SB Nation - Tyrel Reed

Statistical Rearview: Kansas vs. Michigan

Denverjhawk — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 14:31:28 -0000

Game flow...what more is there to say. I think Jay Bilas said it best. This team didn't play the best and they won easy. That's why right now many think they are the best team in the country. As a Kansas fan and someone who's looking at this from the perspective of wanting to win a National Title, I'm left wanting a little more. Scoring margin aside, a consistent overall intensity isn't always there and I can't really blame the team. When as a player you can show up, win on talent alone and win fairly easily on talent alone, I'm sure it can be tough to come out spittin fire. Maybe that's a good thing, maybe the high ceiling with this group is a positive. Let's just hope we started consistently playing at that level before it's all said and done.

NCAA Basketball

In the four factors of winning Kansas again dominated the eFG% category. Michigan lives and dies by the three, while Kansas attacks the basket. For that same reason Kansas doubled Michigan in trips to the line, dominating that aspect of the game. However, Michigan's 10 steals led to Kansas losing the turnover battle, an area Kansas had looked pretty good lately but took a step back in on Saturday. Also in terms of second chances Michigan won the battle of the offensive boards and really went toe to toe with Kansas in terms of rebounding all day. A lot of that has to do with Michigan's tendancy to shoot a lot of threes, long threes...long rebounds...more second chances. Those two areas kept it close as Michigan shot the ball 19 times more than the Jayhawks, but today was a day where effiiciency won out.

NCAA Basketball

Michigan attempted 67 FG's, Kansas only 48. However Kansas converted at a 52% clip while Michigan a mere 35%. That gives Kansas a +1 margin in FG's made while also doubling the Wolverines in trips to the free throw line. Sure the run and gun three point shooting style can be glamorous, but it's awful nice to have advantages like the two above.

Stat	Game
Stat
Points	64	75
FG Att	67	48
FG Made	24	25
FG Pct	35.8	52.1
FT Att	13	26
FT Made	11	19
FT Pct	84.6	73.1
3pt FG Att	28	19
3pt FG Made	5	6
3pt FG Pct	17.9	31.6
Rebounds	34	37
Off Rebs	14	7
Def Rebs	20	30
Team Rebs	5	0
Assists	15	16
Steals	10	6
Blocks	1	6
Turnovers	10	14
Fouls	20	16

I don't recall who said it, but in the OGT the statement was "who would have thought the Morri would be our most consistent players." Last year the Morri were the guys that every opposing school loved to hate, mocking the BB Gun incident and their seemingly sour attitudes on the court. This year, I have a feeling they are again going to be the guys our opponents fans are going to hate...but this time it isn't because they are the butt of a joke. This time it's going to be because they are producing at a level better than their players. Sherron, Xavier and McMorris ran the show on Saturday. Two of those names would have been expected at the beginning of the season. A double double and top scoring performance from McMorris...not a bad bonus.

College Basketball

Despite all the talk that Coach Self could go 12 or 13 deep if he wanted to, we got a little glimpse of reality. In a game that wasn't as crisp and had the potential to be close down the stretch the bench went about 9 deep. 9 deep is probably pretty much par for the course at this point in the year for Coach Self. Makes you wonder if the talk a week or so ago about changing his philosophy in that area was real or lip service. As a fan, I'm not partial to one way or the other, just an interesting observation.

	S	MIN	PTS	FGM	FGA	FG%	FTM	FTA	FT%	3PM	3PA	3P%	OR	DR	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF
M. Harris	*	37	16	6	15	40	2	2	100	2	7	28	0	4	4	4	2	1	4	1
S. Douglass	*	36	8	2	8	25	2	2	100	2	7	28	0	4	4	2	2	0	0	3
Z. Novak	*	35	8	4	10	40	0	0	0	0	4	0	5	2	7	2	2	0	2	4
D. Sims	*	29	19	7	16	43	5	6	83	0	2	0	3	4	7	0	2	0	1	4
L. Lucas-Perry	*	20	2	0	3	0	2	3	66	0	2	0	0	1	1	2	1	0	1	3
D. Morris		23	9	4	7	57	0	0	0	1	3	33	1	1	2	4	0	0	0	2
Z. Gibson		11	2	1	6	16	0	0	0	0	1	0	2	2	4	1	0	0	1	3
A. Wright		8	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0
M. Vogrich		1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
	S	MIN	PTS	FGM	FGA	FG%	FTM	FTA	FT%	3PM	3PA	3P%	OR	DR	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF
X. Henry	*	34	15	6	15	40	1	2	50	2	8	25	1	0	1	1	2	0	1	2
M. Morris	*	32	23	7	10	70	8	8	100	1	2	50	3	7	10	0	0	1	3	1
S. Collins	*	31	19	7	10	70	4	5	80	1	4	25	0	2	2	2	1	0	6	2
C. Aldrich	*	27	5	0	3	0	5	8	62	0	0	0	2	9	11	2	0	3	1	0
T. Taylor	*	23	2	1	3	33	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	5	5	5	1	0	1	3
B. Morningstar		22	2	1	2	50	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	1	2	3	1	0	0	2
T. Robinson		11	2	1	2	50	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	2	2	2	0	2	0	1
T. Reed		11	6	2	3	66	0	0	0	2	3	66	0	3	3	0	1	0	1	0
M. Morris		9	1	0	0	0	1	2	50	0	0	0	0	1	1	1	0	0	1	5

