🏀 KuBuckets Archive

@nuleafjhawk

I feel exactly as you do... but I wonder if we aren't just too overly critical. We notice other teams play mostly when they play good, so we think they are consistent. We notice every single play our team makes, so we often focus in on the down stuff.

If I'm not mistaken, we have a better record than we had last year at this time, and we've even played a harder schedule. Results is what we really care about. But we haven't been building a streak at the end, and that raises my concerns.

I still think we will do fine in the first week of MM. I think we are tough enough to take the punch of teams on the level we will face. After that, the road gets tougher and will be hard to predict.

With young teams, this time off business is frightening. Given time to "think" too much could put these guys in a coma state.

@RedRooster

All of us appreciate your diehard conviction to follow all our far out posts. It would be awesome if you could throw in more posts because no one keeps up more than you!

And thanks for all the supporting 'likes!'

@wissoxfan83

"I was wrong to think @drgnslayr was the guy on the Dos Equis commercial."

Close.... I was on the Uno Equis commercial. Similar guy bragging about everything, but no sexy models around, just attractive wife and kids who could care less about all the old "interesting" stories. In my commercial it wasn't a homing pigeon... just a pigeon looking for his next target!

I always get nervous when our guys have time off from games. It seems like they should be getting rest and also polishing their game. So it would seem like when they play next they should be playing a bump up in performance.

Is it just me... but I always think we go backwards from time off. Even one week creates rust.

Personally, I don't care if we bow out of game 1 in the conference tourney.... but I'm thinking about March Madness.

Anyone else nervous?

@BeddieKU23

"Cliff included didn't know that meeting an agent would raise red flags"

Self covered this in his interview. He said all of these guys meet agents, handlers, and other people with an angle. The key is whether or not they take a benefit, and to know what a benefit is.

The NCAA isn't going to investigate because Cliff or his family met with an agent. But if there was a benefit distributed in any form, or a contract signed then it becomes a problem, warranting an investigation and decision... But Cliff should have known and he should have instructed his family not to do anything without vetting it through Self and Kansas.

@ParisHawk

"Personally, I think the lawyer hired by the family may be right: damage control. If there is a real problem, why help the NCAA prove it? Stonewall and prevent NCAA sanctions."

The only damage possible for Cliff is to lose his eligibility. Whether they help the NCAA or not, he won't become eligible again until they have answers. His eligibility right now isn't being controlled by the NCAA, it is with Kansas. Kansas pulled him off the team. Kansas already stated he won't get back on the team without a ruling from the NCAA. The ruling won't come without cooperation. So, essentially, Cliff is done without cooperation. The damage is done now because they won't cooperate.

Self is merely stating that the damage will be permanent if he doesn't regain eligible status for March Madness. He has, essentially, laid down a deadline.

Cliff's family stepping up now would be more of a gesture for the team. To give them resolution before the tourney. I like what Self said about their mistake last year with JoJo in March.... planning for his return. This time, they've moved on and if, by chance, Cliff comes available then he'll just be inserted as "an extra cookie."

This is a sticky situation. I'm glad we have Self. He's playing it right, not only tactically, but with his comments to the press.

@nuleafjhawk

"Mizzou Antlers - More Toes Than Teeth!"

I've seen Jayhawk gear all over Europe. Not every day... but frequent enough to know the Jayhawk Nation is out there everywhere. Maybe I have a little guy in my head looking for it. I can't recall seeing lots of other schools. Once in a while, Texas.

I wear something KU constantly. The winter is my KU jacket, every single day. Summer... mix up t-shirts. My wife buys me more because she gets sick of always seeing the same ones. She hasn't figured it out that it is my strategy so she keeps buying me new stuff. Hope she doesn't read this. Naaaa.... she's gone to bed already!

READ BETWEEN THE LINES -

This situation has damaged our year, mostly because we don't have a resolution and it doesn't appear it will be resolved anytime soon. It will also damage us in the future!

If any of you caught Self's interview yesterday, he mentioned how frustrated he is because it appears that attorneys have clogged the process. He mentioned that Cliff's family needs to allow an interview with the NCAA to get a quick resolution, perhaps opening the door for Cliff to become eligible for March Madness.

