🏀 KuBuckets Archive

@drgnslayr This is perhaps the first season I can remember where I am not optimistic heading into the NCAA tournament. It goes I think to what Self said yesterday -- "We can be duds."

When I watch Duke, I see a team that can and does score consistently inside -- scoring at the rim at over 68%. They have the top big man in the country. They shoot and score from three point range, shooting over 20% more threes than Kansas. They have flexibility on defense, playing zone, man, and even pressing for long stretches as needed.

With Kansas, I see none of that right now. Could we beat Duke on the right day? Sure. Are we better than Duke, I'm quite certain that we are not.

Coach Self says that our "identity" is to "find a way."

That's fine and dandy now. It's all we have. It's not all we had a month ago, that's for sure. The entire dynamic around this team has changed.

For the life of me, I'm not understanding why this change has been so roundly accepted. We were beating teams by double digits. We had gone to OT on the road at ISU, the second best team in the conference. We had just two conference losses. There was nothing wrong. The more our offense matured, the better we could be -- I didn't really see a ceiling.

Now, it's much different.

The decision was a risky one by coach Self. It was clearly made, and decisive. He has us at 2-0 in the post season right now. Today will be a big test, and on neutral court, it will give us excellent insight into how we might match up in NCAA tourney games against good offensive teams. I am very interested in this game.

Can our rejuvenated defense answer the call?

On offense, will we go four out/one in like we did vs. ISU the last time? Ellis is a key to that, unless we go small, of course.

Is KU simply Michigan State from prior seasons as some have suggested?

I just can't stand the thought of losing on the first weekend of the NCAA tourney. I want more.

And I agree completely. Even if Cliff magically is cleared, I wouldn't play him.

@DCHawker I understood that there are seeding "rules" ... are saying those are off the table? Anyway, I'd welcome an Elite 8 game vs. UK. I'd take that right now.

@Lulufulu I think MSU got a number one seed with 7 losses. I think I recall checking that out last season when we were in that discussion.

What makes anyone think that we're in the same league with Duke this season? I'm sorry, I've watched Duke play at least six times. We're not at that level. Doesn't mean we can't beat Duke. But Duke is just a better team.

Removing the crimson and blue colored glasses we all suffer from every so often, we fit very nicely in as a well deserved two seed.

@jaybate-1.0 Did you (or anyone) happen to watch Duke/NCState? In the first half, Duke ran a 2-2-1 3/4 court press, dropped into a 2-3 zone, went 5/11 from three (45.5%), blitzed NC State and was up 49-22 at the half.

I'm not trying to diminish coach Self running a zone for a few possessions yesterday -- in fact, he switched to it on crucial late possession, which was a terrific move. But from a big picture strategy context, Self lives true to his word. We just do what we do.

@jaybate-1.0 Question .. what Big 12 team has less talent than Kansas? Second question .. what national teams other than UK, Duke, and Arizona arguably have more talent than Kansas?

The point of my questions are that Self isn't doing anything that amazing, is he, with our talent level -- on a year to year basis -- in conference?

What I find amazing is how we match up in the non-con, and the overall level of consistency. The lack of the head scratching year. But it seems to me that from a roster standpoint, our roster is always the best roster of talent in the Big 12 -- again why I look at other conferences where certain years talent levels might compete with us, like MSU, Ohio St., Duke, UNC, Louisville, UConn, Arizona, Florida, Syracuse. We never have a talent disadvantage, do we?

@bskeet This team has gotten much worse over the past month. The record shows it. And our play shows it. This team doesn't pass the numbers/box score test, and it doesn't pass the eye test.

Today we'll be playing against Baylor's zone. If anything creates the need for some three point shooting, it is Baylor's zone. Self will approach this game differently from an offensive stand point, so we may see some more effort from outside.

It's a bad matchup for us right now, the way we're playing, that is for sure.

Cliff Waiting To Be Interviewed ↗

Sounds like the lawyer is playing the PR game -- I'm sure the records he says Cliff doesn't have access/control of are his parents' records.

If that is correct, then this is on Cliff's camp, not the NCAA -- and I said "if."

If Perry's able to play, he should play. It's that simple. He shouldn't be held out with the idea that we can win without him. He should be held out if he isn't healthy enough to play.

But I think that analysis isn't as clear cut as it sounds. An MCL sprain is usually two weeks anyway. If you play early on something like this, you do risk re-injury. A tweak, a turn, etc. There's weakness. A sprain is a partial tear.

I will be surprised if any game we play this weekend is not in doubt in the last 2-3 minutes regardless of our personnel. I would not be surprised if we lost today. I would not be surprised if we win three in a row. Damn near a perfect bell curve right now.

Ok, not totally on topic, but "cheering" nonetheless. I thought this was a cool story.

Cheering for other team ↗

@Lulufulu Ironic that you mention Selby. I see them as very similar. If they would have stayed, developed in school, that (in my opinion) would have led to productive NBA careers. Selby left too early. Cliff will be making the same error. He may get 1st round money, but his long term career is what is at risk. We don't know "for sure" of course.

Free the three, baby. Shoot it. Shoot it again. And shoot it some more. Greene, Selden, Mason, Oubre and Ellis. Shoot 25. 40% equals 10/25. Misses create long rebound opportunities that helps keep rebounds out of Traylor's vicinity.

Wait, wake me up. Let's try to get the ball inside and win a two possession game. That's the ticket.

The Selden thing is just puzzling to me. Never saw this coming. Svi doesn't look crisp right now. And he has just been hot and cold all season.

His work in games this season has been streaky. No points or something, then he'll hit a hot streak and score a bunch in a row. His finishing ability is perhaps the worst I've seen for a while. He can't elevate to dunk and he has not touch on layups.

Right now, I think Svi would be a better player than Selden had Svi been playing this entire time. That's mainly because Selden has been so inconsistent. But now isn't the time to play Svi.

But Graham, that's another story. Despite Graham's shooting line, I think we're better with him (generally) over Selden right now -- @icthawkfan316 has been a big proponent of this move for some time. Nothing wrong with Selden off the bench.

