🏀 KuBuckets Archive

@Crimsonorblue22 Don't misinterpret the "no structural damage" comment.

Embiid's knee "sprain", by definition, is a partial tearing of ligaments. The sprain compromised the structure and stability of the knee. Self now has identified that he has a "bone bruise." This is directly from the hyperextension vs. TCU. This is common in ACL tears because the hyperextension causes the bones to contact each other violently enough to cause the bruising. So he was very lucky not to tear the ACL. Further, the PCL -- ligament in back of the knee structure -- was surely the ligament sprained by this occurrence. As I mentioned when this occurred, my concern is the compromising of stability, and if this might happen again. Not unlike Black rolling his ankle again. The brace has a locking deal that helps prevent the hyperextension, so that's good.(though it's not complete protection).

What is also good in this whole deal is there is no mention of surgery, and that there appears to be no cartilage/meniscus involvement. That's can be painful to deal with, of course.

Though the back deal vs. WVU seemed like he just came down wrong, I can't help but suspect that his protection of the knee, changing the way he run, jumps, etc., has caused or contributed to the back.

Shutting him down for literally 2+ weeks now is not out of the question, even if it means not playing him against Texas.

Interesting how Self's tune has changed on the injury. We know we can't "buy" what Self sells on injuries.

Our eyes are on a bigger prize. It is unlikely that we'll get that #1 seed. So after that, a #2, #3, or #4 -- it doesn't matter much. We want Embiid healthy and ready to rock in March.

@JayHawkFanToo Must be annoying for players to listen to him .. can you imagine signing up for 4 years of that?

@Blown I think that looks like dylans who replied .. not me; I see what you're saying.

@DinarHawk Right on -- the sweet 16 is not this team's peak. This team can win a national championship. A nice little six game run, a little luck in avoiding a physical team kind of match-up, etc.

@MoonwalkMafia -- Correct on the clarification. What I like best about your comments is that Tharpe needs to shoot. Not be secondary. Not defer. But shoot. Really impressive is his development of that aspect of his game.

@REHawk - No, I'm not saying we would be better now with Greene or White playing. I don't know. But chemistry is an interesting animal. So is a dead-eye three point shooter. Wiggins has significant attributes, but I don't dismiss the possibility that we might actually be better come March if it were a White/Greene rotation at the 3 vs. Wiggins. But I don't think that to be true necessarily. I am perfectly happy with Wiggins, but for the OAD status. Freshmen need to develop. Wiggins included. We just have this closing window as it relates to KU hoops. That I don't like.

@DinarHawk -- "some need to lower expectations ..."

I have to challenge that a bit.

Why did we bring in Andrew Wiggins? Why would we bring in such a complete and utter distraction? A guy that folks don't even ask if he's considering staying another year? A guy that has one foot out the door before he gets here?

The only reason is to win a national title. Not a "deep run." To win a national title. Otherwise, it just isn't worth it.

If I am to lower expectations, then I want no part of the Andrew Wiggins of the world. If I am to lower expectations, then I would rather play Andrew White and Brannen Greene and watch them develop -- instead of the "for sure" OAD who has to be prodded to be aggressive. I can handle every "fault" I could expand upon with Wiggins if he were staying. But he's not.

So, my expectations are a national title. Period. It's not too much to ask. All we've heard is Wiggins this, and Wiggins that. His non-performance is a story.

When you say "enjoy the ride" -- I can enjoy the ride like the 2011-12 season that you mentioned. The lower expectations.

But when you bring in an Andrew Wiggins and all that goes along with it, there is no ride enjoying going on for me.

We can still win the title, and I suspect as I did back when the season started that it has much more to do with Joel Embiid than Andrew Wiggins. But the title is my only measure of satisfaction this season.

And @DinarHawk -- thanks for providing the me the fuel there to get that off my chest.

A few post-game thoughts -

1. Embiid's prior knee injury has clearly carried over. It was a pretty violent deal. Self played it way down at the time. But Embiid hasn't been the same since. Anyone that has been around leg injuries knows that it can impact the back. Whether it's a broken ankle or a pulled hamstring, the way you alter your stride and how you compensate for it can impact the back. Embiid's back deal didn't seem to relate to that, but we don't know. I like Self's suggestion to let him rest. Personally, letting him rest immediately after the knee injury was my preference as I mentioned at the time (but that was just an opinion without all of the information). This is probably the most concerning thing right now. If Embiid is limited, we are not a top 10 team.

2. Self showed guts last night going with a different lineup late, and it paid off. Brannen Greene is a play maker, but did make a crucial turnover in overtime. He obviously had the big put back, steal, and basket that fueled our charge to overtime. I just want to continue to see more of him on the floor. When I have talked in the past about playing time that gets guys ready for March, we saw CF and Greene get exactly that last night. On that note, I have applaud Self for really giving Greene a defined role. Sometimes the minutes aren't there, but he knows his role and it shows in his performance.

3. The shot chart above demonstrates what we saw -- we couldn't stop anyone at the rim. Ellis has some terrific qualities, but defense near the rim certainly isn't one of them.

4. This fastbreak thing is really bothering me now. Last night we converted just a few. There were times when I didn't understand why we weren't pushing the ball when the opportunity was obvious. Frankamp , when he's at the point, it's basically walk the ball up the court. And Tharpe is as cautious as a cat on the edge of a bathtub.

5. This loss is not a big deal. We will lose at least 3 in conference play ... we have at OSU and at WVU that seem like possible losses now. Perhaps we steal one of those.

6. It is very encouraging to see Black's turnaround.

7. Two things I am waiting to see -- First, Andrew Wiggins dive on the floor; and second, Andrew Wiggins actually passing to an open man when he drives to the basket. On the second item, literally three KSU players attempted to collapse on him when he drove. The guy just ignores setting his teammates up for baskets. All he really does is rely on a whistle. It's mid-February and he still can't finish with any consistency.