What Self didn't say, and why he is really upset... is that Cliff's status of UNKNOWN has also put our big man recruiting on hold and UNKNOWN. The big men that are coming available have waited because they want to see how school positions shake out. They are looking for certainty.

It appears we may not have certainty for a long, long time.

So what should Kansas do? Throw Cliff under the bus now and announce he won't be offered an annual scholarship next year?

I clearly say YES! We should give this thing perhaps another week or so. Give Cliff's family notice about how their lack of communication with the NCAA is hurting Kansas' future. It is very unlikely Cliff will ever get reinstated for college ball again. But what should we do? Let it go and forget our hopes of recruiting his replacement?

Sorry Cliff... but unless your family starts playing ball with the NCAA now, you should be cut from any hopes of a future scholarship next year.

Self did say... "If we don't hear anything before March Madness, it is unlikely it will be resolved in time for our first exhibition game next fall."

Read between the lines... If we don't have a resolution soon, we know for certain that Cliff won't be back. I hope I'm reading more in this, and that Self will step up and stop the madness on Cliff. Cut his scholarship.

I love our Jayhawk. It's fun to wear KU gear in another country and answer all the questions about our bird. It truly is one of the most-unique mascots out there.

Knowing that, I figured Kansas HAS TO be at the top in the nation for sales volume of licensed products.

Shows what I know.

There is just no accounting for taste. The Big 12 does host the school that leads the nation. Perfect if your favorite color is vomit, or the same as your parent's '70s couch that you set by the curb and no one took it.

Top Selling Universities ↗

Really? We are only 4th in our own conference? Behind Daniel Boone?

Anyone that doesn't think cheerleaders are athletes need to check this out -

College Cheerleading & Dance Team National Championship ↗

Any of you singles out there.... throw away your website dating service and forget the bars.... start attending these competitions!

!10923657_10155155150740089_4624550187798837630_o.jpg ↗

I was wrong to listen to all the blowhard media saying "this is the year" doomsday on another conference title and start believing it might be possible. I'm now back to my delusional fan status... THERE IS NO WAY WE WILL EVER GIVE UP THE CONFERENCE TITLE!

I was wrong to think it was safe to have my wallet in my back pocket without a chain attached when approaching Doug Gottlieb.

@BeddieKU23

Fab's story is typical at 75% of more of the universities across America if you are willing to go back 20 years ago. It was common practice to "roll out the red carpet" for athletes with poor academics.

Today.... it still goes on, but they are pushing more of these athletes into tutors to help them get by. And the cheating is probably being masked a bit more.

I have way too much knowledge about this because I've known so many old college athletes... half of which couldn't pass an exam on a third grade level in any subject.

Cheating was THE standard back in my day... I'll say it and I don't care what anyone else thinks of my statement. It is the truth.

@DoubleDD

I am of the opinion that UNC will go down, but it will take many years, similar to the orange investigation. UNC will go down.

I just hope it doesn't lead a trail back to Kansas. But if we are guilty... so be it and so be us to suffer the same consequences. I don't give anyone a break, including Kansas.

I think the real question is.... how far back does the NCAA want to dig? If they can go back far enough, aren't MOST schools guilty of academic violations? Seriously?

@RockChalkinTexas

Did you catch Self yesterday talking about Cliff? What few words he could say... he was appealing to all the attorneys to get in a room and put Cliff's family on the record so Cliff would have a possible chance of returning.

Self said, as it stands, Cliff is most-likely gone the rest of the season and next year, too.

So long, Cliff... welcome to D-league!

I like the idea of just playing teams 7 - 10 in the tourney and let them fight it out for March Madness. It will give us yet another team in the big tourney. And it might create some strange end-of-season outcomes for the teams edging in on the 6 spot, who might not get that extra chance to play for March Madness (if we ever go back to being a weak league with less teams getting in).

Plus... it sort of makes fun of the entire structure, which is a joke anyways.

Kansas should be resting now for the big dance, not wasting time playing league teams a third time.

@jaybate-1.0

"Question: who are the cheerleaders leading today?"

