Take away the home whistle, and KU likely lost another one.
TCU got a measly 15 FTAs compared with KU's 23 FTAs.
What if TCU had gotten another 8 FTAs just to be charitable? What if they went on a tear and made all eight of them?
Well, KU won by 7, give TCU 8 made FTs and, its TCU by 1.
Egads!
The good news?
There's actually quite a lot in a dark, Lovecraftian sort of way.
KU won, despite the apparitions of tentacle faced ancients haunting their every step and dribble tonight.
KU only got out rebounded by 1.
Devonte played decent, but not great.
Udoka got a lot of dunks, 11 boards, and actually played 25 hard minutes.
KU actually got some production from Lightfoot and Garrett--not a tidal wave, but a lot more than goose eggs.
KU won despite Svi, Malik and Lagerald being arguably unable to hit their own heads with the basketball.
MALIK NEWMAN GOT FIVE ASSISTS!!!!!! (And I have it on authority from the nether regions that Satan has an ice rink and the snow pack in hell is now 5 inches).
What was bad? Anything?
Lagerald Vick was punished with 29 minutes.
Lagerald Vick only got 1 board in 29 minutes. Helen Keller with a blindfold and ear muffs on could get 1 board in 29 minutes! Lagerald looks like he is under mind control, whenever the ball comes off the rim. Lagerald does not seem to grasp the urgency of his, or the team's, needs in this regard. Let me put this in perspective for Lagerald. Malik Newman got SIX glassvacs. SIX!!! And Malik was missing shots hand over foot. Malik Newman gets it. When they aren't falling, go find some thing else to be helpful around the house!!!!
Was there another bad?
YES!
Svi seemed to have contracted the dread do-nothing virus Identified by jaybate's Center for Basketball Disease Control as LVick-1 adenovirus. Svi played 36 minutes and took a whopping TWO FGAs. He got a whopping 3 glassvacs. At the rate Svi was hustling the glass, he could played three 36 minute games and still not broken into double figures on rebounding, and he would have had a total of 6 FGAs in those three 36 minute games. My 82 year old grandmother literally once did score more baskets in 108 minutes than Svi Mykailiuk did.
Was there another bad?
I am going to say this just this one time. I would rather put my eyes out with USMC government issue Ka-Bar fighting knife than watch Ukoka shoot another FT. I don't care if he was 4-7 again. I have taken a vow for the rest of the season. I keep a government issue black, 100 Percent wool watch cap in my lap and any time Udoka shoots a FT, I am pulling the cap on my head and down over my eyes, so I do not have to see that wrist twist again.
So: great victory boys.
A win in the Solomons campaign is a win.
Rock Chalk!
EDIT: You know, I've thought about the above post, and it is too negative and critical. I am proud of the players for bouncing back and finding a way to win one, on a night that Svi, Malik, and Lagerald were struggling. The team pulled together and fought for a win that was a must. Hats off to ya, boys. This is Solomons and no wins look very pretty in this jungle. But the fighting Jayhawks found a way, and that's what counts. Rock Chalk again!