I would have been starting Greene over Selden since December -- back when Greene was responsible. Playing the way Self plays now, with this drive and attack strategy, I wouldn't do that now. Greene's role has been minimized by the strategy.

@Crimsonorblue22 Just an observation, but we only beat them by seven at home at full strength. You might recall that we were down 1 with 3:45 left in the game, went four out/one in, and that sealed the deal -- and thank you for giving me the lead in to mention four out/one in again. I don't feel complete if I can't mention that at least daily.

@DCHawker Good point ... can we borrow a Thomas Robinson and Jeff Withey somehow?

@Lulufulu Anything I can do.

But I am open to learning here. Self is the master. If Kansas wins three in a row in the Big 12 tourney playing this way, that will say something. I just have tough time envisioning three in a row with this offensive style, combined with our roster. I get it if we're big, mean, and muscular inside. But we're not. Playing and beating three good Big 12 teams in a row will really tell me that this dog hunts. I'm usually not the gloom and doom guy on the NCAA tourney -- I don't like being that guy.

Heading into the season, what was the biggest question about Kansas basketball?

When Mason was signed, the truth was the same as it is now -- he was the back up, to the back up, to the back up plan. And even more than that.

Self pursued Andrew Harrison, Kasey Hill, Anthony Barber, Demetrius Jackson, and Rysheed Jordan full bore. All were misses. Just before Mason signed, Self got involved with Roddy Peters but it was too late. Mason then visited and signed.

Frankamp committed prior to Mason. He was listed as a point guard, and got some minutes there last season. A large contingent favored CF taking over this season. He has now left the program.

Only the "everything is great in Kansas land" voices were happy when Mason signed. Coach Self had to know something the rating services and everyone else did not. The rest of the world was skeptical if not downright unhappy.

Well, this was pretty close to perfect.

But we know this was not coach Self seeking out a lower ranked guy, and choosing him over other higher ranked guys because he knew more than the rating services. That was obvious. But Self gets all the credit for signing the guy.

The numbers don't lie. Mason compares favorably to all of the other guys. Is there any other 2013 point guard that you would, definitively, take over Mason?

Here are the numbers:

Points/Rebounds/Assists/Steals/FT%/3 Pt %

1. Mason - 12.6/3.7/4.1/1.4/80.3/41.9

2. Harrison - 8.8/2.2/3.8/1.0/78.7/36.5

3. Hill - 7.3/2.4/4.6/1.0/53.8/27.6

4. Barber - 11.8/3.3/3.8/0.9/70.9/39.2

5. Jordan - 14.1/3.7/3.2/1.7/66.0/36.9

6. Jackson - 12.5/3.8/2.8/1.6/74.7/42.5

7. Peters - Redshirt

8. Frankamp - Redshirt

I've always wondered when we might get our Trey Burke -- the guy that shocks the world and turns into an all-american. We might have that guy.

Better yet, we have a four year player. There is no reason to suspect that the last two seasons of his career at Kansas won't exceed the first two. And that bodes well for national title pursuits.

Don't get me wrong. Mason isn't perfect. His ability to create and dish is still limited, he gets too focused on the hoop when on a fast break, and he still has some head scratching moments when he penetrates. But no player is perfect.

Offer me any college point guard, straight up, for Mason right now? No thanks. Dangle the next OAD? I'll pass. Mason's the complete package. Room to improve, tenacity, ball handling, scoring, experience in the system, and a four year guy. I'll stick with Mason -- a bulls-eye recruit if there ever was one. Mason gives this program the best opportunity to win a national title in the next two seasons. That's a good spot to be in at the point guard position. What a difference a year makes.

I do not disagree that the dog hunts.

However, I believe this strategy is much more fitting for an under-talented team that by its very nature is fighting for its life each game.

This is a highly talented team -- and this strategy brings us back to our competition.

In an NCAA tourney scenario, where one loss is the end of the season, I don't like it.

We have a wildly talented offensive team. It has been morphed into something ugly, and something much different.

Yesterday was a great example of the positive of this approach. I can't argue with that at all. In fact, the game yesterday was better than any of the prior five games, in my opinion. I suspect at AFH we might have won the game yesterday by two or three points.

But I also think that even if Ellis and Selden were healthy and Greene wasn't irresponsible, we were destined to play a one or two possession game. Does anyone think that this bad ball stuff would render any other result? That dog does not have a long NCAA tourney life.

That is the unreliability and inherent risk of this approach. The late game volatility comes much more into play. It's hard to see just kicking someone's a**.

Where I see hope is if we start really embracing the outside/perimeter game with this attack the basket mentality. That, I think, will be critical to NCAA tourney advancement. I'm encouraged that we've shot 15 threes in each of the last two games. That's better than the 10.5 average of the four prior games. We just need to keep shooting them. Regain that stroke. But hope is just that, and I don't expect it.

@DanR - I know it easy to get upset with the NCAA, and rules. But what do you want them to do? If they are to preserve college athletics, there has to be rules just like the one that's hanging up Cliff.

There is nothing "illegal" about his parents taking a loan. It's just against NCAA rules.

Remember, a big issue with many of these supposed "loans" is that they never get paid back, or there are no payments required while the kid is in school.

To condense it down -- if the NCAA doesn't enforce this stuff, parents will simply get cash payments that will influence where the kid goes to school.

The kid is, well, a kid. So his parent or parents are the ultimate authority and influence. What better way to get a kid to go to a school than to give his mom a house or money or a "loan"?

A black and white rule ends the discussion as to whether the money influences a school choice, or whether the money or benefit came from a school, or had connections to the school.

I think Cliff is done here.

It is tough to really complain about anything today, despite the loss. Shorthanded and on the road, against a pretty darn good team.

Some things from the box score that stood out:

1. Frank Mason zero assists.

2. Jamari Traylor two rebounds in 26 minutes.

3. Landen Lucas 6-8 shooting, 12 rebounds.

4. Wayne Selden 0-7 shooting.

5. Devonte Graham 3-14 shooting.

Just real impressed with the performance of Landen Lucas.

