THANKS. That's it. I am clueless on how to get that stuff to show.
There's also a good article on Brannen Greene. It is called "Deep in his DNA, Sophomore Brannen Greene possesses a skill many athletes lack."
RockChalkinTexas
6832 posts
Problem with Taylor on UT is that he just goes and does whatever he wants and takes the team out of what was a called play by Barnes and then do something stupid like foul w/-5 sec. left on ISU shot clock so they go to the line and McKay makes both. Barnes did not speak well of him in post-game.
The oldest, longest sportswriter here in Austin (Kirk Bohls) all but said in yesterday's paper that this was Barnes' last year:
"While I got ya, here are nine things and one crazy prediction:
- Was that nothing more than a Texas loss to Kansas or was it the beginning of the end? I fear it may be the latter, which would be a shame because Rick Barnes is one of my all-time favorite people. In the two best home-game atmospheres of the season and arguably the most raucous since Abe Lemons warred with Arkansas’ Eddie Sutton, Texas laid an egg both times against Oklahoma and Kansas. Texas has lots of games to turn it around, but there are alarming signs of the same offensive inefficiency that has plagued Barnes’ Longhorn teams. It’s imperative to beat Iowa State and Baylor on the road this week if the Longhorns truly are a Big 12 contender. I hate hearing Barnes say his team isn’t listening to him or he’s not getting through to his team or the players don’t play the way they practice. That’s on the coach. Maybe his players tune him out. Maybe he can’t coach offense well enough. Maybe he can’t coach up big men like Bill Self, who does it better than any other coach in America. Self’s frontcourt players always play like giants, but none is a star in the NBA. Myles Turner looks lost or confused or both about his role. Cam Ridley doesn’t have the get-out-of-my-way personality to be a force down low, but that’s not Barnes’ fault. I really think Self could win with Kansas’ players or Texas’ players. He’s that good. And after not making a Sweet 16 since 2008, Barnes’ job could again be in jeopardy if he can’t reach that level or beyond in March."
@Crimsonorblue22 Frank's dad is tall and stout. Kelly's dad is real tall.
@Crimsonorblue22 I wrote extensively about Frank Mason Jr. and Kelly Oubre Sr. in my post yesterday. Those were the only 2 parents I saw/met.
@benshawks08 Read my comments on the crowd of fans I had to contend with at the game. Was way up above in this post. Crude and rude. I've been to the last 4 games here and this was the WORST.
@bskeet Yes. Thought it showed Jamari's hussle really good.
Can't wait to go to work tomorrow and have all those that told me UT was going to win have to look me in the eye and tell me I was right! ;-)
You could just hear the long sighs from UT fans every time Brannen hit a 3. So so sweet.
One last suggestion. Go to KUAthletics and watch the Rock Chalk video.
@KUSTEVE It will be their only sell out. Frank's dad asked us if was really sold out and we told him there were empty seats here and there. All week on sports talk here they were so confident the horns would win that I guess the players believed all that hype. I heard Fran Fraschilla say on Thursday he had to give this game to UT because of their size and Deano Guadio said that Kansas would leave Austin with a loss. That was on College Sports Nation on Sirius. Andy Katz and Miles Simon on the wrap up on ESPN last night had to say those words they wouldn't say earlier in the season -- the Big 12 goes through Lawrence!!
Wanted to add that Kelly came out with 3 box lunches and gave his dad 2 of them. :-)
Comments to that article.
Same old, same old.
8:18 a.m. Jan. 25, 2015
Larrywp Report
You know, this is just what happens to Barnes' teams. They look great early, then fold like a cheap tent down the stretch. When are they going to wake-up over there and stop rationalizing about Barnes. He's a good coach. Period. He ain't a great coach. Period. If they want the Basketball Program at Texas to move up to Kansas' league, they are going to have to get a coach capable of going there. But there are serious questions regarding administrations desire to have great basketball here. Hell, there's serious questions regarding their desire to have great football. The only thing you can't question about the Administrations desires, is the desire to make money. Winning, to them, is a collateral issue, not a primary one. So they are perfectly happy with Barnes. He wins just enough to, occasionally, bring in some money.