@AsadZ - My point was not to bag on Tharpe, more to just analyze what we have and hit on some areas that Tharpe is perhaps lacking. A discussion point. I appreciate your point of view on Tharpe. I do believe that Mason is a better point guard than Tharpe if shooting were removed from the equation. But his shooting a huge deal for this team, and that "if" is like saying that Kansas would be just another basketball program if it didn't have all that history. The shooting is maybe the most important add that this team has experienced since it's Nov/Dec travails. I am perfectly content with our two headed monster. And really, every player south of Lebron has his flaws.

But then you had to go and say "enjoy the ride" ....

I read all of the discussion here today and all of it was a great read. I am impressed with Tharpe's progress, but my point on this is just whether he's bumped against a ceiling. @jaybate pointed out his belief that the key to this team is not Tharpe's limitations. I guess I'd agree. But I do think it is a major limiting factor. Areas of the game, like the fastbreak, that @drgnslayr and @globaljaybird expanded up ... would be tailor made for this team's skill set.

@Wishawk may have nailed it -- perhaps Tharpe is just a master now of playing within his limitations. Not trying to be something he is not.

It is kind of funny about the short leg thing. I completely forgot that. Literally one of @jaybate's first posts after seeing Tharpe was related to his short legs. That was probably one of my favorite observations -- you won't see that in the LJW or KC Star.

As @AsadZ said, Tharpe can hold up fairly well on D. It's the higher level guys that expose him as slayr said. High level guys expose a lot of folks. But Tharpe is just way out of his league in that situation. And freaking Staten is one of those guys. It's a different level.

What I find really interesting is @icthawkfan316's Anrio Adams mention -- what if Self had handed the backup PG keys to Adams last December and committed to him? He had the tools to be an elite defender. But Self does seem to have made the right call there.

@KUSTEVE - Thanks. I feel like Michael in Godfather III over there .. just when I'm out, they pull me back in. A couple guys over there just lack any sense and civility. But some are really trying. It's just not the same. It's one level of discussion there, and a much higher level here.

@icthawkfan316 Oh, and excellent post game stuff above. I think your comments on Greene are right on, too. Greene seems to accepted a well defined role right now. Consistency. Something the kid can count on. When he pitched that ball in the stands yesterday and didn't get hooked, it can only help his confidence.

And I can't tell you how impressed I am with Black's turnaround. Much needed. We have a group of finesse guys .. four starters, and then some guys that are more physical -- Black, Mason, Selden, Traylor.

@globaljaybird I agree completely. I see Nash and Smart, and think what they would have done here? Or Isaiah Austin? Things happen for a reason.

Guys like "West Texas Weatherwax" have got serious problems. What grown man screams like that at a college player? While I find it just as bad when done at pro events, it is still different at a college venue. I will never understand the lack of civility.

Smart deserves a little rope here. He didn't punch the guy. He didn't hurt the guy. He pushed him. With guys at least .. that should be no big deal. It is only a big deal because it was player vs. fan and crossed that line that athletes should not cross. Regardless of what the guy said, Smart's reaction places Smart in jeopardy. He has much more to lose. There are a lot of guys in jail that reacted to an insult or what someone said. Smart should not have pushed the guy, period, because of the line between player and fans. That doesn't mean if they were on the street, or in the parking lot, that the same rule would apply. But even in those situations, all of us have had to make judgments -- is it worth it?

I, for one, can't stand Marcus Smart on the court. But we should temper our judgments a bit and forgive the kid for his poor judgment. But we should also be curious about how guys like "West Texas Weatherwax" are dealt with. A ticket should not be a free pass to act like an idiot, particularly directing that idiocy at a college player.

I left my viewing of KU’s methodical win today wanting more – wanting more from our point guard, Naadir Tharpe. The question is whether Tharpe is bumping up against his talent ceiling? We’ve seen Tharpe be near spectacular shooting the ball. We’ve seen him drop 12 assists against zero turnovers. We’ve seen Tharpe be the best player on this team at times. But many times, we’ve seen him play at a pedestrian level as a whole, and subpar in some of the other parts of his game. Today, to me, was downright frustrating.

Five areas I want more from Tharpe, with the likelihood that the area of concern could improve (scale 1 – 5, with 1 being lowest probability and 5 the highest probability of improvement):

1. Penetration against a zone: WVU threw the dreaded 1-3-1 at us today. And not to be too harsh, but Tharpe was near impotent. He lacked either the ability or inclination to drive at the creases and to attack the zone off the dribble. When WVU pushed the pressure to half court, Tharpe just became passive. My point is here was that he fails to make defenses pay for the temerity of pressing. We are leaving much on the table when we permit the press and are simply satisfied with starting our offense. We saw a few bold passes today that did make WVU pay. But not nearly enough. And not from Tharpe. Chances of improvement: 2. Tharpe simply appears to be a passive point guard. Satisfied with not making an error or mistake. Perhaps scarred by Self’s quick hook or tongue lashings that we’ve witnessed over the years. But whatever the reason, he fails to take even the most obvious opportunities against zone defenses and half court traps to push the action inside.

2. Defense: Tharpe’s defense today was simply horrific. No dressing that up. He plays defense distinctly without passion. He chases his offensive player like a whipped puppy. Is this harsh? Yes, but reality can be harsh. In November of 2012 (last season), Self nearly dropped Tharpe from the rotation in large part due to his lack of defensive intensity. Of course, we all really recognized from day one that Tharpe would never be a solid defender. We’ve seen him play adequate defense. But we’ve rarely seen a high level of defensive intensity. And we always see him take poor angles – chasing, not cutting off. Tharpe gets his standard fouls each game for putting his hands on his opponent. Cheap touch fouls. “Tharpes”, as they may soon become known as. The poor defense is one reason why Frank Mason is the better player (in literally all phases except shooting). Self yanked Tharpe because of the poor defense. I thought that was pretty significant. Chances of improvement: 1. He is what he is. His feet won’t get quicker. He won’t suddenly love to play defense. He won’t suddenly develop the passion that we see Selden and Mason developing. And he won’t suddenly understand angles. To me, this phase is hopeless when it comes to any chance of real improvement.