Looking forward, the Big 12 tourney means nothing more than getting our ship pointed in the right direction. That means winning it. 3-3 in the last six games is clearly our worst stretch of the season. But a good three game run in the Big 12 tourney can make that irrelevant.

@Crimsonorblue22 I agree completely. It is completely irritating. Team is counting on him, important time of the season, nice time for him to get some major PT, and he gets suspended. Ugh.

The point I'm referring to is the accrual over a number seasons, and that is why folks can't accept now that the Big 12 is the top conference. We've been there, done that -- and we (conference) underachieve in the tourney.

I'm not saying it's fair, but the only way you shut the naysayers up is saying -- "yea, but we won 2 of the last five national championships." That ends it all.

I just posted on another thread .. Self said that he may "tweak" some things and have some "fun" today. That might mean the three ball gets unleashed, or playing small, or four out/one in. We'll see what "tweak" and "fun" mean.

I really think that this "bad ball" discussion is some of the best analysis of the season.

@KJD said, "Hoiberg's team's shoot a lot of threes though they know how to balance that with attacking the rim. Kansas has had trouble attacking the rim this year. I think jaybate is right that if KU can sustain this way of attacking the rim, which they will, Self can be much happier about spells of long range artillery barrages to open up lanes to attack the paint–when the shots from three start going down then this team will start looking more complete."

He's dead right on Hoiberg's offense.

But we shall soon see on Self's approach. I am in the camp that --- today possibly being the exception with Ellis out --- Self has shut down the three ball game in favor of the attack the rim mentality. Not with the intent of running two rails of offense. I personally do not believe that Self is going to magically incorporate 18-20 threes into his game plan.

And, actually, I think that will now be hard to do. The "flip the switch" thing might not be that easy to do, as @DoubleDD mentioned.

That brings me to today. Today provides a great opportunity to get the three-ball back on track. With Ellis out, could Self embrace the three? He mentioned something about "tweaking" some things and having "fun." In Self's mind, that might involve the trivial or absurd -- which is shooting the three like it's going out of style.

If we could regain some of the pre-Fool's Gold rant three point karma, that could be real plus heading into the NCAA tourney.

Here's some wasted type-space: Why not play small today? Maybe that's a "tweak" or "fun." Put Oubre or Selden at the four spot. Play four out/one in -- the same scheme Self used in the last 3:30 to beat OU the last time. Four out/one in is actually very supportive the drive and attack strategy. Watch ISU. Watch WSU. It opens the floor. And it fits our team. But anyway, I've wished for playing small for quite a while, right along with @drgnslayr. I've wished hard for four out/one in. It just doesn't happen.

@jaybate-1.0 @drgnslayr Again, I think you both have nailed what Self is doing. I guess I will say this -- there is no way in the world that I would utilize this team, and this team's skill set, in this manner. And I think the last five games show exactly the win percentage, against good competition, that would be derived by this strategy over the course of the season: 3-2. But I've always said that there is more than one way to skin a cat. I see @ralster and @KJD referring to the MSU/Izzo model. Great example, as it relates to what might be in Self's mind.

In our assessment of the propriety of this strategy, given what we've seen in the past five games, is there any real chance of this team winning four games in row in the NCAA tournament, playing the offensive game it has in the past five (four wins would get us to the final four)? I don't see it.

On the other hand. Cliff or no Cliff -- and remember, there were many times when Cliff didn't play much anyway -- wouldn't a gunning attack from the perimeter give us a better chance to win four in a row? The evidence being our best stretches of offensive basketball this season. Heck, many games when we were shooting threes, we might shoot well one half and not so much the other. That's how it works.

Heading into the WVU, game one thing was not debatable as @Jesse-Newell's article pointed out article link ↗, our offensive efficiency was much better when we shot more three pointers. We were shooting over 40% from three.

Here's the biggest risk with our "bad ball" strategy -- we'll match up a against a long, athletic team. The kind this team will always struggle against. We'll drive, miss, and we won't get calls. Then, when we're struggling, we might then start shooting threes. When they don't go down, it will be the "threes" fault.

Offense is rhythm. It's exactly why Self has said he wants an offensive identity established by conference season. When he said that, we just didn't know he wanted an offensive strategy that was strictly within his box of acceptability. We had an identity. Self just didn't like it.

But back to rhythm -- it is exactly why we aren't shooting well from three now. Self broke that rhythm. He affirmatively said no to the three. It creates apprehension. It creates a different dynamic. This cannot be understated.

When a coach says, "Dude, shoot it when your want to." Or, a coach says, "Do not shoot the three outside of our normal offense, or if it's before 15 on the shot clock, or if a defender can contest the shot." --- That is an example, but those sorts of things can affect a shooter's effectiveness.

Self shut down the three. The numbers don't lie.

Today, though, might give us a reprieve since we going to have "fun."

The main black mark on the Big 12 is its NCAA tournament failures. But we just can't ignore that. There just has been consistent underachievement in the NCAA tourney. I may be wrong here, but the only Big 12 team to make the final four since 2003 has been Kansas. Cue the self-serving "NCAA tourney is all luck" discussion.

In assessing the Big 12, it really doesn't help that we don't have a definitive 2nd top tier team. Louisville being added would have changed that discussion. And I know it's fashionable for us to defend the 11 straight titles. But if Louisville had been in the Big 12 during that stretch, does anyone think it likely that we have the same streak? That's really all it is. That the nature of your path/competition can provide an assist.

And that connects back to the NCAA tourney. Part of that discussion is that your path/competition can provide some "luck" -- if better seeds get beat in front of you. That is without a doubt true. But with regard to the Big 12, since 2003, we've just had zero luck in the path? I think most factor in everything they know about the NCAA tourney dynamic. That is in part why the Big 12 get such little respect. In the last 11 NCAA tourney, the Big 12 has had just two final four teams (both Kansas).

National respect comes from NCAA tourney achievement.

@sfbahawk I think your "regression to the mean" suggestion is flawed. Very flawed.