9:08 a.m. Jan. 25, 2015
@Crimsonorblue22 said:
@RockChalkinTexas thanks for sharing! Was the guy that grabbed his crotch this players dad?!image.jpg ↗
Kinda sounds like it could be!! Would love to see your pics! Rock Chalk!
That was in the first part of the game. All the sportswriters here and comments from fans lay this on Barnes for not using the talent he has. Look at this from the sports writer here:
The Rock Chalks got every shot they wanted — Brannen Greene scorched Texas for four triples — and the team registered six assists and zero turnovers in the final half. They were Spur-like in their execution and intelligent in diagnosing Texas’ zone.
The 75-62 loss was lowlighted not only by Kansas forward Cliff Alexander’s bullish 15 points, nine rebounds and four dunks but by the inability of anyone not named Taylor or Jonathan Holmes to generate any offense for the Horns. It’s a tough spot for Taylor, whose game is built on attacking the rim, because the other guards — Javan Felix and Demarcus Holland — didn’t do nearly enough in support to get a win in what was a tremendous college basketball atmosphere.
A sellout crowd of 16,540 reached a fevered pitch in pregame, right after mascot Hook’em, accompanied by few hundred burnt-orange and white balloons, came down from the rafters with a big wire on his back. By the time Axl Rose finished welcoming the Jayhawks to the ATX jungle, Club Erwin had been transformed into Club Beehive.
Judging from all of the pregame excitement, it was a perfect environment for Texas to make a statement in conference play. It turned out to be a familiar refrain: not enough shots going down to beat a quality opponent.
The start on the scoreboard was fine — Texas fans will take an 8-2 lead over Kansas any day — but the issue was the guards weren’t getting the big guys involved. Post Cam Ridley, who had scored 29 points in the previous two games, didn’t even get a shot up for 11 minutes, 30 seconds, and Barnes was quick to point out that the big man flashed unguarded toward the bucket early in the game and wasn’t properly fed for a dunk.
The Horns, now in the middle of the Big 12 pack at 3-3, jacked up 18 3-pointers and made only three, while Ridley was credited with four field-goal attempts and five trips to the line. Holmes scored 14 points, a number Kansas coach Bill Self said he would gladly take.
“I have to do a better job of feeding the post,” Taylor told me. “Just knowing when we have a mismatch with guards on Jon (Holmes) or when Myles (Turner) has it going and things like that. Just got to do a better job of knowing that and recognizing (the defense).”
Texas Tech did the Horns a favor by knocking off Iowa State on Saturday, but that won’t matter if Texas doesn’t find the right mix when it visits the Cyclones on Monday.
Barnes said he believes the Longhorns can win the rest of their games — yeah, he really said that— but understands Texas will catch the business end of the scoreboard if he doesn’t get more balanced production from the guys in the backcourt.
Knowing is one thing. Doing is quite another.
I talked to Frank's dad a lot after the game outside waiting on the players to board the bus and he told me the next 2 years were going to be fun to watch Frank grow. So I said that means he is staying and he said yes. Really nice guy and down to earth. He knew a local optomerist here who flew him down. After the bus left he told me he had forgotten to ask Frank about meeting President Obama. We talked about Frank's and one after the Jamari floor burn midcourt and how Frank was not intimidated by ther bigs. I told him Frank was a BULLDOG.
Kelly's dad was really gracious and thanked me for supporting him and the team, knowing tickets were not cheap. We talked about their life after Katrina and how much closer they were. I told him I always had faith that Coach knew how to get the most from his players as there was no givens when you play at KU and that Dr. Randall had told me what a great kid Kelly was. He said Kelly always wanted to go to KU to learn from the best! I asked Kelly to sign the picture of his backwards dunk and he was so proud of that picture he showed it to his dad. He said he hadn't seen that one.