The elite crowd that can afford to spend the big bucks for the good seats.

I'm not a Duke fan, but at least they give one complete side down low to the students. We should do the same. It would feel more like school ball instead of the NBA. Talk about home court advantage!

And the visuals would be so much better. I hate it when the crowd in AFH is raising the roof, but the TV cameras catch the old crowd the entire game, sitting and looking half dead. That's bad visuals... sold to the highest dollar.

"...and I wish I could stop reading KUBuckets.com. Those guys make me lose sleep."

@konkeyDong

I agree... the NCAA didn't even go after Kentucky's trophy cabinet after the point-shaving scheme.

But after the orange scourge of 2003, I take every opportunity possible to get a dig in on the orange.

@joeloveshawks

We may be discussing it... but I doubt Self is.

The discussion is really about if our assistant coaches are helping much to develop players. Or are they just recruiters?

@nuleafjhawk

TBA

@ralster

I second the Sherron move. He has actually EARNED a spot on our bench! And he is a guy that could be helpful in developing our guards.

@ralster

"boys that have grown into playing like MEN"

Everything in this forum can be encapsulated into that single statement.

There has been some definite maturing during this year. It has helped that we played such a tough schedule and against so many challenging styles.

I will break down and say it... I LOVE FRANK!

...and Devonte is going to be a keeper, too!

Let's use our bench almost exclusively.

Maybe we go 2 games. Knock off the rust of our bench guys and get them ready for March Madness.

We are starting to see what a shiny Hunter can do!

Let's see what Svi can do?

@ralster

"(simply playing devil's advocate here), but doesn't the WVU game with us going 0-13 from 3 prove the "fool's gold" comment? Doesn't IowaSt shooting themselves out of their own gym prove that it can indeed be fool's gold?"

Good post! I like to play both sides of this fence. You will never have to say much to convince me that offense wins games but defense wins championships.

I have come to believe something else these days. Why can't we win BOTH sides of the ball? I am a Mayor fan now. It wasn't by choice. I just can't deny what he has accomplished up in Ames. It really isn't fair to compare us to ISU, Self to the Mayor. He doesn't land the first and third picks in the NBA draft or anything close. But he has become a formidable foe and will continue to do so. He also has to overcome the historic trends. ISU doesn't have a history of winning on the road or winning ALL of their home games. The history of Kansas basketball is set in this formula, which has formalized into expectations. We get new freshmen every year... they become indoctrinated into Kansas legacy... that is a big part of why we continue to be successful.

I, now, understand Self's comment about "fool's gold." It was his effort to redirect the team to focus on toughness. Shooting 50% from trey for the season does not warrant criticism. But using the trey as a crutch to slack off in other areas of the game DOES warrant criticism! The OU game in AFH was simply unacceptable! It really wasn't a story about being hot and then cold. It was a story about being hot and then letting off the gas! Now you have your "fool's gold!" Only a fool kicks back on a lead and hopes to keep it going by playing soft but hitting 3s.

Back to my main point... does basketball have to be played like this? Do we have to be an "either/or" team? Can't we play tough BadAssBall in all areas of the game? Does our offense have to suck in order to get our guys motivated to play tough defense?

I think Self is doing a remarkable job with a very young team! I never expected him to get such toughness out of them! Now... it would be great if they can maintain some consistency!

@ralster

"Instead of BadBall, call it what it is: BadAssBall. "

"Toughness is who you are and who you've become. Not something you have to "run a play" to try to get. Want consistency? My god, why would you look to the 3ball for that?"

Man.... way to bring it!

I'm right on with that. I want to see our offensive efficiency improve... but not at the expense of toughness. I do believe Self did play a part in discarding our trey program, but he did it to get these guys focused on playing tough... primarily, playing tough defense and post offense.

I just think we need to adopt a mindset of toughness in all aspects of the game. The next steps should involve playing a more balanced offense with discipline and toughness from the perimeter, too. And how about focusing in our last second toughness. No more going soft in the last 5 seconds of a game on the line. That is the time to step up, not wilt.