Some reasons.

First, Kansas had 25 games under its belt prior to this bad offensive stretch. 25 games is nearly an entire season. And it that nearly entire season, Kansas was ranked 8th in overall three point field goal percentage in the nation. That's a very solid book of evidence.

Second, this stretch has been Self-created. Meaning, we did not jut all of sudden stop shooting the three point shot by happenstance. This drive away from three point shot was engineered by coach Self. You don't make such a marked change without the boss man being on board, and directing traffic. It's was not a natural matter of course. We just stopped really shooting three pointers at the same rate as before. Prior to the last five games, we were shooting just under 17 per game. In the last five games, just 11.4 (which included an overtime and three in the last minute against KSU in scramble time).

Third, you don't know what the really mean is. It is speculative. Kirk Hinrich shot 50% from three one season. So did Aaron Miles. To suggest that Greene couldn't, or isn't suited to do that, ignores past evidence.

Fourth, it is more likely, given the depth of the evidence -- 25 games -- that he last five games has been an anomaly. A deviation from the norm. If we want to call this five game stretch something, it is a slump, as others have pointed out. It's no different than a .300 hitter that goes 2-20 in a stretch. He'll bounceback with an 11-20 stretch, and all will be right in the world. The fact that we had 25 games under our belt over 40% tells me something. That tells me who we are. That means we should just keep shooting them. The reason I resist the slump thing a little bit, is because it is man-made as pointed out above.

Fifth, we are still shooting 38.5% as a team from three point range. Is that the "mean"? If so, Duke is not shooting 39.3%. Both number say keep shooting. And with us, we don't have Duke's inside game -- so it's more important. We had been higher than Duke most of the season. Yet, as @BeddieKU23 has pointed out, they have shot over 100 more three pointers than we have -- 593 to 481. They are shooting roughly the same percent, but over 23% more three pointers. What are they scared of? Nothing. What are we scared of? Ask Coach Self. The idea that some forward (not you) that you can live/die by the three is just hogwash -- it's a red herring. Shooting threes at a high rate is not living/dying by anything. What's worse, relying the three in large part, or relying on the "bunny" in large part -- the latter of which we've proven is a big challenge for this team this season (as it was vs. Stanford). Most recently, the KSU game.

You said, "I fully believe that we must continue to take 3s and BG, Kelly, and Frank will get hot on some nights. But I also believe that all 3 will not necessarily do it at the same time as happened a month or so ago."

When I read that, I think, "well of course." I mean, sure, some guys may be hot, may be not. They may be hot at the same time, but they may not. But that doesn't just apply to three point shooting.

I go back to my point -- If you had to identify one specific offensive skill set that was the strength of this team, what is it?

@drgnslayr I was a Ken Norton guy .. still am. My favorite fighter of all time. After beating Ali the first time, he was robbed in the next two fights against Ali. I remember the third one like it was yesterday. Norton pummeled Ali, landed a bunch more punches, and some big ones, too.

@jaybate-1.0 -- Another epic post. Great work. A lot of thought. And, unfortunately, I am convinced that @jaybate-1.0 is correct on Self's approach. I think he has nailed it.

However, I am absolutely convinced that it is destined for failure in the NCAA tourney.

No team wins an NCAA tourney this way. No team gets to the Final Four this way. It would be absolutely unprecedented.

Playing this sort of basketball creates close games. It asks for it. It begs for it, When that happens, you lose two of five games, just like we've done. You create a five game stretch where, realistically, 0-5 was plausible. You create games that could be losses with teams you should blow out. Every team can now play with you. When one loss ends your season, this doesn't work.

Final Four teams don't have to play this way. Find me a team playing this way -- that's any good.

Since we have played this way, we are not good. We are 3-2.

But I have some hope here. The Power of Three.

That's it. It is it with this team. We know that it is the only way for this team to play at his offensive peak this season.

The evidence ... our best offensive basketball of the season ... have been driven by our perimeter game. No one disputes that.

In past seasons, that was not true. That's more evidence that supports our perimeter game this season. Despite Self's obvious disdain, our best offensive basketball has been a direct result of his nemesis -- the perimeter game.

Now look at the last give games. Our perimeter attack has been handcuffed and morphed by Self into a drive it and get fouled preference. And look how absolutely horrible we have been offensively. Again, this is not really disputed by anyone as far as I can tell. We're worshiping the ugliness.

And how sad is it? Look at what we had. Now look at what we have. Seriously. We have not had one real good half of offensive basketball since when? Uh, since Texas Tech. Since Fool's Gold. No coincidence. Fight it. Wish it not to be true. Try to refute it. You can't.

Notice how we lost our two games away from AFH, yet won our games at AFH? The foul part of the drive and foul strategy just doesn't materialize on the road with the same frequency. And it won't in the NCAA tourney.

In the three games at AFH, we were received a full 17 more foul calls against our opponent, than we received. In the two games away from AFH, we were called for a total of one more foul. So, 5.66 on the plus side at AFH with this strategy, -.33 away. That doesn't travel, folks.

It's hard for me to escape the belief that this team, offensively, has been destroyed. The best perimeter shooting team under Self has deteriorated to a team that made no shots outside of the lane Tuesday?

Again, this game does not travel.

Would it surprise anyone if we lost at OU? Lost in our first round game of the Big 12 tourney? And then lost in the first round of the NCAAs?

I said "surprise." It wouldn't surprise me. How long has it been since that's been the case? Do I expect that? Of course not. But if it wouldn't "surprise" you, what does that say?

But here's my hope. Gotta have hope. @ZIG suggested that Self is lying in the weeds, waiting to play more to our strength in the post season. That's my hope. I've been given hope.

The true hope for me is that Self takes this ugly mess that we have seen and incorporates the three ball and our perimeter game. It seems like a remote hope. It seems remote that we can just turn it back on after being pushed away from that strength for so many games now. But it is hope.

It is the only way this team can reach the Final Four. The only way.