3. Shooting: My complaint is not with his shooting ability. That has been terrific. Maybe the most pleasant surprise of the entire season (next to Embiid and Mason), and perhaps the most needed surprise. I just want him to shoot more often. Multiple times today he turned down open looks. Granted, after a few of his refusals of open looks, KU ended up getting a bucket inside. But Tharpe’s shooting has transformed the dynamic of this team. I’m not complaining any longer about our three point shooting. Tharpe’s emergence has changed the game. I do understand that perhaps Tharpe will pull out the three gun when needed. And maybe that’s the plan. But I want more shots. Chances of improvement: 4. Surely he does want to shoot more. I’m quite confident that when needed, he’ll take the looks that are given to him. But does he have any “alpha dog” in him that will make him at least feel like he’s the man and thus not shrink from the moment?

4. Running the fastbreak: This is perhaps my biggest frustration with Tharpe. It’s not one that I’ve spent a lot of time commenting upon. But Tharpe seems to have very little innate ability to command the fast break. He regularly and, again, passively, moves the ball toward the wing as he enters the front court. He doesn't attack the middle of the court off the dribble. Unless the numbers are perfect or there is a clear path, he against opts out of the aggressive move. Kind of the anti-Frank Mason. I find myself regularly yelling “GO” at the TV when Tharpe has the ball. But most of the time, he chooses to be safe. This point will hold this team back from reaching its potential. Mason is still kind of a bull(dog) in a china closet. He’s getting better, and more tempered. It’s a pretty stark contrast between the two. This may be one of those areas where Tharpe is again scarred by his prior interactions with Self. Playing not to make the error. But I think it’s his personality, as well. Chances of improvement: 3. I say 3 because I think a large part of this is his confidence in remaining on the court after an error or two. But otherwise, it would be a 2. Hard to change his stripes at this point in his junior season. I just see our wild athleticism and a big buy like Embiid that can run the court and just wonder, "what if we had a point guard that could actually run the break?" We can always wonder.

5. Creating scoring for others: The game with 12 assists and 0 turnovers was terrific. But too often, we see Tharpe flounder in his ability to create scoring opportunities for others. It vexes me, as Commudus would say. It is clear that he has it in him. Today, we saw neither the creator, nor the shooter. Personally, I think the talk of Tharpe being better than Mason against the zone was simply a relative analysis. Mason was just bad. Now, Mason is not bad. He’s actually better than Tharpe against the zone. And actually acceptable. Mason’s upward curve overtook Tharpe in a matter of two months (since the Florida debacle). The "creating scoring" issue relates directly to Tharpe’s inability to attack creases and holes in the zone off the dribble. Against a man defense, he’s more effective, so long as he’s not overwhelmed by his defender. Really, for Tharpe to create, the circumstances must be favorable – really match-up related. Chances for improvement: 3. I do think “creating” can be learned to an extent, and improved upon. I do think Tharpe will get better simply by the passage of time. He does want to create. That is a big deal. Tyshawn never really wanted to create. He wanted to score. You can see Tharpe does want to create. He may not improve markedly against zones, but I do think that he will see some improvement.

The best analogy I can make regarding Naadir Tharpe is Joe Flacco. Flacco is the prototypical “game manager” as a quarterback, except for one asset: The big arm. Tharpe has the three gun as his big asset.

I was a major Tharpe proponent coming into the season, and I do believe that our two-headed monster at point guard is sufficient to win us a title. But I now believe that we’ve seen Tharpe’s ceiling. He can shoot the ball. If he will approach that aggressively, he can be a spectacular scorer in a phase of the game this team desperately needed improvement. Even if he’s not aggressive in that phase of the game, as a secondary scorer he is lethal. But in all other phases of the game, I believe the chances of improvement are nominal. Tharpe, as a point guard, isn’t going to improve much. We are at the final plateau. This team’s improvement will have to come from other sources.

@drgnslayr -- you're right, the media is generally lazy when it comes to that.

What I'd like to see asked of Embiid

1. What is your go-to move?

2. Who taught it to you or how did you learn the move?

3. What player has been your toughest matchup this season?

4. In what phase of the game do you feel the weakest?

5. What have you improved at most while at KU?

6. Why did you pop that K-State dude in the mouth?

7. Why don't you use that sweet little hook shot more often?

8. Do you feel like you are in excellent shape, conditioning wise?

9. Why don't you try to split a double team every so often?

10. Do you want another piece of Cameron Ridley?

That's just 10.

How many times can these reporters keep asking the "NBA" question? It is really unbelievable. What's the kid going to say? "Yea, I'm definitely leaving?" Or "I'm definitely staying."

Classic case of the media trying to create a story when there is no story.

These guys can't just play their season without the constant harassment of whether they're going to make a future decision to turn pro? It's really pathetic in my opinion.

@FarSideHawk Ok, I'll make it easy

1. PG - Advantage KU. Harrison is unreliable and inconsistent. We have a two headed monster -- one becoming a dead-eye three point shooter and the other a master of getting the ball to the hoop.

2. SG - Advantage KU. Selden has more intangibles than the other Harrison twin. He's won games for KU this season. Aaron Harrison has not done that.

3. SF - Advantage KU. Wiggins has the upside to dominate a game, explode for 30, and play top tier defense. Young is a good player, but Wiggins is in a different league.

4. PF - Advantage KU. Both Ellis and Randle can score. But this is about tourney time. Ellis has experience, he's been through it before. Randle is a load, but Ellis is the better bet to provide a consistent tourney performance.

