🏀 KuBuckets Archive

Looked over the upcoming schedule to see what lies ahead. Anything to avoid looking at another "we're close, pushing buttons, any-minute, any-hour, any-day update" about the S & P saga. So here's the skinny:

6 of the next 9 at home. We should hold serve in every one of them if the past few homes games are an anomaly.

The three games not at home; @WVU, @Trae Young, @the-try-harder-banner-club (K-St). All three road games present difficulties but also awesome opportunities to steal more road victories.

These next 9 games (8 conference) could shape how the streak shakes out for us. KU can really help itself the next month by winning the games it should and possibly gaining road victories of significance. A win in Morgantown would provide a ton of momentum going forward in my opinion. Nobody on this current team has won there, I think we see a motivated bunch. And who knows, just mayyyyybee we'll have 1,2 more kiddos to throw in there. Imagine being one of the teams that we play in the back half of the schedule and not having a ton of tape to scout what could be an improved bunch by February.. Excited to see how this stretch of games at home goes. It looks to be favorable on paper

This weeks slate favors KU. Could see no unbeaten's after Saturday especially with the big Tech-WV game.

Tech- @ Oklahoma, home vs West Virginia

West Virginia- home vs Baylor, @ Tech

OU- vs Tech, vs TCU

KU- vs ISU, vs K-St

KSU is very tough this year. Mostly the same players as last year, but a year better. Had to travel last year to beat them. I think this team will be fortunate to go 1-1 this week. I think 0-2 is more likely.

@BShark stokes has a foot injury

@Crimsonorblue22 Oh seriously? He was their best guard. That's a shame.

BShark said:

KSU is very tough this year. Mostly the same players as last year, but a year better. Had to travel last year to beat them. I think this team will be fortunate to go 1-1 this week. I think 0-2 is more likely.

Wow debbie downing it just a bit.

Kansas St's point guard is out indefinitely if not the season. That's their 3rd leading scorer, best ball handler, best passer, best perimeter shooter gone.

ISU has always played us tough but this isn't the ISU that came to Allen Fieldhouse last season. Last years ISU squad would have run laps on them. I expect KU to get back on track at home. TCU game can be a springboard for better things

I expect a 2-0 week. One of the games Newman finally gets some mojo back, canning a 3 ball early.

@BeddieKU23 guess it's a foot injury

Kcmatt7 said:

I expect a 2-0 week. One of the games Newman finally gets some mojo back, canning a 3 ball early.

Newman going off would be huge. I don't see it.

One thing we know is Larry Bird Jr (who did turn out to be better than Bragg) will go off on us. He always does. I think the kid doesn't take enough shots normally, but he is never afraid to let it fly against us for whatever reason. Stokes being out is big though, they basically don't have a PG now and he was one of their only reliable 3 point shooters.

@Crimsonorblue22 Yeah I googled he is out indefinitely with a foot injury.

@BShark no disrespect but I prefer @BeddieKU23's idea. Lol
What exciting times we live in! Will the streak stand? Will this team find itself? Will we get a deeper frontcourt? Will they become great and special at just the right time? Stay tuned bucketeers!! All these questions and more to be answered... Any day now 😊

@BShark

Bird Jr will have a big game, he's a mismatch for us. It's his annual David vs Goliath motivation. K-St down to a freshman at PG. I'm sure they will try and slow the game down, defend and pray.

I STILL have faith in Newman!🙏

@Kcmatt7

Well the two matchups for Newman are positive this week. Not facing athletic guards. Self said "they have talked", wonder if that makes any difference. We'll see tonight. Not holding my breathe there

@BeddieKU23 - Agree with you. I don't see anyway we go 0-2 this week, both at the phog , even with us losing a couple there this year. I really can't see Iowa State at all - -like you said this is not the Same Iowa State team of the past --- not nearly as good as last year. K- State? - -ya they could still give us a battle, but I've got to believe that we still pull that one out also, of the two they would be the better chance of beating us - -NOT Iowa State. - --R OCK CHALK ALL DAY LONG BABY

@BShark - "Newman going off would be huge"

Is there anything really more tied to the success of this team, other than the .. uh .. saga .., than Newman getting it going?

Can't see it at all? ISU has lost two overtime games so it's not like they have been getting blown out. It will be a tight game.

Players to worry about: Jackson, Wigginton, Weiler-Babb (their typical 6'5'' guard/forward that goes off against us) and Lard who will present a big problem for Doke on both ends.

@BShark

As unpredictable as this team has been at home I'm confident we see better from these guys this week. I think the TCU game could have been the mental break this team needed. Big road win with Doke saddled with foul trouble and getting valuable bench contributions that have been lacking. Of course its better then believing this team sucks and we won't win home games. We'll see I think some home cooking is just what we need to start seeing better play as a team

I think Weiler-Babb and Lard are their best players. Jackson and Wigginton at this point are fairly inefficient chuckers. I like Wigginton's potential though.