My concern is that this "identity" that Self always says he wants is really nothing this season. He wants an identity so a team know who it is in March. He said that specifically in the preseason. What does this team think that it is? Does anyone know? We all can agree that it is a mess offensively, can't we?.

It is hard to turn it on, and turn it off. The hope that we can incorporate the perimeter game. The reality is that it probably isn't that easy.

If Coach Self will let his perimeter game flourish. If the perimeter game can bounce back. And if the drive mentality that has been the focus over the past handful of games can exist side-by-side with free the three -- then there may be hope.

Ok, I'll keep it short and sweet. The game tonight .. the comeback .. the win .. is all because of one thing -- coach Self and his emphasis on toughness. Tough teams find ways to win. This sort of stuff is taught. No Cliff. No Ellis. Down 18 or whatever. Can't hit a three. Can't do anything. Did we do anything good tonight?

We did something real well -- we played tough. And that, my friends, is solely because of one dude: Coach Self. Did @jaybate-1.0 say "bad ball?" This is why Self preaches toughness. This was the game.

That was just a win. Didn't matter how. Wasn't pretty. Heck, did we ever seem in any sort of rhythm? For the life of me, I can't even figure out how we scored. I can't figure out how we got the ball across half court.

In the first half, in five straight possession, a guy would make a play that displeased Self and he yanked them each time. It was the classic quick hook. It was that kind of night.

Selden and the press don't mix. Oubre fouls out. Guys limping. Greene can't do his thing. And we're playing Lucas and Traylor. I have no idea how we won.

But I think I know exactly why we won.

That was fun.

I'm telling you guys, national championships are what shuts peoples' mouths. That is the only thing that is always the trump card. Anything south of that is always ripe for debate.

Ok, I admit it, I'm happy.

See, I love the irony of ISU winning and handing us the title. Imagine the conflict among the clone faithful? I wonder of we could buy a ad on their big board to run in the last 10 seconds?

"The Kansas Jayhawks Thank You For Yet Another Title"

Gotta toss this in ... @Jesse-Newell shot this out Sunday evening. A must read:

3-Point Phobia Could Hurt Kansas ↗

@Shanghai_RCJH Actually, I think @jaybate-1.0 has diagnosed the game plan. Its ugly. It ain't pretty. We have seen it the last four games. Self's adjustment to the high/low is a lot of Perry at the top. Lucas playing more than Traylor, so we have Lucas down low (an area Traylor can't handle).

Gotta toss this in ... @Jesse-Newell shot this out Sunday evening. A must read:
3-Point Phobia Could Hurt Kansas ↗

@BeddieKU23 made two terrific points.

First, what was the game changer vs. Texas? As @BeddieKU23 said, it was Mason's three. That was THE momentum changer. 1-8 is not a slump as @wrwlumpy said. 1-8 is an opportunity. It is an opportunity to get back to your average -- drill the 6 of the next 8.

Second, and perhaps your best point -- Duke has shot 568 threes to our 466 three pointers this season. Digest that. Think about that. Man, you just gave me more ammo. That is absolutely incredible. That is almost a lead argument, worthy of a thread all of it's own. I need to breath deeply ....

Just was able to read thread in full .. one of those killer work days. I don't understand why work has to interfere with Kansas basketball.

Anyway.

@DanR - Remember, I have never said that three point shooting is a "magic bullet." You are absolutely correct there, though, it's not a magic bullet. In fact, I stated in this post again that three point shooting is not a panacea. And it isn't. My discussion is solely directed toward an approach to offense. This guarantees nothing. It doesn't guarantee a FF trip, or an NC. I just believe that it gives us a better chance to reach our offensive potential, which thus gives us a better chance at a FF or NC. We have the talent. Actually, I think we have top 5 talent in the country. And I would trade our perimeter players for any other team.

@benshawks08 - You touch on a great point. They shoot open three pointers amazingly well,; and actually, there aren't to bad with a hand near, either. And you make a correct point. They haven't shown an ability to create their own look -- Mason and Selden, actually, had been very good with the step-back. If you have great three point shooters, that need more open looks, what might you do? And is there anything else on this team that we might say is "great"?

@ZIG - You raise a great point. And I have thought about that -- is Self lying in the weeds, waiting to spring the perimeter attack when he thinks it's is needed? That is certainly plausible. If he does, my "season died" comment will be revoked. My "bet" would be that Self isn't planning a surprise. But I've lost bets before. It is a very realistic possibility. I do like it better than the "bad ball" alternative that @jaybate-1.0 has suggested -- but's he's probably right. And I'm betting with him. Self has chosen the path. But if there is a March surprise in Self's bag of tricks, the happiest guy on the planet will be me.

@jayhawkbychoice - See, I think you underestimate our offense. I really do. Is there another group of perimeter players you'd like to have over ours? Not me. You are right, though. This team has areas of weakness. Do we do a good job of masking those weaknesses, and exploiting our strengths?

I really like the fact that Self has Ellis driving the ball. This is a better option than pure post up. This creates better opportunities for him. I just saw him play amazingly well the last four games. We went 2-2. Compare to the halves/games when we have gone balls to wall from the perimeter. Those are the only times when we have really played well offensively, right?

@drgnslayr I do feel like I'm fitting the definition of insanity!

@Lulufulu You make a good point .. if Cliff is gone, what do we rely upon down low? It seems reasonable that teams will really, REALLY try to take Perry away now. Maybe, as @Zig said, Self is laying in the weeds to throw the perimeter game gauntlet down in March.

@Wigs2 - "I don't think HEM, Jesse Newell, or anyone else is saying Self is not a good--or even great--coach."

@DoubleDD - "Gentlemen and Ladies Hem isn't saying HCBS isn't a great coach. Come on guys :question: He's merely pointing to the fact this KU team isn't playing to it's strength. The (((Three point shot))). Many times Hem has said he favors HCBS's High/low system."

Perfect. I appreciate very much the accurate summaries.

@wrwlumpy -- you know the "crap" reference was twofold, as Self said after the UK game that "game planning" was "crap." I wonder, why focus on that part of the post?