5. C - Advantage KU. Embiid over Willie Cauley Slacker Stein and that other dude is not even a debate.

Bench - Advantage KU. Our second five beats any other second five in the nation.

Coach - Advantage KU. Self always wins. Cal wins when things go right. Self prevents the valleys. Cal has not been able to do that.

Now, I'm going to take off my crimson and blue glasses and take a nap ...

Great props to Tarik Black ... this is what we signed up for. Tough inside play, active, even had a couple of nice assists.

And @konkeyDong, you're right, Tharpe has really become one of, if not the most important player. His outside shooting is just what the doctor ordered. I found myself wanting him to gun from three when ever he had the opening. The biggest adjustment that he has made (at least from my view) on his three point shot is discarding the slight fall away.

As I posted today, getting Tharpe his outside shot (just one combined shot in the prior two games) is a must for this defensively challenged team.

And boy, is Baylor bad ... a reflection of their well below average coach. Jimmy Dykes mentioned that Baylor had "top 25 talent." A nice back handed slam.

Finally, isn't it nice to listen to an analyst like Jimmy Dykes? Isn't full of himself, doesn't have to fill every second with chatter, does't obsess on the NBA, sticks with the action as opposed to a bunch of tangents, and generally good observations (except on odd one about Wiggins scoring 4.2 point per breakaway or something like that). I'll take Dykes any day.

@REHawk The officiating is always the x-factor, it's just a different focus now. Officiating in every sport is handcuffed by egomaniacs that truly believe that the game cannot survive without them, and that they are as much a part of the game as the participants.

But as Fran said in the last broadcast, players and coaches live and die with each game ... the refs just pack their bags and go to the next game site.

@jaybate I had posted the other day that Self has to consider multiple options to improve our outcomes. This is mainly because of our poor defense. How about a multi-step plan to improve our outcomes in recognition that defense won't likely be something we can rely upon:

1. Your suggestion -- have Selden and Wiggins switch roles on defense.

2. Run more set plays to attempt to create more scoring opportunities, particularly against teams that are top level defensively. In particular, plays that set up kick outs for three pointers, permit some pick and roll action, and that result in the balance of the team being in solid rebounding position (an underestimated value of set plays, in my book). On the three point shooting, our best three point shooter so far (Tharpe) has shot one three pointer in the last two games. Greene has proven that he'll hit open looks. Getting guys good, open looks should be a point of emphasis.

3. Implement a zone pressing scheme to change pace, catch the other team off guard, create scoring opportunities, and make opponents spend prep time.

4. When faced with a zone defense, aggressively screen against the zone to create lanes and space for penetration, passing, and attacking. Not token screens.

5. Look to run at every opportunity, including attacking off made baskets. Player nearest the ball inbounds immediately, every time, perhaps at various stages of the game.

6. On offense, drag Embiid and Ellis away from the basket more to create space for drives by our penetrators -- Wiggins, Selden, and Mason.

7. Challenge Wiggins to create 5 baskets a game for his teammates. Every drive doesn't have to result in a shot. All that attention creates opportunity. Taking that opportunity changes the way defenses have to play Wiggins on a drive, thus creating more opportunity.

Would be interested in any more suggestions.

Last season, Self implodes, throws EJ under the bus, and has a complete meltdown after a close home loss to a very good OSU team. We lose the next two in a row, including an inexplicable loss at TCU. Big mistake. One of the few big mistakes Self has mad in 11 seasons. That stuff will happen sometimes.

This time, we play a much worse game, get hammered, and Self plays it cool. The world did not end.

I'm liking door number 2.

Self said, "I tell our guys, ‘Hey, just try not to let one become two, two become three.’ We’ve been in situations in the league where we’ve had three to four losses, and the leader had two or three. We’ve needed a little help, and it seems to me in this league the help usually comes because people lose away from home. I don’t think it’s a panic-mode deal at all."

Exactly.

Personally, I think this is becoming clearer. This team is a finesse team, led by Mr. and Mrs. Finesse, Perry Ellis and Andrew Wiggins, and their son, Naadir Finesse. Uncle Finesse (Embiid) vists on weekends. The Finesse family.

Right now, this is not a tough team. Oh how I'd like to see TRob at the 4 right now with this group.

Now, I do think Embiid can be tough. But did you see him after Ridley tossed him to the ground? He looked stunned. There is a difference between slapping at a KSU player, and bucking up against Mr. Ridley. Selden is not part of the Finesse family, just an in law. Not surprising that he excelled in a game like yesterday.

As an aside, after Embiid got hammered, I would have put Tarik in the game and told him to blast Ridley at the first opportunity, Flagrant 1, 2, 3 and 4 .. whatever. Send the freaking message.

But this is a finesse team. And we will have win with what we have. That is reality. We have to shoot the ball. We may have to outscore teams as opposed to banking on stopping them from scoring. There was a lot of talk about turnovers a while back. But we won on the road at ISU with 24 turnovers, and lost at Texas with just 12. I, of course, don't want turnovers, but as I've mentioned before, turnovers aren't the know all, say all about how well you're playing. We may need to risk more turnovers, we may need to be more reckless and aggressive on offense. We may need to run at every opportunity.

We have to create better scoring opportunities, however that might occur. We might need to (God forbid) run a press. It's pretty simple to me. As @jaybate mentioned, we'll have trouble with teams like SDSU and Texas -- tougher teams. We have the opportunity to adjust, get better at what we do, compete better, and find ways to win games.

@jaybate asked this question - "can the coaches help them discover what they know they do not know; that they are lacking in competitive greatness at the moment; and do so without making them lose their confidence?"

My answer to that is "perhaps marginally." What I mean is that the Finesse family I mentioned above are not going to change their stripes in a few weeks. And that is the core of this team. So I do not think that discovering something right now, or in a few weeks, will occur.