Texas fans are such a##holes. When they were up in the beginning, one guy a couple rows in front turned around and grabbed his crotch and said Rock Chalk this. Late in the second half when we were chanting Let's go Jayhawks he screamed at us to get a football team. Then when the Rock Chalk chant started, he said At least we don't have to live in Kansas. That is why our solid D and play shut them up much better than anything I could have said back at him. I've probably lived in Austin longer than him as I moved here in 1980! He kept yelling to foul us. When Ridley was at the line to shoot 2 I screamed Miss It on both and he did! Payback is a mf.
Not to mention they all started to leave with 3+ minutes left.
I asked each of the guys if they could hear us fans and Tyler said that was awsome. I asked Evan how his dad liked it at Wake and he said he was enjoying it. I told Svi to hang in there his time would come. Cliff was the last player out and I thanked him for his energy and dunking the shit out on the and he said That WAS fun. Brannen's ease in shooting is something to see in person. No words can describe how pure he is. I told Devante I loved his hussle and that this board was happy for him and in his return and he flashed a big smile. The only one I didn't see as real supportive was Landen. Hunter was really happy with the W and I said it was good to get the payback. Snacks knows everyone and was a gentleman along with Norm and Jerrance. Coach was last one out and signed my poster and said Yes this was a really good win and a tough one on the road too.
Well I'm approaching a Jaybate size post. If lumpy wants to email me I can give him some pictures to post.
Rock Chalk Jayhawks!
What a fun game to see and be a part of. All the guys played tough. Brannen was sporting a shiner from an elbow he took in practice. To silence that crowd with solid play was special. All the players said they could hear our Let's go Jayhawks chants and the rock chalk chant. Lots of crimson & blue. Met Frank Mason's dad who was in from VA and Kelly's dad who was up from Houston. I told Jamari to stay healthy as we needed him each game. Talked to each one, they signed my stuff. Svi looks 17 and so much younger than all the others. More tomorrow. Hoarse from all the screaming.
@HawkInMizery What section are your tickets in? For the most part everything IS SOLD OUT except the very top two rows in the back of the highest sections were still for sale this morning when I checked.
Sorry I had some word salad there. Mostly sold out.
@HawkInMizery I don't take cabs.
Try this link text ↗
@HawkInMizery That''s a LONG way to hoof it. It's on the other side of the river and you would have to walk 2.6 miles according to Google maps and that's going around the State Capitol complex at 11th street.
@JayhawkRock78 & @HawkInMizery:
Beware that there is a lot of construction (for the new UT/Dell Medical School) in and around the Frank Erwin Center. Red River St. which runs in front of the FEC is completely shut down and parking will be a mess. The FEC is going to be completely demolished for the new medical school after this year and as of yet they don't even have a site, let alone a facility, for games to be played. UT with all its billions of dollars wants the taxpayers of Austin and Central Texas to pay for and build them a venue. Not sitting well.
There are several state office building parking lots that they open up for the games that are several blocks away but really close to the Scholz Garten where KU Alum meet.
See: link text ↗
Driving Directions to Scholz Garten: Driving South on IH35:
Traveling South on IH35 take the MLK Blvd exit.
(this is the same exit for The University of Texas)
Turn right onto MLK and safely get in the left lane of MLK as soon as possible.
Drive three long blocks to San Jacinto Blvd. Turn left and drive two blocks and you will see Scholz Garten on the left. Scholz Garten is located at the corner of San Jacinto and 17th street. There are several parking garages on both sides of the street.
@HawkInMizery The place where all KU alum gather is called Scholz Garten. Built in the 1890's. I am going and will try to stop by there. I like to hang around the Erwin Center to see the KU bus come in and watch them deport. Rock Chalk!
How about this from a tweet on that link - shows who is most popular with the President :-)
KS atty gen waits in line with rest of us to see #POTUSatKU but KU bball team just breezed by
From Gary Parish - CBS Sports
The Big 12 is proving to be fun and exhausting for all coaches involved
January 20, 2015 11:49 am CT
Bill Self spent Saturday in a down-to-the-final-buzzer game that Kansas ultimately lost against a top-20 team inside Hilton Coliseum, a building Iowa State's Fred Hoiberg, the victor on that night, told me Sunday was as loud as he's ever heard it. Just a draining experience for the visitors, I'm certain. Roughly 48 hours later, Self was in another down-to-the-final buzzer game against another top-20 team inside Allen Fieldhouse, where his Jayhawks took a 20-point lead and then blew a 20-point lead before recording a win over Oklahoma during which Self punched the scorer's table three times and broke it.
