🏀 KuBuckets Archive

Udoka Azubuike played like an absolute man today.

Doke got 21 points, 2 steals and 3 blocks. He was force on both ends of the floor and altered quite a few more shots than he blocked. Best of all, he was guarding the post and hedge defending at a level of intensity and effectiveness I doubted he could achieve until next season.

Doke did pretty much everything you could ask of a big man short of rebounding. As usual, he came up a little light with only 5 rebounds in 31 minutes of play. But when you've got a point guard that can grab 8 caroms three other wing players that can grab 4-7 apiece, well, guarding the high post setting ball screens 25 feet from the basket is frankly more valuable than grabbing a few extra reebs.

But as the head line of my post suggested, what Doke really deserves perhaps the greatest praise for today was making 7 of his 10 FTAs. 70% is a good night at the charity stripe for most big guys. High five to Doke! He made some BIG free throws, too. Some ice water in his veins free throws. Congratulations to a player turning into a marvelous big man right before our eyes.

What a great day for Doke to have a fine game on many levels. We needed to eek out our win today for sure. But beyond that it was very cool that Doke brought great post play on a day when Cole Aldrich was honored and on a day when both Aldrich and Sasha Kaun, two of KU's most memorable post men from the past, were in the stands cheering him on.

This one was for the bigs!!!!

They are a breed apart!

Rock Chalk!

If I am not mistaken, he stepped to the line with us down 7 and canned them both. A miss there could have been fatal.

@Fightsongwriter

Yes, that was what I was thinking of.

Thanks for fleshing it out.

He really was terrific.

Doke is working himself into a solid first round pick. Yeah his jump shot is non existent however the vast improvement in his free throws shows his willingness and ability to learn. He's shown moves both ways now as well, that little lefty hook wasn't there a month or two ago and he made it look easy. I fear his upwards step into beast mode will have him moving on up sooner than I'd desire.

So was the lost to OU worth it the message it sent to Doke. He's clearly been working hard on his FT's

@BeddieKU23 I dont think so. In a tight conference race, that message could and should have been delivered much earlier.

@Fightsongwriter

I agree the issue was sitting right in front of everyone for a while. That OU game felt like a tournament loss so its been hard to put away.

However sometimes change is hard to come by without the outcome of a game causing a reaction. Doke felt bad, he has worked diligently on his shot since that game. We have all seen the improvement with our eyes. And this helps him long-term wherever he is. He now understands the work he must put in to improve

Of course Self has taken full responsibility for the game which some coaches don't do. Doke's 7 FT's definitely helped KU with its win Saturday.

So the score is 1-1.

I thought Doke had his best game ever. There were several times he was switched off Konate, and he went up, and stole or deflected the entry pass that would've been an easy bucket for the Thugs. He looked so much more agile, and light on his feet, even with playing 31 minutes, which is a lot for him. The free throws were the cherry on top. i so hope we can hang onto him one more year. That lineup next year...if he comes back, will resemble this year's Yankee team with the addition of Stanton. I dare anybody to try to drive it in the paint next year.

KUSTEVE said:

I thought Doke had his best game ever. There were several times he was switched off Konate, and he went up, and stole or deflected the entry pass that would've been an easy bucket for the Thugs. He looked so much more agile, and light on his feet, even with playing 31 minutes, which is a lot for him. The free throws were the cherry on top. i so hope we can hang onto him one more year. That lineup next year...if he comes back, will resemble this year's Yankee team with the addition of Stanton. I dare anybody to try to drive it in the paint next year.

I agree that was a terrific game from him on both ends. Besides the bone-head foul that gave WV a 5 point possession his energy and effort was excellent. He got a few rebounds that a 7 foot behemoth should get. The block he kept in play late in the 2nd half was stellar. His FT's looked light years better. 62% since the OU debacle (18/29).

@BeddieKU23 there's a quote about Sasha Kaun by Self when he missed the front end of a couple 1 and 1s against A&M when they elected to hack him and AC Law sunk us. This is in Beyond the Streak. The quote is near identical to what Self said about not undermining confidence re: Udoka. That worked out pretty well for us then... We tied A&M for conference that year.

@approxinfinity I felt sorry for kid that went with my friend (it was his first KU game and he was waiting on the 3rd quarter to start when it was over), Acy Law IV ruined our night.

@approxinfinity

Great recall!!