Personally, I think that coach Self has to find a way to win with this group as they are. How can this team, in March, win playing a finesse game?

That requires detailed scheming and strategizing. It may require running more set plays. It may require changing our approach to attacking zone defenses, i.e., more screening. It may require tweaking our lineup and minutes against such teams to emphasize those not in the Finesse family.

This is a very, very good team. But the harsh reality may be that our progress in March may be more dictated by match-ups than in the past. Perhaps coach Self can limit that some by adjusting to the team that he has.

@ParisHawk I agree with you comment on Wiggins and how he does drive to the hoop. Has he ever really, in traffic, drove "angry"?

@Crimsonorblue22, don't mistake the critique as a put down. Clearly, Wiggins has not been taught to play a physical game. It seems apparent that he's been taught to protect himself, to avoid contact. Heck, he's probably be the guy since he's been six years old. And it is in his DNA too. He seems to have that inherent approach to the game.

The Lebron comparison is tough because Lebron is the best player right now, and he's a full grown man, and he does weigh 250 or whatever. But lots of skinny dudes can drive and dunk with bad intentions -- Durant, Wilkens, Drexler, Nance, etc., -- did it in college.

But Wiggins is what he is, and I personally appreciate him for that. He is just a freshman. And that is why I can't ever be too critical. He's only had a few months with coach Self.

He'll dive for a ball this season.

@Crimsonorblue22 I don't know. Doesn't he seem like the quintessential finesse guy? Even when he goes to the hoop it's kind of polite isn't it? No "bad intentions." Now, I'll kindly take those 29 polite points.

Great post -- I think there are some folks born to get their noses dirty. It's in their DNA. No fear of bodily harm. Others, it's a chore. They're soft. They don't like to get in a scrum. That's DNA, too.

But I think it can be taught or learned -- meaning competitiveness. I don't think it's something that changes in someone quickly. But I do think it can change within a team quickly. Like, the light switch goes on type quickly.

Within a team concept, you have multiple personalities and moving parts. A team can take on a life of its own. And it can be impacted by just a few elements. It's why coach Self makes such a big deal about Selden getting dirty. That action motivates, it inspires, and it makes the team think in a different box. Quite simply, it's leadership -- taking the team down the right path.

I'm not sold on this team's competitiveness yet either. Mainly because we have passive personalities. So I'll never be sold. Give me the fiery dudes any day. But guys who don't show it can, of course, be highly competitive. They just will live longer. I've known a few like that. Everything is laid back. In my opinion, that type of personality has difficult time leading.

With a team that has individuals with laid back personalities, thinking about the team as having a "personality" takes on a bit more importance. The team has to have that fire -- as a team. A collective fire where the guys feed of each other. Getting that to click. I'm seeing that with our guys now.

As an aside, we'll know when coach Self has truly gotten through to Wiggins when we see him go "Selden" after a ball. I think it could happen. Clearly, though, Wiggins is a finesse dude. Wouldn't want him to bruise. But he can learn it.

@icthawkfan316 @globaljaybird Right, Cauley-Stein lived with the Shields. Interestingly, in the Olathe East area but attending Olathe Northwest (which is allowed). I've heard multiple reasons why KU wasn't in the picture, ict's scenario being one.

It will be interesting to see the contrast between UK and KU in March.

You want me on the wall, you need me on that wall .. but friends, there will be no wall. This team's arrow is pointed skyward. Bumps? Sure. Some glitches? You bet. But forget the wall. We're too freaking good.

Some images are burned into our memories ... Hook 'em Horns!

!Redhead.jpg ↗

Ugh .. too much work today, not enough time to talk hoops.

@icthawkfan316 Who do you think was the best post player -- I'd say TRob was the best on a one season basis. Just my opinion. And I think if he were thrust in to starting in 2011, he would have been darn near as good as 2012.

One inch.

One inch seems insignificant, except perhaps to your wives.

One inch decides so many things in life. Vince Lombardi famously said that "Life's a game of inches." And every sport is decided by inches. Against TCU, our season may have been decided by one inch. The extra one inch that Joel Embiid's knee did not bend backwards. One more inch, Embiid’s ACL was done.

Coach Self said “I watched it on tape. I didn’t know it looked bad. It did look bad if you watched it. Basically we were fortunate we got out of that with it only being a slight sprain.” Uh, yea.

Over the years, @jaybate and I have made mention how relatively healthy our KU teams have been. No torn rotator cuffs. No ACLs. No broken legs. No dislocated elbows. The Jayhawks have had their aches and pains, and "quilted wraps" around various body parts. But no catastrophes.

Last Saturday night, we about had one. See the picture below. One more inch, and Joel Embiid’s season was over. With it, perhaps our national title hopes. Knees are not meant to bend that way. ACLs are the most curious of all ligaments. Shredding like a bad rope. Refusing to heal. Unable to heal. You can't repair it. You have to replace it.

Joel Embiid, as we discussed back in November, is the key to our assent. He is the single most important player in college basketball. By March, he might be the player most likely to decide the national championship chase. And that’s because no one in college basketball can match up with him. If you could pick one player right now to start your team, who would it be?

We have speculated a bit about the extent of the injury. Is it more severe than coach Self is letting on? We don’t know. What is uncertain is whether the “slight sprain” as Coach Self stated has created instability that may plague Embiid for the rest of the season. Think about after you roll your ankle … the ankle is unstable and rolls much easier than normal until healed. That’s my concern with Embiid’s knee. After that hyperextension, it isn’t as stable. It may take 2-4 weeks to regain that stability. So we hold our collective breaths.

But so far, we won this one. By one inch. Perhaps, when Coach Self is standing there with the National Championship trophy at Cowboys stadium in Arlington, Texas, on April 7, he might remember the night a few miles away in Ft. Worth when the season was decided by one inch.