Next up for Kansas?
A road game at No. 17 Texas!
Such is life in the Big 12 this season -- and not just for KU.
This is life for everybody.
Seven of the Big 12's 10 members are currently ranked in the Top 25 (and one), eight of the 10 have been ranked in the AP poll at one time or another, and nine of the 10 have at least received votes. Oklahoma, Texas, West Virginia, Kansas, Iowa State, Baylor and Oklahoma State are all in the top 25 of both the KenPom and Sagarin ratings, and CBSSports.com's Jerry Palm now has seven Big 12 schools projected to make the 2015 NCAA Tournament.
Armed with this information, I asked Self a simple question.
Is coaching in this league fun and exciting -- or just plain exhausting?
"I would say it's a little bit of all three ... or a lot of all three," Self answered. "You get excited every night to play, and that should be fun. But it does take a toll. I mean, it could wear you out. You know, in most situations I've been in, there are certain weeks in leagues, maybe a two-week stretch, that's key and you can really point to, and then you can maybe catch your breath or whatnot. But there's no catching your breath [in the Big 12 this season]. Every week is a key week. So I do think it's going to be pretty exhausting when we go into March. That doesn't mean the teams will be tired going into the postseason; I'm not saying that at all. But I do think mental toughness will play a huge role in who's successful."
Self has coached 11 years at KU, won at least a share of the Big 12's past 10 titles and never lost more than four league games. And yet, by his estimation, in this particular season, he -- or anybody else, for that matter -- might be able to win the Big 12 even with five league losses, which is a testament to the quality and depth of the conference.
Simply put, it's almost impossible to go a week in the Big 12 without playing a ranked opponent, which is obviously challenging and undeniably rare. For the purposes of context, understand that Kentucky and Gonzaga have no more scheduled games against currently ranked opponents, Arizona won't play another until Feb. 28, Villanova doesn't play another until Feb. 16, and Virginia will end up going 21 days -- from Jan. 10 to Jan. 31 -- between games against currently ranked opponents. That's light work, relatively speaking.
"I think what's a little surprising is that we'd have this many good teams," Self said. "[The Big 12 has] been good in the past. But it's better now because of the depth of the league."
Better, sure.
But also more grueling.
Which is not to suggest the Big 12 is absolutely the nation's best basketball league because, frankly, that's open to debate given how different folks value conferences. I'd pick the Big 12, probably. But a reasonable man could argue the ACC is better because of the power at the top -- specifically Virginia, Duke, Notre Dame, Louisville and North Carolina.
In other words, whatever.
I'm not here to convince you the Big 12 is the best because, again, reasonable minds can disagree on what "best" actually means. But is the Big 12 the toughest to navigate? Absolutely. And it's the most fun to watch. And it's going to have every coach, at some point, punching a scorer's table or at least wanting to punch a scorer's table.
Among those coaches: Baylor's Scott Drew.
His Bears have played three straight games that have been decided by either one possession or overtime, and his next three Big 12 games are against Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Texas. In between, Baylor has a non-league game against something called Huston Tillotson that could not be coming at a more advantageous time.
The de facto break is scheduled for Wednesday night.
"I'm looking forward to that one," Drew said with a laugh. "I'm exhausted."
@justanotherfan Hoiberg will wipe the floor with Weber tonight. :-)
All right, All right, All right!
Neal DeGrasse Tyson has a new show on Sirius Radio channel 121. Star Talk. I have an autographed book by him. Cool Dude!