But for the most part we are playing BadAssBall, and it is keeping us around in games we otherwise would have been blown out in. It just is not in Self's DNA to have a team in a point race without the ability to get a defensive stop. I'm glad it isn't who he is. Eventually most games' outcomes are determined by the team who can get stops.

Let's not forget the complete situation of this team. We've had some setbacks... most notably Cliff's lack of development and now absence. Who would think we could almost match the blocks against Texas trees, or outrebound anyone, or outscore a team in the paint?

The recent play of our post guys has been a remarkable turn of affairs. What was a negative, compounded further by the loss of our star freshman, has turned into a positive. I'm not saying we have good efficiency in the post. But at least we are competing. Can we really expect to advance in March without the ability to compete in the post?

I hope our trey ball comes back... but not if our guys decide to revert to soft ball again. I am a big Brannen fan... but he is sitting on the fence with this team. Self's biggest competition isn't with the teams we play against... it is with players like Brannen, who some times play lax.

@brooksmd

"And since I brought up "bonehead", how many more chances does one get under HCBS to be a "bonehead" who apparently puts himself before his team? And I'm not talking about Cliff."

You talking about a player or assistant coach?

@jaybate-1.0

"Why would you play a guy that wouldn't get you more recruits instead of one that would, if they were about equal?"

I really hate how college basketball has just turned into nothing more than a recruitment battle.

It is because coaches just don't want to put the energy into developing players. They just want to recruit the most athletic players possible and then spend little time developing, and more time recruiting the next batch of cheetahs. It sickens me. I think Calipari has stolen the bright lights and all other coaches are now in mimic mold; putting on their plaid salesman pants and hit the streets going full-time on recruiting.

Does anyone in here really think Snacks knows how to develop players? Or was he just a pick up to help recruit in Chicago?

Imagine if we JUST focused on development? Get the word out and then sign up hungry 4-star recruits that want a ticket to the NBA.

Maybe I'm just not realistic any longer....

Yowsa!

Syracuse basketball has received the closest thing to the NCAA death penalty. And the NCAA has recently said they have all but given up on using the death penalty because of the excessive hardship it creates for schools and players.

NCAA Sanctions for Syracuse Athletics ↗

What reads strange about all of this is the penalty period and the math.

"The self-reported violations, dating back to 2001, include academic misconduct, extra benefits, the failure to follow its drug testing policy and impermissible booster activity. The other violations found included impermissible academic assistance and services, the head basketball coach’s failure to promote an atmosphere of compliance and monitor his staff, and the school’s lack of control over its athletics program."

If my Jayhawk math serves me right... we lost to Syracuse in 2003 for the National Championship. Why isn't that title vacated? And if the NCAA ever decides to remove the ultimate prize from a penalized school... why doesn't the runner-up receive the trophy and championship?

Boeheim is vacating 108 wins... but why not the only really important win... the 2003 National Championship?

In the very least... some intelligent sports historian is going back and putting an asterisk beside 2003 National Champion. I know I will go ahead and add one more championship in my Jayhawk book. Carmelo this! #%&$@!

I've decided to conduct a Jim Boeheim Eyeglass Retirement Ceremony in my backyard.... smashing a pair of ugly eyeglasses and burying them in my compost pile. You are all welcome to attend!

@Crimsonorblue22

It has been a real thrill watching Perry's recent aggressiveness! It's like a light went on in his head. You can even see a bit of swagger with him! He's on the right track! He keeps going like he is the NBA will become a real possibility in his future!

@DoubleDD

"Believe or not he the High low seemed to work better without Ellis in there. Not really sure why? But it was working. KU actually had inside passing. "

I think it worked better because it fit the skill set and roles of Landen and Hunter. Perry is a bit smaller and just doesn't post up well with his back to the basket. Perry is more the interior slasher.

I think this was a great game for Landen and Hunter to become more our 5 guys moving forward. Both are capable of making the interior passes needed in the hi/lo. And with Perry back, they can be feeding him to score! I'd use Jamari more as a back up for Perry because he can be a very effective scorer as long as he is slashing and not taking the midrange jumper.

We all have to remember that the hi/lo is Self's bread and butter. Who says he is really good at coaching anything else on offense? We know he is capable of coaching the hi/lo well.