!Embiid.TCU.Knee.JPG ↗

@oldhwkfan Sorry, Magee is still head doc. Randle is the orthopedic surgeon for the team. He'd be the guy dealing with Embiid's knee. Randle did Rush's ACL repair.

@JayHawkFanToo Don't take what happened to Embiid too lightly. A hyperextension like that causes a sprain -- and most docs recommend at least a couple weeks to heal it.

As I'm sure you've encountered before, a sprain is partial tearing of ligaments. The ligaments that are most stressed by a hyperextension are the ACL and PCL. ACLs, of course, are different from other ligaments in the knee because they don't heal themselves real well. A torn ACL looks like a shredded rope many times and have to be replaced. PCLs, MCLs, and LCLs usually heal from partial tears. ACLs really don't. But a hyperextension also can tear cartilage, the menisci, and even the popliteus tendon.

The main problem with a hyperextension is that it weakens the ligaments and structures that might otherwise prevent the hyperextension from happening again. So I think Embiid may be prone to do it again here very soon. That to me is huge risk.

Personally, I'd shut him down for a few games, just to be safe.

But Dr. Randle, KU's team doc, is terrific. He repaired my son's torn ACL and is the best around. If he's on the court, Randle must think it's ok.

It will be interesting to see how Embiid reacts. It may very well be just a slight sprain. It looked a bit more violent than that to me. Just lucky that Shepherd didn't bump it as it bent backwards.

By the way, I think @jaybate's suggestions in advance ISU regarding Embiid are definitely plausible, mainly because it would make great sense to sit Embiid even if the injury is "slight."

@drgnslayr not to be cynical, but Self wouldn't play Forte. I'm sure there would be a reason.

@wissoxfan83 Good question, because it goes to perhaps a team playing a better schedule. Michigan St. was the only one to win the title. Only two got the FF (MSU in 2000 and Texas in 2003). By year:

-2013: Indiana, 6 losses, out in the sweet 16

-2012: Michigan St., 7 losses, out in sweet 16

-2007: North Carolina, 6 losses, out in elite 8

-2003: Texas, 6 losses, out in FF semis; Oklahoma, 6 losses, out in elite 8

-2001: Illinois, 7 losses, out in elite 8

-2000: Michigan St., 7 losses, won title; Arizona, 7 losses, out in round of 32.

@jaybate 1.0 Maybe, if Doyle had stayed, Mason would have made a different decision .. and Doyle would have been the backup PG? That is certainly a possibility. I was more pessimistic on Doyle based on roster numbers, and, of course, ranking. I remain curious as to what Adams role would have been if he had stayed. He and Doyle fit that long mold you refer to

@TheDrunkenJhawk Would you trade Frank Mason for Marcus Foster, right now, straight up?

I wouldn't. Foster is playing well, no doubt. Interesting topic to consider. But for my money, I'll take Mason all day.

@Crimsonorblue22 @jaybate regarding KU's bench and how Self is handling it, I'm all about results. I see Greene playing more confidently. That's the most important thing to me when I consider having a player ready for a pressure situation in March. Maybe Greene has a little bit of a "who cares" attitude -- which is good. He isn't shy right now with his shot. So while I'd like to see Greene get double digit minutes each game, so long as he is confident, appears to be acclimating to the speed of the game, doesn't appear overwhelmed, and his shot isn't rusty, I'm good.

Seeing Greene handle the ball, take it to the rack, and dish to Ellis last game, seemed like a big deal ... same with his confident 3 ball stroke. Quite an asset off the bench.

Oh, and as for Milton Doyle .. do we really think that he would even be playing at this point? Who would not be on our roster had we kept Mr. Doyle? ---- Mickelson? Black? He would have added to our crowded perimeter. Seems like his Loyola is the perfect type of school for Doyle to highlight his talents. Doyle may have been an impact in future years had he perhaps stayed and redshirted. Such is the choice for many of these guys.

@approxinfinity If I could see one of those 5, it would undoubtedly be Wichita St. I agree with you on SDSU and Florida. Two very, very good teams. But I think we'd do better the second time around. I'd be confident playing either of them tomorrow. If we end up as a #1, Florida or SDSU could be a #2.

@jaybate - We've discussed a few times over the years how KU has avoided the serious injury bug. Embiid was about a half inch away from tearing his ACL ... digest how that might have impacted this season.

Kansas now seems back in the mix for a #1 seed. Seemed improbable three plus weeks ago. But here we are. Back in the discussion. This fact may be the most important development in our pursuit of a national title.

However, with four losses and a challenging conference road ahead, a #1 seed seems unlikely, doesn’t it? Right now, there are two undefeated teams that look like locks for a #1 seed: Arizona and Syracuse. Then there’s Wichita St., who might run the table; and a host of others -- San Diego St., Kentucky, Florida, Michigan St., or Michigan -- for that last spot. Lots of competition with two that have beaten us head to head.

I looked at the numbers. Since and including the 2000 season, nine teams with six losses or more have gotten #1 seeds, and three of those had seven losses. So of 56 possible #1 seed spots, only nine have had six or more losses. With our #1 RPI, it seems more possible than in a normal season.

But with the competition stiff, and our margin of error slim, no one should bank on a #1 seed, even if we finish 16-2 in conference play. When assessing the competition, a #2 seed seems much more likely right now. But 16-2, and no more than six losses, seems like the breaking point.

Can we bank on 16-2? Of course not. No matter how good we are, 16-2 is an incredible feat. Heck, 16-2 and winning the conference tournament leaves us with 6 losses. That would be a huge achievement. And an unlikely one.

How does that impact our title pursuit if we slip to #2 seed? If we’re just looking at history – the last 25 years -- it doesn’t look good.

