, but lesser talented mid major like Oakland, suggests there is still a concentration issue to get better at. What I like is that he was nearly as active as Vick, save for the blocks. No blocks and 3 turnovers suggest he just isn't anticating and getting after it fully focused yet. You like to see a new player get it fully together against a mid major the way way Vick did, so that he is ready to take the next step up to doing it against a major. Because Malik was a little off the edge, he is now going to have to take another crack at it against the next opponent. Oh, well, mostly I'm happy for Malik. The sooner he gets his floor game squared away, the sooner he can stop thinking and start shooting without learning curve distractions.
All of which brings us to Lightfoot and Garrett. Whenever I write a real handwringing post the day before, or especially the day of a game, I feel like players pick up my Tesla waves and decided to blow me out of the water.
Lightfoot first: I doubted Lightfoot big time today and, well, I'm quite a loooooong way out of the water. He got after it for 24 minutes, scored efficiently, got eight reebs including 2 on the offensive glass, which is a category he must become good at, when relieving Doke, because much as out perimeter guys like to get after it on the defensive glass, they remain largely strangers to offensive rebounding. Mitch had two blocks and only 1 TO in his two bits of PT. Blocking would be nice icing, if he were to be able to keep doing it against majors and elites, but it seems reasonable to doubt that would continue. He didn't make a steal, so maybe he can sharpen that skill to make up for the fall off in blocks as competition stiffens. Or maybe he will surprise me with blocking, too. But here appears the bottom line: Lightfoot took a big first step to being a credible D1 player. He got'er done against a good mid major. And Oakland IS a good mid major. Frankly he accomplished what I felt Malik fell just a little short of. Now he is ready to try the next step--20 comparable minutes against a major. And so on. I thought Mitch had the stuff to get it done against an Oakland. My doubting was about what could be expected from him versus majors and elite majors. Give Mitch some petons and his climbing boots. He is ready for the next ascent.
Garrett was equally impressive and IMHO scaled Mt. Mid Major just as nicely as Lightfoot did. I had a few days previously expressed grave reservations about Garrett's readiness for D1 majors and elites ANY time this season. I still harbor those doubts, but he at least put me back on my heels and now I must say I am neutral and waiting be shown.
Beating a good mid major like Oakland university can be a little like taking a huge puff off the oxygen tank for fun at base camp before the steep ascending starts. For a brief time, it makes green climbers think the next ascent to Mt. Major appears easier than it really is. There are blue meanies up on Mt. Major that just don't exist on Mt.Mid Major.
But I am cautiously optimistic about Lightfoot and Garrett for the first time.
And that's damned important since that's all folks, until Cunliffe and maybe a player to be named later show up at mid season.
We have to hope these are some robust, durable bodies wrapped around the obviously huge Jayhawk hearts.
Each of the seven players may as well figure on playing through anything short of bones sticking out of flesh.And in a pinch, Self might even just cut a tennis ball in half and tape it to the bone sticking out and say, "Lace'em up, son, there isn't anyone else."