Kansas Hosts Michigan Saturday in an Early Tip

Denverjhawk — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 20:00:20 -0000

Kansas v Michigan

No. 1 Kansas (9-0) took a week off for exams but heads back to the hardwood hosting Big Ten Conference foe Michigan (5-4) Saturday at 11 a.m. Michigan as a team looked to be a potentially strong test for the Jayhawks before the year began. However, after losing four of their last six, the youthful Michigan squad doesn't appear to have a single victory against a qualify opponent through 9 games of the season. Oh, where have the days of the fab five gone.

	PPG	FG%	FT%	3P%	RPG	ORPG	DRPG	APG	TPG	SPG	BPG	FPG
MICH	71.1	42.2	70.5	29.7	33.6	11.1	22.4	15.3	10.0	8.2	2.9	14.1
KU	90.3	51.2	67.1	44.2	43.7	14.6	29.1	19.7	11.9	9.6	7.4	18.1
MICH Opponents	63.9	44.0	65.1	30.3	37.1	12.0	25.1	14.3	15.6	5.2	3.3	18.1
KU Opponents	57.7	34.3	65.9	28.7	33.7	13.7	20.0	11.1	16.7	5.8	3.2	20.0

Rank and Records	MICH	KU
RPI	#243	#21
Strength of Schedule	#255	#181
Overall	5-4	9-0
Conference	0-0	0-0
Home	4-1	6-0
Away	0-1	1-0
Top 25	0-0	0-0
RPI Top 50	0-1	0-0

About Kansas

Kansas posted a 90-65 win against La Salle in the M&I Bank Kansas City Shootout on Dec. 12 at the Sprint Center in Kansas City, Mo. Freshman Xavier Henry had a career-high 31 points in the game and was named the Phillips 66 Big 12 Rookie of the Week for the second-straight week for his efforts.

Kansas averages 90.3 points per game, is giving up 57.7 points and ranks in the top five nationally with a +32.7 scoring margin. KU is shooting 51.2 percent from the field, while its opponents are shooting 34.3 percent. Only one KU opponent, Radford, has shot above 40 percent against the Jayhawks this season.

Xavier Henry leads the team with an 18 point scoring average. He is making 53.3 percent of his shots from three-point range and leads KU with 24 threes and 16 steals.

Senior guard Sherron Collins scores 13.3 points per game and he has made 19 three pointers. Collins leads the team with 40 assists, which are five ahead of sophomore guard Tyshawn Taylor (7.3 ppg). Taylor has 14 steals, two ahead of Collins (12).

Junior center Cole Aldrich leads the team in rebounds with 9.6 per game. He also leads KU and the Big 12 in blocked shots with 3.6 per outing. Sophomore forward Marcus Morris is a starter who is scoring 9.8 points and pulling down 5.3 rebounds per game.

Sophomore forward Markieff Morris is coming off the bench to score 8.9 points per game. Markieff, who recorded his first career double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds against La Salle on Dec. 12, is second on the team with his 6.2 rebound average and leads KU with a 69.8 percent field goal shooting.

Junior guard Tyrel Reed scores 4.8 points per outing and he has 10 three-pointers this season. Freshman guard Elijah Johnson (4.3 ppg) has started the last two games.

About Michigan

Located in Ann Arbor, Mich., and coached by John Beilein, Michigan has won two of its last three games and is 5-4 on the season following its 75-64 win against Detroit on Dec. 13 in Ann Arbor. The Wolverines average 71.1 points and give up 63.9 per game for a +7.2 scoring margin. U-M averages 8.2 steals per game and forces 15.6 turnovers per contest.