I’ve posted a few times before about the rate of #1 seeds winning the NCAA title. It is really astounding. Over the last 25 years, #1 seeds have won the title 18 times. That’s a 72% clip. Over the last 10 seasons, 7 #1 seeds have won the title. So approximately 70% of the time, it’s a good bet that the #1 seed will win the title.

Analyzing that is a bit of “which came first, the chicken or the egg.” Do #1 seeds win more because of their favorable seeding? Or do #1 seeds win more because, as #1 seeds, they are just better (thus why they have the #1 seed in the first place)?

I don’t think it matters. It is what it is. Gaining a #1 seed means you are in that select group that wins the title 72% of the time. So achieving the #1 seed appears to be a worthy goal. Even if you’re not one of the top 4 teams (perhaps getting the seed because of circumstance), you still have the best presumed path to the title. Of course, the Red Sea can part and you can be Kansas in 1988. You can have #1 Purdue lose to #4 seed KSU; you can have #2 seed Pitt lose to Vanderbilt; and you can have #3 seed NC State lose to Murray St. But the Red Sea doesn’t part every day.

By contrast, only two #2 seeds have won the title in the last 25 years. Think about that. Just two #2 seeds in the last 25 years. That’s a bit remarkable, really. The #2 seed, many times, is as good as a #1 seed, or so we think. But the numbers don’t bear that out. Seven #2 seeds have gotten to the title game and lost, five of them to #1 seeds. If #2 seeds are as good as #1s, the numbers tell us that the #1s path is significantly easier. Either way – chicken or the egg – you want to be a #1 seed.

That provides a puzzling conundrum. Does coach Self coach to get better for March, possibly losing a game or two by playing with an eye on the prize? Or does coach Self simply coach to win every game on the premise that the #1 seed is the first, most important consideration in winning the title?

Many of us, myself included, have wanted Self to play a perimeter guy (Greene) to get ready for March. The question then becomes whether playing Greene more could cost us a game or two? And could that loss or two eventually cost us a #1 seed, and thus cost us the chance to win a national title (per the historical numbers)?

Right now, our margin of error is extremely thin. We’re not positioned like we have been in past seasons. If you believe the importance of the #1 seed, it would seem obvious that we need to play to win every game, without any other consideration in our minds. Development of players is out the door. Win, that’s all that counts right now. The #1 seed is that important. If we were to lose three or four more games, then any chance of a #1 seed is done. At that point, being a #2 or #3 is irrelevant. In fact, #3 seeds have won the title four times in the last 25 season, doubling the rate of #2 seeds. But do we have a Kemba Walker, or a Caremlo Anthony to propel a #3 seed? Can’t bank on that.

A #1 seed is the best, most reliable path to the title.

So it is win at all costs. Win every game. Every game is the Super Bowl. No room for let downs. No real margin for error. Realistically, 16-2 in conference keeps us in the game for a #1 seed. That’s our target. Wining the conference isn’t the target. Winning the conference is a byproduct of the race to the #1 seed. It serves as a convenient motivator on the road to the goal that really matters.

And perhaps that has always been in coach Self’s mind. When we call for guys to get more minutes, perhaps Self is simply thinking “#1 seed, don’t lose a game.” It would be an interesting question for coach Self. Right now, the goal is clear. It's #1 seed or bust.

@drgnslayr Lucas, right now, appears to be simply better than Tarik Black. His rebound per minute rate is much better, his reliability is much better, and he appears at least equally skilled offensively. He seems eminently ready when needed. And his readiness now makes me feel very encouraged about the future. Heck, if Embiid leaves, he's really the only true center we have. It is certainly reasonable to see him being the 3rd post player next season behind Ellis and Alexander. Traylor has made great strides, but he's not a center. I don't think that the 4 vs. 5 distinction is that important when it comes to starting, but it is nice to have a 5 to go to (much like Sasha Kaun) when needed.

Lucas may very well get his shot to start in 2015-16. I feel much better about that prospect now. And like you, he is one of my favorite players as well. Attitude, work ethic, character -- the whole package. Would love to see him excel here.

@jaybate - I could talk zone vs. man all day.

I find myself always gravitating toward zones, and zone traps, and zone presses. They're intriguing, they're controllable from a coaching perspective, and they are repeatable. But most of all, they are coachable -- and a varying level of talent can excel under this format.

With m2m, that is just not the case. Sticking with the military theme, what would a general look for when attacking? The opposition's weakness. I find it much easier to attack the opponent's defensive weaknesses if they're playing m2m. It's much easier to run a smooth and attacking offense against m2m. It's more predictable. I bet if you ask coach Self what defense he'd rather face, he'd say m2m. There is comfort in what you know .. most teams play m2m. They practice against it.

Seeing the names that have relied upon m2m to win, the heavyweights as you state, is impressive. And for me, it's hard to argue against anything Bob Knight does or did as a coach.

I personally believe with every fiber of my being that using a base zone 1-3-1; flexing in and out of aggressive trapping (like Florida utilized); then incorporating a sporadic 2-2-1 3/4 court press (like OSU ran) and 1-2-1-1 full court press at least 5 possessions per half is a winning strategy. Using that as your "core", and then using m2m tactically.

How can a team, that is not a zone/zone trap/zone press team, replicate what you will throw at them in a game situation?

Particularly if you are not in the top 20% in talent, this strategy makes sense. It changes the game. It is an "x" factor. It permits perhaps inferior talent to compete and prevail. It's like bad weather in football. It's an equalizer. It requires alternative preparation. It allows you to cause your opponent to utilize a response that is perhaps not its strength, and that's where you can gain an advantage. You can create the type of game you want to play, and force your opponent to be a part of that game. Combine that with a fast paced offensive strategy, and you have chaos.

But then logic sets in. Why doesn't any D-1 coach employ this strategy?Could it be that they know it would fail?

I don't know. I've seen coaches at all levels do the inexplicable. I also believe that zone is looked down upon. Zone is not seen as "manly" as m2m. And zone is viewed by some as gimmicky.