@drgnslayr No, was not implying that. I don't know that I can give a prediction because the schedule is dictating that any given game/week there could be a team knocked off the top. Our having come out 3-0 is huge in my mind. As others said, ISU was figured to be a loss going into it. UT just played TCU for goodness sake but then has 2 top 11 teams back to back. While I hope nothing ever happens to any of the players on any team, injuries could really be critical. Right now I can't say whether we win or lose at UT. I've watched all their games. I WANT KU to win. If KU wins, it is because of Barnes' bad coaching more than anything, unless we shoot lights out like the first half last night but for 35 mins. OSU is always tough there. WVa will be too and travel comes into play. KSUcks is the 2nd to last conf. game and OU is our last away conf. game. Lots of movement going to take place between now and Feb. 7th when we are at OSU.
"That's 5 tough away games and there is no way we win #11 if we lose all these games."
So if all those teams defend their home court but not win any more away games, how does the conference stack up? Each one of those teams is capable of having an off night, just as we are and there is no love lost with any of those teams wanting to kick us off the mountain.
@wissoxfan83 I will. Under a new thread?
How many "slam dunks" has he missed that clearly would have been a bucket had he just not tried to "slam" it? Too many for me to count.
Listened to the post-game from TCU UT game before ours and Javan Felix only talked about their next 2 games - us and then they have to go to Ames for Big Monday. These are 2 huge games for them since they are trying to claw their way back in the standings. Neither is a given. Their bigs are big but Jon Holmes is one that will have to be watched as he can go inside and he can also shoot the 3 - maybe Kelly needs to stay on him. Connor Lammert too can be crafty. You think he is a blocker and will be inside the paint but if left alone he can nail the 3. Mason has to stop Taylor. I think Cliff learned a lot about playing inside last night against a big and as long as fouls don't come too fast for him, he can give some quality minutes. Selden will have to guard whoever he is on as they can slash and drive. Turner is still a freshmen but has to be blocked out. Perry would be best on him. He's been their high scorer on lesser opponents. Going to be a full crowd but they are no where near anything like Ames as far as staying loud. Lots of boosters sit in the front sections and they just don't show that much enthusiasm.
With Greg Anthony having been suspended from CBS, wonder who will be calling the game now? He talked a couple weeks ago about this being one game he wanted to see. What a huge mistake he made - career vs. hmmmmmmmmmmmm.
I'm making my sign for the game.
I was wrong. I had KU by 5, but as I typed it I knew it was going to be a tough environment to get out of there with a win. Nothing wrong with wanting your team to win and having faith in them. Got to get the next one on our court. Rock Chalk.
Think it will be intense on both ends but think our guys are better prepared to come from behind. Hope Cliff has his breakout game defending the rim. Higgins is officiating. Give this one to KU 74-69.
@JayHawkFanToo Isn't that the case with most every other Big 12 arena - they only sell out when the Jayhawks come to play? I know that is the case with the "drum" they call here in Austin - The Erwin Center. Any other game and there are barely 8,000 people there, including the opponents.
From ESPN Insider - Jeff Goodman. I'm not an Insider so can't get the whole article.
Seeing the headline though, I knew who would be No. 1:
College hoops' 10 most hostile venues
Allen Fieldhouse (where KU is 8-0 this season) has been a house of horrors for Kansas opponents.
There are a variety of factors that make an arena hostile. First, you need passionate fans. You also need a quality product. Sure, the size of the building can help, though bigger does not always mean better. One arena on this list holds only 6,000 people. Another seats nearly 20,000. I talked to players and coaches and also drew from my own experience of going to venues to come up with the Top 10 most hostile college basketball environments:
**1.
Kansas’ Allen Fieldhouse -- It’s a no-brainer for the list, and a no-brainer for the top spot. It holds more than 16,000 people, and about 25 percent of the seats are reserved for students. It gets loud, the fans are rabid, and the Jayhawks are almost always good. **
“Their fans are so loud and there’s just so many of them. It’s like you are trapped, everywhere you look.” -- Iowa State’s Georges Niang.
To continue reading this article you must be an Insider
What's to be said about the last play where Long is wide open begging for the ball and Niang hogs it and goes in for the contested basket? Can that tell us anything about how that team is getting along? I saw where Niang tweeted after that he should have seen the open guy but you could clearly see that Long was really upset that he was not given the ball.