If the NCAA tourney is such a crap shoot, why is that good programs always seem to win it? I don't disagree that it can be, and is many times is, volatile, but it certainly is not a roll of dice. Further, it only takes four wins to get to the promised land (Final Four).

Ok, so you believe that Kansas is not a Final Four team because pundits said it yesterday? Just a few weeks ago those pundits were saying Kansas was in the group of potential FF teams.

Sure, Self mentioned shooting threes. But do you disagree that he wants them within the normal offense or when open? Do you agree that we don't scheme to get them other than a few set plays here and there)? Do you agree that teams have played tighter on the perimeter? Do agree that the combination of those factors have led to the large reduction in our three point attempts?

After the Texas Tech game, did you believe we were a Final Four team?

@welladjustedhawk - How about don't read what I post? Easy to do. I'm not many folks' cup of tea. Or, better yet, give me some substance as to why I'm wrong. Try breaking down Ellis' performance. It's just my take on the numbers. Was his performance really an effective one? Or give me some X's and O's as to how a team can simply eliminate a team's three point weaponry with little more than a whimper. If you were able to watch WSU yesterday, how in the world did they go 11-24 against a team busting their tails to guard the perimeter, as UNI was doing?

Shouldn't Perry be given consideration as conference player of the year?

Most importantly, to begin, we are 2-2 in our last four games. In those four games, we have shot 42 three pointers (three of which came in scramble time vs. KSU). Approximately just 10 per game. In the last four games, Perry Ellis has played at his peak. The best Perry Ellis we can expect. But, again, we have gone just 2-2 in those games.

I will start out here by saying that teams have clearly tried to guard our perimeter better. No doubt there.

But it is a complete myth, a complete fiction, that we should be paralyzed on the perimeter because of it.

Do not accept this narrative. It is intellectually dishonest. It is simply not true. More precisely, it is lazy. To accept this narrative -- being brutally honest here -- is a result of ignorance. Simply not knowing. If you are one that says, "Wow, we can't shoot three pointers because other teams are guarding the perimeter more closely", well, you simply don't understand basketball offense. Challenge yourself.

I know it is easier to accept the current storyline. I know it is easier to believe that we are doing all we can. But we aren't. The fact is, Coach Self isn't even trying to get three point looks. This became quite obvious to me in the recent TCU game -- thus, my view that this season died on that date. It is over.

If we are to believe that we can't score from the perimeter because teams guard it, we are thus always at the whim of the defense -- which again, is not true. Coaches are at the whim of the defense when they have no answer, when they are outcoached, or when they refuse to answer. In this case, we are here because our coach refuses to answer.

There are no teams we are playing that post five players on the three point stripe.

If you somehow accept Self's game plan, I would reiterate, that with Perry Ellis playing at his peak, we have gone 2-2. That's two losses. Perry Ellis has scored 19, 23, 24, and 29 points in the last four games. We are 2-2. We have shot just 42 three pointers in the four games. We are 2-2. And in the wins, we were up only 6 with three plus minutes to go, at home, to TCU; and we were up just one point, at home, against Texas, with 2:30 to play. Both games were in doubt. We have had no spectacular halves of basketball that were inspired this season by our perimeter game. We have been pedestrian on the offensive end.

The only times that we have been spectacular offensively is when we have taken a large majority of your shot attempts from the perimeter. That is undeniable.

Three point shooting and the perimeter game are not panaceas, they are not sure things -- but they are the best path for this team, offensively, as constructed.

Perry Ellis has become the focus of our offense. That focus has been more around Ellis driving the ball, as opposed to post feeds. Yesterday, in 13 attempted drives to the basket, Ellis scored just 3 times, and was fouled on another 3 attempts. On the other 7, he missed 3 times and either turned the ball over (3 times), or had it knocked away (we got the ball back.

If we are relying upon this in March, we are in deep, deep trouble.

As an alternative, I ask you to look at the Wichita St./UNI game for evidence. I was able to watch WSU play yesterday. It is one of many examples from around the country. A team with vast perimeter talent, focusing on its strengths.

Wichita St. shot 24 three point shots, making 11. It was a beautiful offense to watch. And UNI was guarding the perimeter with everything it had. The difference is, WSU has a perimeter based offense that created not only open looks on the perimeter through screening and spacing, but opportunities inside as a result. They rarely had two guys in the paint, near to each other -- very little lane clogging as happens in the high/low. Bit guys would screen out high, and roll to the hoop creating opportunities. It was smooth.

Within Wichita St.'s offense, there were repeated screens on the perimeter. Four players were routinely on the perimeter. When a ball went into the post, WSU regularly had players positioned on the three point line for the kick out. And when players drove, WSU always had someone available on the three point line for the pass out of the drive.

Take some time. Watch WSU's offense. Then come and tell me that we are impotent in the face of teams guarding the perimeter. WSU was able to get and create three point attempts on the perimeter, even when guarded closely. And Wichita St. has a better at the rim FG percentage than we do running that offense.

If you look at the ISU/KSU game yesterday, ISU got 27 three point attempts. Do you think KSU wasn't guarding the perimeter against ISU, and wasn't trying to take away three point attempts against ISU?

We have shot just 42 three pointers in the last four games. We are now 17th in three point percentage in the nation. We are now 276th in three point attempts. It is simple math.

The key is getting multiple attempts. That allows a team to work closer to its averages. Just because we go 1-8 doesn't mean we should shoot them. As we seen many time before, we can go 6-8 in the next 8 attempts.

The only reason we aren't shooting them, is because coach Self has decided that we won't shoot them -- by word or deed. In the latter case, by refusing to adjust our attack to create those opportunities, in the face of teams guarding the perimeter.

As I've said repeatedly, we simply do not scheme to get three point looks -- other than the set play here and there. We did this once Saturday.

The reason were aren't getting as many looks in the last four games is the combination of Self wanting threes shot within his offense or only when unguarded, teams guarding the perimeter more closely, and Self doing nothing to scheme to get three point looks. It is a path chosen by coach Self. And it is stopping this team for maximizing its offensive potential.