For my money, I'm going to play the defense that most coaches don't want to face. There is a reason they don't want to face it.

@drgnslayr Good stuff. Timely topic as this area is an anchor, so to speak, holding this team back.

I would add, generally, that one main way to avoid turnovers is to reduce the fear of turnovers. My preference is a faster game where the turnover means less as there are more possessions. But I have always felt that obsessing on protecting the basketball creates hesitancy, and that can itself lead to turnovers. As a coach, it can make sense to simply never bring up the word "turnover." Depends on how and what you're coaching.

But I don't see that really with our guys right now. Jesse posted something today with a quick look at all of KU's turnovers against Baylor. Count how many come on careless plays vs. aggressive plays. Most were of the careless/passive type. And that goes to your point that Self will tolerate some turnovers.

Personally, I think the turnovers we see are simply related to the difference in the nature, speed and intensity of the game, and our freshmen adjusting to it.

Ellis is sophomore, but he plays a finesse game. His are mainly caused by not being firm and strong, most of the time.

I would expect our turnovers to simply go down as our experience increases. This is why I'm so high on Mason. Look at his play in late November to early December. Look at it now. There has been a significant leap in the adjustment to the speed and nature of the game.

@MoonwalkMafia I don't buy what Self is saying, either. Notice that he did not say "Andrew has a great future here." Nothing like that.

His statement was more like the hugs and kisses you hear from both sides when a player transfers.

White hasn't played since the January 6 article by Jesse Newell where White didn't come out and say that he wasn't transferring. Here's his quote, link below:

Though there has been some online speculation about White transferring, he said that thought wasn’t on his mind.
“It would be selfish to think about another school at this point in the year. We’re not even halfway through the season,” White said. “So right now, I’m just trying to help this team, play as much as I can and do what I have to do to help this team win. I’m not thinking about transferring anything. I’m just focused on Kansas basketball.”

http://cjonline.com/sports/2014-01-06/kus-white-back-flow-after-hip-injury ↗

@ParisHawk Actually, transferring at semester would mean nothing for AW3. It only means something for someone that doesn't play at all that season (see Withey example below).

You have 4 seasons of playing time. You can' break season up by semester. Once you play in that particular season, one season of eligibility is gone (except for a med redshirt b/c of an early season injury).

So White only has two seasons left. He would not have had 2 1/2 if he would have left at semester.

When you transfer, you have to sit out two semesters before being eligible. That can be in different seasons. So if White transferred at semester, he would be a junior starting the second half of next season. So just better to stay here for the season and have two full seasons left.

Contrast that to Jeff Withey. He did not play his first season at AZ. So that was his redshirt year. He transferred at semester. He was eligible to play at semester of the next season, as a freshman.

Hope that helps.

@globaljaybird I have to second what you said about Mason and Greene. I really think that we have a our point guard of the future in Mason. It is interesting, but the chatter was that Mason wasn't good against the zone. But we saw the result Monday. Mason is settling in, and getting more comfortable. He's playing more under control, it appears that he is trying to create for his teammates .. but most importantly, he is strategically attacking. He's just not lowering his head and going (contrast to the Florida game). It appears that he is learning that lesson perhaps 3 seasons quicker than Tyshawn Taylor did.

I have no qualms in saying that Mason is our best point guard. To me, it's a no doubter.

That being said, Tharpe's shooting is an absolute necessity on this team. At times, Tharpe is our best player.

With Mason in the game, moving Tharpe off the ball, Self appears to have found a partial answer to our three point shooting issue. The best evidence of that, I think, is that most of us want him to shoot the ball -- that's about as analytical as it needs to be.

@jaybate 1.0 Yes, it would be ironic.

And as you may know, I am a huge fan of the 3/4 2-2-1 press, full court 1-2-1-1 press, and 1-3-1 half court trap. I firmly believe that you could play variations regularly throughout the game, and play little to no man defense, and win titles in the game today.

But Self is the coach, and he plays man to man period. Not an area I'm bank on him reconsidering.

He did tease us a few years ago when he ran some 3/4 court stuff after Christmas, then ditched it. It was too good to be true.

Since I saw the boxscore after the game, I have been thinking about your precise statement about us not winning the non-free throw shooting part of the game.

What I tend to see in each KU win is that a particular part of the game might be concerning. Turnovers, free throw shooting, three point shooting, defense, handling the press, handling the zone, etc.

But one common thread is that they are winning now.

Good teams win. We're getting good.

@Blown I bet you wear one of those $10 mouthpieces from now on ...

Ok, you're Scott Drew. You watch the KU-OSU game from Saturday, likely Saturday evening. You prepare items for practice Sunday to get your team ready for KU at AFH. You watch KU's 17 point lead go to 5 in less than 7 minutes during a stretch where OSU ran a 2-2-1 3/4 court press. KU threw the ball away a handful of times, and only made OSU "pay" one time with a easy bucket off the press during that stretch. You saw how KU approached the press, essentially with one press break. And your team is 1-3 in league, an underdog, and desperate to turn things around. Further, you are planning to run a zone as your primary D ("to stop Wiggins from driving" ). You might also realize that KU has just one plus days to fix what it did wrong against OSU.

So, if you're Scott Drew, what do you do?

If you're Scott Drew, you don't run a 3/4 court full court press.

If you're Scott Drew, you lose.

If you're Scott Drew, you're one of the worst D-1 basketball coaches in recent memory.

@KansasComet I don't like the term or idea period. It just seems to be a psychological reality. It would be more of a trap if they were on the road at say Texas Tech. And I agree with you on Traylor. He's just a sophomore, too. The work on his offensive game is obvious.

@Blown I agree .. maybe an idea is to carry forward the threads from the prior day at least. So there would be the new threads, plus the threads from the prior day?