@HighEliteMajor

"Playing and beating three good Big 12 teams in a row will really tell me that this dog hunts"

That would definitely prove "this dog hunts." But even if we don't... we at least should make quality games moving forward. Really... two of our recent losses came on last second give ups. If we can tighten up our last second defense, we will be a lot more effective in the win column. This BAD BALL always produces close games... meaning... close endings. This area seems to be the most-important area to work on moving forward.

Examine most of our March losses and it points to last second possessions. This has always been our Achilles heel.

From here on out.. our guys really have to put in the extra reps in practice on the FT line, and work on good last possession defense. The OU loss was a hard fought game we deserved to win, but we collapsed and gave away the weak-side rebound. Every one of our guys should have been hustling back to get that rebound... we gifted it to Buddy instead.

These open-court drives kill us. Our guys need to learn a bit more about hedge defense to take away the drive. It usually doesn't totally prevent the drive, but it definitely helps slow it down. Svi did a good job hedging Buddy when he turned it over on the spin move. Svi hedged him and forced him into it. Buddy screwed up because he was used to Kansas players giving him his right-side drive.

The reason it worked is because Svi realized where his position was in relation to the basket behind him and Buddy in front of him. He pinched off the direct drive.

That is different than what Frank did at WVU, giving up the spin drive to the hole from Staten. Frank went out of position. He didn't realize where he was in relation to the basket. He gave away the direct drive to the rim.

This is all about learning hedge defense.

@KansasComet

"he could be the next T-Rob"

In many ways, he could be! He might be a little smaller... but he has every bit the heart TRob had! And he is doing it largely without getting credit along the way.

@KansasComet

He isn't sealing off the the boards in the low post. And he charges in to get rebounds, but he needs to pull back with his body on a man to fight for rebound space. He NEVER does this. The technique of rebounding is to carve out rebounding space between you and the goal. He usually over-shoots himself and gets too far under the goal, or he just doesn't leverage himself to get in between himself and an opponent, then "box out"... meaning... broaden stance, bend knees, extend arms out to block off an opponent from coming in around him.

We had several Jayhawks doing a pretty good job of this yesterday. Landen, easily, has the best fundamentals of our post players, even better than Perry. He did a great job of boxing out. Hunter did okay, too. Kelly was so-so but he brought a lot of hustle with him and he has freakishly great hands and hand/eye speed and coordination. Man can that guy swipe balls!

None of this is Jamari's fault. He is a victim in this. He deserves to make a good living in basketball when he leaves Kansas. He is an outstanding athlete, has an excellent build for the game, incredible heart and hustle. His rebounding stats is not a fair indication of what his capabilities are... but stats represent facts, especially about execution. And he really has a BURNING DESIRE to help his team! He would LOVE to snag 10 rpg, and he has what it takes to do it! Just needs to be coached up.

@DCHawker

"This is where we miss Manning."

Amen to that!

I'm not blaming Jamari for anything. He's a guy that brings total heart to the game. My blame is on our assistant coaches. They are not holding up to their responsibilities. Jamari is a muscular post player and his rebounding stats just plain stink. That isn't doing him any favors when he leaves Kansas looking to earn a living with hoops. This is a crime, and it is a crime committed by our assistant coaches. Jamari is the victim!

Rebounding is definitely something expected out of Jamari. Even if he is out setting high ball screens (just on offense)... his rebounding numbers are the same as 5'11" Frank Mason... a guy who is even set out further from the basket, and has the responsibility to get back on defense to stop run outs.

@cragarhawk

"if in reality it becomes "one of the smartest" you shall see me all too ready to have myself a double helping of crow"

From my own experience... I can recommend the right kind of BBQ sauce for your bird!

Lets all hope you have a crow feast soon!

:-)

Here is the ultimate stat concerning Jamari's rebounding.

He is an "energy guy." So was Kevin Young... a guy 30 lbs of muscle lighter than Jamari. Plus... Kevin had to fight for his rebounds much harder against his own teammates... like when we had a real 5... Jeff Withey... 8.5 RPG.