It's easy to be excited by Ellis' play. I absolutely love his aggressiveness. He's doing terrific. But this isn't about Perry. It's about the best offensive attack for this team.

We may be excited by Perry Ellis' game yesterday, right? But we shouldn't be. Our effective field goal percentage yesterday was the 6th worst ever for a coach Self team at Kansas. Repeating -- our 6th worst ever for a coach Self team at Kansas.

Ellis received the ball on a post feed six times where he attempted shots yesterday. He scored 2 times, missed 4, and was not fouled on any attempts. Further, our post feed attempts to the other post players resulted in zero baskets. None. So that's four points on post feeds.

Yesterday, above all, Ellis relied on whistles. The ultimate Fool's Gold. Ellis was fouled on three drives, one fast break, and a couple of scramble/put back plays -- he was 10-12 from the line. Not something I want to bank this team's future one.

All this when we have what coach Self called the best perimeter shooting team since he's been at Kansas.

And for the record, Perry Ellis was not nearly as effective as it might appear. Ellis was 9/21 from the field. He shot just 40% at the rim. Volume scoring. Here's my breakdown:

1. On Drives: Ellis made 4, missed 3, turned the ball over 3 times, and lost another we recovered. He was fouled four times for free throws. One of the drives he got blocked off the first tip, and another was a fast break where he was fouled. This element resulted in just 50% total effectiveness based on attempts, in combination with free throws.

2. On Post Feeds: Ellis made 2, and missed 3.

3. On Scrambles/Follow Shots: Ellis made 2, missed 2, and was fouled once for free throws.

4. Lobs: He got one lob, on a set play, for a dunk.

5. Jumpers: Ellis was one of two, making a 15 footer, and missing a three.

If you balance out the numbers, Ellis scored on just under 50% of his overall efforts, between baskets and free throws. He worked very hard yesterday.

However, balance that 50%, at two points a pop, against three pointers at our team rate of 40%, and it's no contest. It is demonstrative of the misguided nature of Self's offense this season. Perry Ellis gets 29 points (27 related to near the basket efforts), and we have the 6th lowest effective field goal percentage game in Self's tenure.

Coach Self talks of Fool's Gold, as if it only applies to perimeter shooing -- he had his famous rant after the Texas Tech win where we went a tremendous 11-20 from three point range, and blew out a TT team on its home floor, where it has beaten ISU, Baylor, and OSU. Remember those days? When we did shoot three pointers? But it was the ridiculous Fool's Gold comment that set this all in motion.

It was the follow-up to the Utah game. Self uttered "Fool's Gold" on our television for all to see. That after an amazing first half against Utah were we torched Utah with a blazing perimeter game, jumping out to 20 point lead. Then, we saw that lead evaporate when Self dictated a return to the pound it inside mantra. After that game, I detailed the possessions of the second half disaster. Horrific. All Self-made.

And Self acts as if missing perimeter shots is the only risk in the NCAA tourney -- which is what the Fool's Gold stuff alludes to. The "you can't count on it" thing.

Of course, we have seen our inside game go awry. Meaning, we can miss close shots just as easy as outside shots. Perhaps more so with this team. It happens all the time. It's part of the game, missing shots that is. We've missed them all season. We missed close shots against Stanford. They were big, and contested them. We have a team that doesn't score well inside. Heck, against KSU, Self again lamented the fact of how we got close shots, and that we missed bunnies.

Jesse Newell shot me a tweet after Self's press conference --

!photo.PNG ↗

Who out there can't see this?

So is Self misguided? Kind of. Meaning, if you have a team that scores reliably at the rim, then I think I go with coach Self. The "at the rim" percentages of 65% or so on post ups. But folks, this isn't that team. This team cannot score reliably at the rim. It certainly can't score on post feeds. Now, our last real hope of improvement (Cliff) may be on the shelf.

If we continue down this path, we will be placing our season in the hands of Traylor, Lucas, and Mickelson. By contrast, would you rather place it in the hands of Mason, Greene, Oubre, Selden, Graham, and Ellis from outside?

It comes down to a simple item. What's the better risk with this team? That's all.

Coach Self has chosen the wrong path.

Perhaps the Fool's Gold comments are because coach Self feels threatened. Perhaps coach Self felt deep in the the bowels of his soul that if this team were able to achieve and win from the perimeter, it would threaten the very fabric and foundation of what he holds dear. It would threaten the core of what he teaches. If a team could actually win like this, the pound it inside philosophy would be forever threatened. The concept that attempting to score inside is always better than attempting to score outside. His "my way or the highway" way of winning would be compromised.

Or perhaps he's just hard-headed.

How can a man in Self's position see other teams win in different ways, with different schemes, and be so diametrically opposed to change? Even with a team that just can't do it his way?

Whatever. I don't care.

What I care about is the destruction of something I hold very dear. And it is occurring right before my eyes. It is not only sad, but it is unnecessary.

This team is a Final Four team. This team is a National Championship team. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. This team has high level talent. Kansas can win the national championship.

We know the post-script to this season, That we weren't really that good anyway. That it was coach Self who got this team to its peak. That this team really overachieved. That we were "just so young." That this team didn't have a true big man, and thus couldn't achieve greatness.

Or now, that we lost Cliff. Like last season. We lost Embiid. Meanwhile, we totally ignore that we do not play to our team's offensive talents (this season) and that we continued to play the same pound it inside game last March without Embiid -- nearly losing to EKU and losing to Stanford. See any similarities?

It's all "crap" -- using one of Self's favorite words. It is crap.**

[Ponies](

@BeddieKU23 Don't "expect" ... you are correct. "Hope"? That's another thing. I hope every game that we can play well the way Self wants, and can be effective inside. Alternatively, I hope Self unleashes our perimeter game. But I had hoped Santa would have brought me a pony, too. My "hope" record isn't too good this year.

Texas played zone .. Cliff is out. Will our perimeter game shine?

NCAA issues aren't in a one game vacuum, as we all know. If Cliff has eligibility issues, the reality is that our wins this season are threatened.