Is this the game where Selden pumps in 20+ and/or Svi/Greene hit some big 3's? I hope Perry, Frank, Jamari and Wayne (plus Tyler, Evan and Christian) tell the freshmen what the environment is going to be like. You've got to figure that our guys are used to a lot of noise but it will be different because it will be directed AT them instead of FOR them. I think this is a game where our non-conference games will make us a tougher team down the stretch.
@ZIG stat HUDY immediately!
@HawkInMizery miss all your bashing of the misery fans!
@Crimsonorblue22 what do those xboxes mean?
As I was lurking around "the other site" Sunday morning, I saw one comment that said "all the losers" went to kubuckets.com.
Right ;-) !!!!!
@Kip_McSmithers I saw on the "other site" something along the lines that HCBS said they had been working on strategy for this Baylor game ever since UNLV!!!!!!!!!! Something got missed in translating that to the players.
Quotes from Drew (who someone on this board said would get "out coached by Self at the end of the game". ) They were spot on (clap)(clap)(clap)(clap)(clap)(clap)(clap)(clap)(clap)(clap)(clap)(clap)(clap)(clap)(clap)
(giggle)(giggle)(giggle)(giggle)(giggle)(giggle)(giggle)(giggle)(giggle)(giggle)(giggle)(giggle)(giggle)(giggle)(giggle)(giggle)(giggle)(giggle)(giggle)(giggle)(giggle)(giggle)(giggle)(giggle)(giggle)(giggle)(giggle)(giggle)(giggle)(giggle)
(beer) and/or (coffee) to your prediction!
Attendance: 7,088
BAYLOR POSTGAME NOTES
Baylor Head Coach Scott Drew
Opening Statement ...
"I thought Kansas did a great job executing in the second half, and defensively we can't allow 72 percent field goal shooting and win games in the second half. We have to be better. As far as free-throw shooting, I'm proud of the strides we made there. We have to continue to work on layups. If we can finish layups, we'll be in a different position. I loved the team's effort and fight. It was a great Big 12 game. We have to get better. That's the good thing about the Big 12; it's on to the next one."
On how Kansas attacked the defense:
"Well, first they made some shots. They were 3-for-6 from three, and we had a couple breakdowns. If you're shooting 16-for-22, you have to make some shots. There are a couple guys who made some shots that we felt comfortable with them taking, so credit them with making them. **At the same time, those breakdowns that we had, like when Selden hit that three, that can't happen." **
On how the game ended:
"I think [Prince] wasn't able to grab it cleanly, but at least he made a great outlet. Then Kenny bobbled it, so with two bobbles in 3.9 [seconds] you don't have time for bobbles. If you have two more seconds or make one of the two layups with ten seconds, you have a different feeling right now. We didn't, and we have to get better at finishing with length and contact. Because that's what the Big 12's about, and that's something we've been trying to work on. We've gotten a little bit better, but not good enough to beat a team like Kansas. Again, they made shots: credit them. They made nice adjustments in the second half. We did some things that hurt us. We didn't execute some things we should've executed. We'll get better, and we have a chance for a quality wins every game."
@JayhawkRock78 That's where the Alumni Assoc. always hangs out and it is on their calendar. Cool place. Built 1866.
The scouts.
@REHawk Just like last year when UT rested all its laurels on Myck Kbango coming back to save them. Long time UT season ticket holder I work with just doesn't think Barnes can coach the talent he gets year in and year out. They've already had 2 guys leave the program. Does that say something about Barnes? He has a quicker yank of players (even when they are playing well) than most coaches. Think there was at least 9 different rotations of the 5 guys out there playing BEFORE half time. He sat by 2 Spurs scouts who were there grading the UT players. Jon Holmes - not aggressive. Taylor - wild shot and follows it instead of getting back on defense. Ridley - ???.
That's Rick Barnes for you. He can't game day coach out of a bucket.
@JayhawkRock78 I'm going too!
