@ralster I don't know why Jay Wright gets a lot of flack around here. He was brilliant last year in their championship run. Several hard games to be played before then for both of us. Interesting to see how they do without Ochefu. He was arguably their most important player last year.
HawkChamp
3175 posts
@chriz they rarely bring the focus or energy required to play at their peak/potential. The question is: will they bring it in the tourney? We'll find out in a few days.
@KUSTEVE yeah, I'd rather take our chances with the cryclones. They have to win two tough games first though
Anything less than a final four will be disappointing. Same as always.
@Blown Miami/Michigan State is going to be tough. Assuming we get out of the first weekend, Purdue/Iowa State is even tougher. I like Iowa State to win and get to the Sweet Sixteen. We do have the revenge factor, but if our defense doesnt step up, we will lose.
@Blown yeah I wouldn't want to play them. I think they can beat Purdue.
@Texas-Hawk-10 this is a pretty tough bracket. Defense, of course, will be the key.
@wrwlumpy ISU would have a tough time with Purdue
@ParisHawk later tonight, I believe
@wissox they have to win two games first
@cragarhawk they could potentially face Kentucky, UCLA and North Carolina. They probably aren't making it out of there
South is absolutely loaded
@Big-Clyde52 Purdue probably. Zone Biggie and haas
@Jayrawks1 agreed. Could have been worse. Still hard though
Our region is stacked.
No Marsha!
@Texas-Hawk-10 agreed
@wissox yes
@cragarhawk weird
Louisville our 2
Cryclones!!!
@KUSTEVE I think you're right
@Crimsonorblue22 well someone better find it!
@jayballer54 I know the accomplishments, but sometimes those can lull teams, and fans, into a false sense of security. Numerous close calls against inferior teams should have been blowouts.
@jayballer54 why should we be getting much attention? Most games, this team has looked mediocre.
@Bwag they aren't a veteran team this year so that matters.
I don't care that KU is everyone's super bowl. That should not make a difference whether or not our guys play hard.
@Big-Clyde52 for sure. Does the team know that there is a three point line? Because they don't seem to guard it at all. Makes me wonder what they talk about
@Crimsonorblue22 thats the thing - I care more about how well the team is playing (fundamentals, taking care of the ball, not giving up layups routinely, making open shots, not getting blown by on defense) than wins and losses. The record will take care of itself if they do those things well. The problem is, rarely do our guys do those things and they are winning and they have been lulled into a false sense of security.
@Crimsonorblue22 maybe I dont know. All I know is every game I see coasting on defense and rebounding. Those are the two areas that have precedence over ALL areas of the game. And yet we see it every game.
@brooksmd on second thought, I like it. Give our guys a little edge by being disrespected and getting a 2 seed.
@brooksmd that's bullcrap
@drgnslayr I dont know - it feels like there were plenty of challenges. This team reminds of the 2010 and 2011 teams - the best team when motivated but loafed around and didnt give it their all most games. I know people dont like Marsha, but boy he does a great job at getting his teams to play tough and hard every single game. Bill can't do that.
@DCHawker If lateral quickness is the problem, then there is no excuse for not working on it EVERY DAY during the summer.
But - we have seen them be spectacular when all five players decide to clamp down. If they want to get to Pheonix, they will have no choice but to do that throughout a game. No excuses.
@Big-Clyde52 the effort and intensity thing is why I wont pick this team to go far in the tournament. I mean, middle school players can go hard for every rebound, and yet our guys dont? Really an embarrassment for the program that has had such a history and reputation because guys worked hard and didnt loaf. This is mostly, as you said, a pride thing.
@drgnslayr yeah its really sad to behold. I have a small bit of hope that the loss to TCU embarrassed the guys and made them think a little bit about what their role is and how they need to represent the program. That was a terrible display of basketball. I hope they have a little more fire watching these other teams play hard, win and have fun doing it while they're at home.
@drgnslayr that is really what most on here dont want to admit and make loads of excuses for - our guys do not hustle and use all their mental focus on defense.
"We simply ARE NOT HUNGRY on defense." Absolutely. It makes me wonder what they work on in practice and if Bill calls them out for not hustling. It is pretty pathetic that a group of veterans that have elite eight experience and supposedly "hungry" to get to the final four rarely hustle.