When I heard this, I worried about that stones and glass houses thing.

@lincase As @nuleafjhawk said, go to your grandson's game and sit by yourself as @wissoxfan83 said. Black out. Be unsociable. You can enjoy both. Hope the boy has a good game.

@JayHawkFanToo Well good. If you meant to refer to how Self instructs them, that is an obvious item. We know Self doesn't tell them to have bad spacing. Just like he doesn't tell them to miss shots.

The issue in your phrasing is one word -- "for". If you would have said "there is no way a coach would plan that", and left out the "for", that would have had a completely different meaning. But when you say "plan for that", that infers something completely different. I can "plan for a terrorist attack", or "plan for retirement" -- meaning when it happens. For the eventuality of the event.

But if I "plan a terrorist attack", or "plan retirement", it means something different.

@JayHawkFanToo Yes, I read what you wrote, my response is all in context. My issue is that you claim that "there is no way a coach would plan for that." That comment, while I know you prefer not being challenged on what you say, is simply baloney. Any coach knows that. You actually think that coaches can't plan for a lack of floor spacing? Spacing is an issue in all motion offenses. Spacing is no different than any other aspect of offense. Actually, spacing is one of the more difficult items to execute on the floor and it is regularly screwed up in motion offenses.

It is something coaches struggle with all the time. You know that, right? If you're a coach, and you're at the 15 minute mark in the second half, and your team is getting bunched up running it's offense so ball rotation or screening, or whatever, is ineffective, what do you do? Accept it? More precisely, you don't plan for that in advance? Believe me, coach Self does. If he doesn't adjust to correct it, it's because he chooses not to.

For example, what coaches do to adjust to spacing issues include:

1) Alternating set plays with standard offense, as set plays many times have "spots" that come into play,

2) Inverting the offense side to side -- many coaches run offense in a mirror, from side to side. Some motion offenses don't look the same left to right. This can change things up a bit,

3) Similarly, a coach can direct a different initiation point of the offense,

4) Change a rule or two -- motion offenses are based on rules. A coach can change a rule or two, mid-game to adjust, or

5) Run a different offense for a while. For KU, that would be flipping to four out, one in for a few possessions or more.

I know you think this is contrarian, or whatever, but this is stuff that coaches know and do.

@VailHawk - Good point .. did we sit and bag on Self for his offense in 2012 and 2013? No. Why? Because those teams more better fit the system. The teams were able, much better than this team, to execute what Self wanted. This team can't effective execute offensively in his system.

This season isn't, "oh, he needs to let shooters shoot" or relatively fringe issues like that. This season, the issue is deep, and it is systemic. It's obvious. Everyone is discussing it. The media discusses it. Everyone.

I do long for three and four year guys -- we have some, I think. But I love this team. Our offense could be dynamic. This could be much different. It's a shame, really.

@drgnslayr - Do you think guys sometimes just come out with staged responses? Or just mimic what Self says to them?

@JayHawkFanToo You mention Green needing to learn to take advantage of screens and lose the defender? What screens are you referring to? I say that a little tongue in cheek, of course. But you are right. Greene has zero ability to create his own shot. None. He needs screens. Lots of them. You've hit on a very important point. It's what I've said most of this season ... we need to scheme to get open looks. I don't think he'll really ever be a create his own shot guy. Selden does ok with a step back. And I think you're right again on Mason .. most of his three looks are when the D has broken down. Your point about guys not being able to get their own looks is right on target. It's also difficult within the flow of our offense when opposing teams are guarding the perimeter hard. Some teams may not need as much help getting open looks -- guys that can get their own shots. But this team needs a scheme to get those looks to capitalize on those shooters.

I continue to be amazed .. a coach can't plan for lack of execution? That statement is just flat wrong. It's not "jmo" .. it like the sky is brown. It just isn't.

Actually, it is exactly the opposite. Coaches regularly prepare for the inability of their players to do what they ask -- the failure to execute.

What it is, though, is yet another attempt to point to any explanation other than coach Self, to cover for his failures. That's all it is.

For example, in football, a coach might prepare a game plan that focuses on a trap block play inside. What might he do if his guard is unable to clear and get to the 5 hole in time for the trap block? Right, he could move the play to the 3 hole. In fact, crazy as it may sound, teams may actually prepare for the inability of the guard to get to the preferred blocking point. Right, move to plan B. In basketball, perhaps certain plays require a proper screening angle. In many situations, that can be challenging. Or certain plays require the right timing on ball rotation. Does a coach simply enter a game feeling like that is out of his control? A good one doesn't. A coach builds in contingencies. He plans for the inability to execute.

It's no different than what coach Self did vs. Baylor's zone. Self ran the same odd man front vs. odd man front as he did the first game. In the first game, although things weren't going well, he didn't change that up. But in the second game, he changed -- he moved to an even man front.

Clearly, Self was planning ahead of time for his team's lack of execution. He preferred the former, but shifted to the latter when the former didn't work.

In fact, that is the essence of coaching. That isn't opinion. Ask any coach.

@VailHawk Our stuff, apparently, ain't workin'. Here's Brannen Greene's quote after Monday --

“When we play other teams, they get into their stuff. They run their stuff. We’re not applying enough pressure on defense, to the ball-handler. On offense they deny us. It messes up all our stuff. We can’t get into a rhythm,” Greene said. “We’ve got to finish at the basket. We’ve got to get our spacing right. Guys are on top of each other,” he said.

To @jaybate-1.0's point, we run no competent "action" to get three point looks other than a few well designed plays that occur very few, and very far between.

@JayHawkFanToo Enjoy life. Smile.

@JayHawkFanToo What is the point of your last sentence? You can recognize, I hope, how that sort of comment is inflammatory, can't you?

Regardless, I'm not going worry about whether your sensitivities are offended. I'll lecture if I want, I'll respond if I want -- I'll leave it to you to draw your line of acceptability. If you don't like it, or can't handle an interaction because it gets too rough, then don't participate. But making admonishments in advance is a bit silly.