From Austin American-Statesman paper last night:
Kansas aims for 11th straight Big 12 title but faces tough competition
Posted: 7:55 p.m. Monday, Jan. 5, 2015
By Dave Skretta - Associated Press
LAWRENCE, Kan. —
There is a floor-to-ceiling graphic pasted outside the Kansas locker room, just beyond the tunnel leading to the hallowed floor of Allen Fieldhouse.
The court itself forms the background. But stretching across the top are images of 10 rings, each encrusted with enough diamonds to make Marilyn Monroe blush. Together, they represent the string of Big 12 perfection that the Jayhawks have compiled over the past decade.
Ten years. Ten championships.
On Wednesday night, the No. 12 Jayhawks will visit No. 21 Baylor to begin pursuit of their 11th straight. That would tie Gonzaga for the second-most in major college basketball and move within two of matching the 13 straight Pac-10 championships UCLA won in the 1960s and ’70s.
But Bill Self indicates this might be the most difficult yet. Given a chance Monday afternoon, the Kansas coach rattled off four other teams he thinks have a shot at the Big 12 championship. Texas could win the national title, he said. And given their unsteady nonconference performance, the Jayhawks — for once — might not be the favorites.
“There’s multiple teams,” he said, “but the great thing about it is, from my standpoint, if you’re good enough to be considered in winning our league, you’re probably good enough to be considered a contender to make a great run in the NCAA tournament, too.”
Not every year has been an outright title. Kansas (11-2) has shared the crown in five of those seasons. But not since Iowa State won the second of its back-to-back championships in 2001 has one of those glitzy rings not been delivered to each member of the Jayhawks.
The dominance of Kansas during the streak is startling: 25 first-team All-Big 12 picks, double the number of any other program; five conference players of the year, most recently Thomas Robinson in 2012; and at least one first-team all-conference selection in each of those years.
There are signs that the Jayhawks’ supremacy will continue.
They are vastly improved from an early season shellacking at the hands of top-ranked Kentucky, beating Michigan State, Florida, Georgetown and Utah in succession. If not for a dud at Temple just before Christmas, that loss in the Champions Classic would be their only one.
Key freshmen are starting to contribute, including swingman Kelly Oubre Jr. and power forward Cliff Alexander. Frank Mason III is stamping himself as a favorite to continue the run of first-team All-Big 12 players, and veterans such as Perry Ellis and Wayne Selden Jr. are beginning to provide some leadership.
“I don’t ever go through and say, ‘We should win this one,’ or, ‘This is a coin-flip game,’ ” Self said. “But we weren’t ready to play with Kentucky, and we’ve improved a lot since then.”
That doesn’t mean Self is content. Consistency has been an issue. Outside shooting has been spotty and interior offense hard to establish. Defensive intensity tends to wane.
All of those things can cause problems in the Big 12.
“It’s real different,” Selden said, “the intensity, the fans, the away crowds, the home crowds — everything about it is different.”
Selden said that “some of us went in blind last year,” unaware of just how much the pressure builds in league play. A team full of freshmen wasn’t prepared for it, and it showed in some sloppy and embarrassing moments. But when the final week of the season rolled around, the Jayhawks had still risen to the top.
Now, they hope another tough nonconference schedule will have them ready for the hardest conference — at least in terms of RPI — in major college basketball.
“We played some tough games earlier this season,” Mason said after a win over UNLV on Sunday. “It’s definitely a big boost for us going into conference play.”
SO MY ANSWER IS YES :-)
KU
OU
ISU
UT
WVU
Baylor
OSU
TCU
TX Tech
KSUcks
Have my tickets for the UT game here. In years past you could buy single game tickets for that one game but because it is the only one they sell out for the entire season, this year you had to buy a 6 game package just to get KU so I went through Ticket City and plunked down money to get tickets behind the KU bench. UT is only as good as their bigs stay out of foul trouble.
@HighEliteMajor Self mentined Greene had neck stiffness in his postgame. Intensenity on the defense has made a huge difference. And Kelly (double double) didn't quit on defense because his shooting was off.
Kent State roster shows a 7 foot 4 inch guy, who luckily for us only gets 1-2 mpg.