The "no bench" excuse is crap. People need to watch other teams play, like you and I do, and notice that most teams play a short bench in big games. Roy and Marsha play a deep bench, but that is not common, especially in the second half. Duke played four games in four days against some of the best teams in the country and they looked like they hustled every minute I watched them.
It is inexcusable that our guys only put serious effort in for 5 to 8 minutes a game. That has nothing to do with the short rotation. If people still think that, then they dont watch much basketball other than KU.
Frank and Landen need to chew some rear end - specifically Svi, Lagerald and Devonte - and tell them they need to step it up and quit loafing on defense. They are seniors and this is their last chance in the tourney. Its time to leave everything on the court every single game. Anything else is not enough.
@Hawk8086 an elite eight rematch would be fun though. But I agree - they are looking championship caliber.
@drgnslayr and because of their coach. He has a way to get his teams fired up and ready to play hard for the ENTIRE game. I could see a similar outcome to 2015.
@drgnslayr yeah that was great watching Walton talk to him. Honestly, I don't think Gonzaga would beat Arizona right now. They have Trier and Cartwright back and Markannen has improved a lot. They are relying on early season wins but some of those teams have improved. Heck, the way Iowa State is playing they would probably win a rematch.
@globaljaybird PHOF!!! That is too good man!
I think it's time to admit that this team has not performed to the level that we expected to start the year. We thought they would be a much tougher defensive unit and really get after it. I still don't believe that it's because of the short bench - that wasn't a problem for the 2012 team, or Nova last year. I think too many excuse the behavior instead of saying that it is because some of the players are soft.
I can't think of many teams that were great offensively but struggled defensively and still made the final four. I can, however, think of many teams of whom the inverse was true. If I had to pick, I would rather play great defense like the 2012 team. Good defense and rebounding will always allow you to be in games.
This team is what it is. They think they can get away with not playing defense and just outscore the other team. But that strategy has proven to be faulty and unreliable.
The only way this team makes the final four is through a bunch of upsets ala 2011 and hot shooting ala NOVA last year.
@KUSTEVE yeah I dont understand how a 7 loss UNC team is in front of us. I mean, their best road win is at Wake Forest. Because of the unbalanced schedule, they didnt have to play at Notre Dame, Louisville or Florida State. Basically, they got off easy or else they could be an eight or nine loss team. No way they should be ahead of us.
@wissox I cant say for sure. The way the team plays sloppy so much and makes careless mistakes, as well as their refusal to play anything resembling defense, I have serious doubts about them. Would I love to see some focus for longer than five minutes a game? Yes. Am I holding my breath? Absolutely not.
@wissox They might be ready, but there are just too many instances this year of loafing around, playing sloppy, unfocused and overall disinterested to think that they would be up for the game or for any game in March. Dont understand how this happens with a supposedly "veteran" and "experienced" team.
@mayjay thats the sort of stuff that I dont understand. How long has he been with the team? Has he not been instructed during that lengthy period of time on what to do? Its not like he just started playing with the team and is confused about what the coaches are asking of him. He needs to take this down time and think about what his role is and how to execute better.
@wissox my opinion is that they will always have more to play because of Marsha and their fans constantly bitching and moaning about "they wont play us". I wonder a lot about Bill's ability to get them ready for that game - sure didnt in 2015.
@StLJhawk when UCLA is playing their best, they are the best team. Last night, they missed a lot of the shots that they normally make so I would not count on them having another terrible shooting night - last night may have been their worst. I would rather have Arizona or Oregon, though both of those teams are nearly equal to UCLA. Either way, it will be tough.
@Crimsonorblue22 I was mainly referring to the lack of concentration on the defensive end. What I am saying is, as a team, this team does not have "it" to be a great defensive team and they haven't since the 2013 team. The players we have had the last four years just aren't defensive minded at all.
There was an article about KU wanting to fix their defense during the down time on kusports.com. IMO, if they can't figure out how to play harder and more focused defensively for longer than seven or eight minutes a game, then the staff needs to reconsider what they are doing. Look at what Duke is doing this week. Fatigue is a terrible excuse. The problem is they just don't care about it. They don't get down in a good stance and move their feet. It makes me wonder what they work on and talk about.
@jayballer54 impressive comeback by Duke.