Kevin Young.... RPG: 7.8

Jamari Traylor... RPG: 3.7

I'm guessing they played about the same minutes per game.... around 20.

Jamari is not getting the stats he deserves. With his hustle and muscle he should be getting every bit the stats KY got.

@KansasComet

I'm not bashing Jamari. Simply stating he needs help on his fundamentals. Go back to the WVU game and the post from Jesse. This clarifies my post here. Jesse posted clips showing Jamari over-running the rim on rebounds... a true CRIME in fundamentals!

Jamari is easily one of my favorite players, mostly because he hustles. But there is no way he comes close to getting the results he should have with the energy level he expends in a game. That is a crime! And it should be pointed out... more for his sake. Maybe you want to credit him with 3 more rebounds... fine... that still doesn't show him leading this team in rebounds when he clearly hustles more than anyone else on our team!

It does a disservice to players to not point out the help they need. This is crucial for him to maximize results for the effort he puts into the game, not only for Kansas basketball, but so this kid can build a resume for when he leaves Kansas.

I'll state it again.... Jamari needs help with fundamentals. His basketball IQ is lacking! Here is another example of that.... yesterday... his team needed him and he committed his 3rd and 4th foul without a second running off the clock! I'm not bashing Jamari for that, just pointing to the obvious where he needs work. His rebounding needs work, too. That is an easy area for him to master. He can become every bit the rebounder TRob was if he is coached properly. He has the motor and the will... just needs to add the skill!

@tundrahok

I think the issue with Cliff is that too many people overestimated his skill level coming in. Talk about a piece of clay! He is just reaching the level of clay that can be molded. He arrived in Lawrence as a clod! No offense to Cliff... I like the big guy. But facts are facts.

@cragarhawk

Let's put it this way... it will either be one of the stupidest or smartest quotes... depending on the results in March!

@tundrahok

True...

But was that because of our coaches that Embiid improved? Or that fact that he spent most of his extra hours studying post players like Olajuwon? No offense to Snacks or Roberts... what does these guys know about play of a 5? Especially at the level of an Embiid? I think most of Embiid's improvements were self-taught. JoJo is an intelligent man who has a high-degree of survival instincts. He's capable of learning quite a bit on his own. And news came out constantly about him studying other great 5s.

I'm not going to credit our assistant coaches, just like I'm not going to credit Calipari's assistant coaches for teaching the unibrow.

Jamari is a guy who didn't grow up with basketball. He is a late bloomer and in many ways the game doesn't come naturally for him. He has had to fight for every inch of his real estate. BTW... I really respect that about him and know that is why he is definitely one of Self's all-time favorite players. Self will shed tears when BamBam graduates... I have no doubt about that.

But he has been around Jayhawk basketball for many years now, and he still doesn't know the basics on rebounding! That is just astonishing! Very much unacceptable! He is a big, strong piece of clay just waiting to learn. Someone should teach him! There is no excuse!

@HighEliteMajor

"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. "

I feel 99% sure that if we had all these guys it still would have ended a one or two possession game. We fight JUST hard enough to contest these games. There is still room for improvement on toughness. Like bowing out on the last play of the game yesterday, similar to what we did at WVU. Fight that hard and then go soft for 5 seconds and lose... means there is room for improvement on toughness.

I am addressing the one big weakness of this team. It is the fact that even when they play tough... they play JUST tough enough. This is why Self has turned away from the 3. Because the guys will hit a few shots and go soft.

Until they can play tough after hitting several 3s, this is the only choice for a strategy. It is better than blazing the nets for a half and then coming out soft for the second half (aka OU game in AFH). If we do that in March we will be toast, and also become the laughing stock of the nation if we give away a 25-pt lead to a mid major for the upset loss.

The identity of this team (moving forward) shouldn't become "a perimeter shooting team".... it should be "a team that plays tough for 40-minutes."

They do that and then we reward them with bringing back the 3 ball by running perimeter sets.

Playing tough through thick and thin is the key objective moving forward... and it needs to be for 40 minutes in a game.... not 39 minutes and 55 seconds!