@BShark

You mentioned the key to the game, guard play. ISU is dependent on its guards. Jackson, Wiggington, Babb. Weiler-Babb has been playing PG for this squad and putting up Triple Double numbers which I never expected. Lard is good, athletic but he's giving up a ton of brawn to Doke inside. ISU has little depth. I think they will play us tough until their talent deficit kicks in (mid-2nd half)

@HighEliteMajor He will get it going any game now, really soon. It is imminent, any minute.

mayjay said:

@HighEliteMajor He will get it going any game now, really soon. It is imminent, any minute.

I heard it was on the horizon, forthcoming and just around the corner

Yeah. They have a lot of players on their roster that weren't what they were hoping four. Solomon Young is okay (still not what I would want out of a starter) but Brase, Beverly, Long and Talley have all been disappointing based on what they were hoping for.

BShark said:

KSU is very tough this year. Mostly the same players as last year, but a year better. Had to travel last year to beat them. I think this team will be fortunate to go 1-1 this week. I think 0-2 is more likely.

I just don’t see a scenario where KU goes 0-2. Possible? Yes, probable? No.

I get everyone being concerned about Newman but what about some consistency from Vick?

BigBad said:

I get everyone being concerned about Newman but what about some consistency from Vick?

Definitely concerned about his play last week. Something had to be up. Last week vs Tech was by far the worst game he's played as a hawk. Hopefully its behind him.

@BShark Still making predictions? You've been right 3 times this year, and wrong 12 times. I've been right 12 times this year, and wrong 3 times this year. See the trend? We'll win both games this week.

@BeddieKU23 it's like he (Vick) disappeared!

Crimsonorblue22 said:

@BeddieKU23 it's like he (Vick) disappeared!

Hopefully that was the last of that. Self, I'm sure he's addressed it

You never know .. could be as simple as girlfriend problems. I would wonder why an injury would not have been discussed by Self as he mentioned Doke's back and Newman's foot (though I think this was really a bit of cover for the lineup change to Garrett). But they are selectively close to the vest on that stuff.

I am not concerned about Vick from a performance or ability standpoint. He seemed more into things last game, and really, I'd bet on 20 tonight.

@BeddieKU23 Vick performance = flu maybe??

This is the easiest week of KU's Big 12 schedule because they're playing 2 of the 3 worst teams in the league at home. If they don't go 2-0 this week, finishing at or near .500 in the league becomes a possibility.

If Vick drops 20 tonight that would be great. When was the last time Graham, Svi & Vick had good games against a P5 team?

Lets look.

Kentucky- Vick-9, Svi-17, Graham-11- Win, not pretty from the gang.

Syracuse- Vick-20, Svi-11, Graham-35- Graham & Vick beat up the zone.

Washington- Vick-28, Svi-8, Graham-3- Vick played hero ball and lost.

Arizona St- Vick-25, Svi-14, Graham-19- Statistically all 3 did fine, defense from all 3 was horrid.

Nebraska- Vick-9, Svi-14, Graham-18- Okay from all 3 got the win.

Stanford- Vick-13, Svi-14, Graham-14- Doke had the big game

Texas- Vick-21, Svi-20, Graham-23- Statistically the best all 3 have played in one game.

Tech- Vick-2, Svi-11, Graham-27- Poor games from 2/3rd's, defensive letdown again

TCU- Vick-8, Svi-20, Graham-28- Graham & Svi were $.

So just a few games where we've seen our 3 main scorers all have good games..Maybe tonight adds to the total. The thing that sticks out is Vick is struggling with consistency averaging just 10.6 pts in his last 5 games against better competition.

It's interesting that no one talks about our been to the dance 28 years in a row streak. If I'm not mistaken it's the longest in history. Don't even want to think about the Sunday when we don't hear our name called for the Big Dance. I suppose it will happen, but in some scenarios that could happen this year. Very doubtful, it'd probably take an injury for that to happen, but it could. On the other hand assuming you start paying attention to such things at an age of 35, anyone 35 and under has never known an NCAA tournament without KU in it. No one born this century has known a Big12 season without KU winning it (again assuming 5 year olds don't pay attention to such things). We've had it really good is my point!

KUSTEVE said:

@BShark Still making predictions? You've been right 3 times this year, and wrong 12 times. I've been right 12 times this year, and wrong 3 times this year. See the trend? We'll win both games this week.

Except I didn't think KU would lose to any of the donks they played, or Washington for that matter.

You’re welcome everyone for predicting the future.

@Kcmatt7 What does your crystal ball say about Billy and Silvio?

@KirkIsMyHinrich ask again later.

Both cleared tomorrow!

Crimsonorblue22 said:

Both cleared tomorrow!

And tomorrow the same in the NCAA hall of mirrors

Did anyone hear Fran say, this late in the season? Is this late in the season?

@Bwag I can't imagine what it's like for those kids!

I make a point to not hear Fran. I utilize the mute button on my television more and more when I watch KU games now because it seems like the commentary is being done by Fraschilla, Dakich, Walton, or Vitale. The only one I enjoy is Jay Bilas.

@Crimsonorblue22 “Tomorrow never comes, man.” Janis

SO KU holds serve at home.

Oklahoma beats Tech putting some air in their tires.

West Virginia holds at home over a poor Drew Baylor team that yet again can't close the deal.

Someone needs to beat West Virginia. It's gonna be KU on Monday