@jayhawk-007

"stupidest quote"

That easily goes to Weber, condoning the court storming by saying how "cool" it was.

@tundrahok

I've been very negative on our assistant coaches lately. This is a job for an assistant coach. I'd like to know what each one of these guys bring to the table. The lack of very basic skills has really hurt this team. It also hurts each one of these guys as they seek to extend to a professional career in basketball later. We have plenty of athleticism... but you can't make it in ball with just that, or with just one or two refined skills. Brannen is a good example there. He is a spot on shooter ONLY! If he moves his feet or has to dribble his shooting percentage drops almost to zero! That is amazing. He has spent a lifetime of drilling in only "catch and shoot." Real life game requires a lot more. Players have to create their own offense. Shooters have to create their own shot. I believe this is part of why Self calls our perimeter game "fool's gold." Brannen is easy to neutralize. And in March, even if we work on perimeter set offense, won't his shots be contested? The brief period of him receiving the ball on a golden pillow is done.

I'm not counting on seeing lots of improvements on the basics from now through March... but I've been very happy with this team stepping up and playing tough. That is one thing Self (himself) can teach this team.

I say that but then I have to give a thumbs up for many of our guys boxing out yesterday on the boards. And there were a couple of good shot fakes used in this game that really paid off! Jamari, of all people, had a great shot fake in the paint that allowed him to shoot directly over someone and score. If I'm not mistaken.... didn't he even get an "and-1" out of it?

@DCHawker

That's right. Jamari isn't pulling his weight on the glass. It isn't like he doesn't try, he just needs to be coached on the "how to."

There is no reason we can't be one of the BETTER REBOUNDING TEAMS from here on out, regardless what bigs we have available.

Rebounding has only a bit to do with height and girth. It is mostly about attitude and technique.

It is little wonder that a team like WVU is at the top of the nation in offensive rebounds. Huggy is a tough nut, and he teaches toughness to his guys. They go after the ball and they know how to do it. And they do it WITHOUT SIZE.

It really wouldn't take much to have our guys compete just as hard.

All we really need is for the following guys to step up and learn a little technique and then start applying TOUGHNESS! And have one of the new identities of this team be REBOUNDING and TOUGHNESS! This should be a key in BAD BALL!

I'm talking about Jamari and Wayne. And it just so happens these guys have the best bodies to BATTLE FOR BOARDS! Funny, how both get so few rebounds. Both of these guys lack many other skills in the game, too... and the rebounding is actually one of the easier skills to learn and improve your stat line. This is especially important if you hope to play ball after KU.

Time to welcome our boys home!

The Jayhawk Division returns from their battle abroad in Normania.

They have successfully neutralized the Sooner aggression in the Midwest!

!img_news_homecoming_1960b.jpg ↗

Gosh.... I don't know.

I know we have a great conference. Extremely entertaining because we now have several teams competing at a high level.

Will we put a team in the FF this year? I don't know.

It seems like every B12 team right now is banged up. It's so bad that maybe the list would be shorter to just name who isn't banged up.

So do players get banged up more in the B12? I'd like Jesse to pull some numbers to look at injuries by conference. That could easily explain a poor March history from our league if it is true. And if it is true, WHY are we getting more banged up than other conferences?

Maybe it's the same all over... maybe it's not. @Jesse-Newell ... can you help us out on this one?

Jamari... got to love that guy's effort.

But he needs to be coached. Very low basketball IQ and it is killing his game. He has a lot to offer if someone will spend the time with him to play a smarter game. 26 minutes and 2 rebounds? I recall from the WVU away game how he didn't know how to position for boards. He kept shooting in directly under the basket.

I was impressed with several of our guys and how they DID position for boards... primarily Landen, Kelly and Hunter. Those guys snagged 28 rebounds just amongst themselves. It was refreshing to see much of the game where they sealed off the low post on rebounds. It has been a while since we've seen this done as a team.

@Crimsonorblue22

You are hired!

@Crimsonorblue22

My bad!

Me dad.

Been staying up all night with Baby G... she likes to sleep all day and party at night!

@Crimsonorblue22

Colorado U, in Boulder... It was a drug haven even before Colorado legalized pot.