Michigan is one of the youngest teams in America with 12 players redshirt sophomores or younger. Junior guard Manny Harris leads the team with 22.2 points and 8.4 rebounds per game. Harris also has a team-high 18 steals and 45 assists. He is tied for the team lead with 13 three pointers along with sophomore guard Laval Lucas-Perry, who is scoring 7.4 points per game.

Senior forward DeShawn Sims is second on the team in scoring at 15.6 points per contest and he is just behind Harris in rebounds with a 7.4 average. Sophomore guard Zack Novak and freshman guard Darius Morris round out the starters. Novak scores 6.3 points per game, while Morris averages 4.8 ppg.

Senior forward Zack Gibson (6.0 ppg) and sophomore guard Stu Douglass (4.7 ppg) each average more than 24
minutes per game for the Wolverines.

Meet the Opposing Coach

Michigan coach Jim Beilein is 36-40 in his third season at Michigan and 587-358 in his 32nd season overall. Beilein's 587 career victories place him in the top 20 in victories among active Division I head coaches. He has compiled 27 winning seasons and put together 15 campaigns of 20-wins or more. Beilein is the only active coach in the collegiate ranks to record a 20-win season at four different levels -- junior college, NAIA, NCAA Division II and NCAA Division I. During the 2008-09 season, Beilein's second in Ann Arbor, Michigan posted a 21-14 record and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 11 seasons, falling in the second round. Michigan's 21 victories during the 2008-09 campaign tied a school record for the largest single-season turnaround in program history.

John Beilein
Team	Years	Record
Michigan	2007-2010	36-39 (48.0%)
West Virginia	2002-2007	104-60 (63.4%)
Richmond	1997-2002	100-53 (65.4%)
Canisius	1992-1997	89-62 (58.9%)
Le Moyne	1983-1992	163-94 (63.4%)
Nazareth	1982-1983	20-6 (76.9%)

The Series

Michigan has won all five meetings with Kansas in men's basketball. This is a rarity for Kansas - the third winningest program in NCAA Division I. Of teams with multiple games played against Kansas, Bradley (2-0) and UTEP (3-0) are the only teams that have undefeated records versus KU, damn Bradley. The Kansas-Michigan series dates back to 1949 and runs through 1992. Two of the matchups have been on neutral floors with a 49-47 Michigan win in 1949 in Kansas City and the last meeting, an 86-74 Michigan victory on Dec. 30, 1992, at the Rainbow Classic in Honolulu. This will be the second meeting between the schools in Allen Fieldhouse as Michigan defeated Kansas 64-52 during the 1980-81 season.

KU-La Salle Leftovers

Kansas freshman guard Xavier Henry scored 31 points to set a career high. The last Jayhawk to score 30-plus points was Sherron Collins, who scored 32 against North Dakota State last season in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
X. Henry also set career highs in field goals (10), free throws made (seven) and free throws attempted (nine). His totals were also the most by a Jayhawk this season.
Markieff Morris recorded his first career double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds. Morris' 12 boards were his best output since his Jayhawk debut. Markieff Morris' four blocked shots were also a career high.
Junior center Cole Aldrich scored a season-high 19 points. He also set a season high in field goals (eight) and had five blocked shots to match a season high. Aldrich's five blocked shots gave him 160 for his career and moved him into sixth place all-time at KU, behind Danny Manning (200).
Kansas held La Salle to 36.1 percent shooting from the field, marking the 83rd-straight opponent the Jayhawks have held under 50 percent. KU has also held eight of its nine opponents this season under 40 percent.

What to Look For Against Michigan

Sherron Collins is 27 points from cracking the KU Top 20 career scoring list. Collins is 21st with 1,450 career points. Collins' former teammate Brandon Rush (2006-08) is at No. 20 with 1,477 points.
Collins is six assists from cracking the KU Top 10 all-time list. Collins is No. 11 with 431 career assists, while former KU great and current Texas A&M head coach Mark Turgeon is No. 10 with 437 assists from 1984-87.
Cole Aldrich is four rebounds from moving into 25th on the Kansas career rebound list. Aldrich has 592 all-time boards. David Magley (1979-82) is 25th at 596 and Kelly Knight (1980-84) is 24th at 601.
Through only nine games, Xavier Henry already ranks tied for 11th on the KU freshman list for three point field goals made with 24. Kirk Hinrich (2000) is 10th with 25, while Jacque Vaughn (1994) is ninth with 28.
Redshirt junior guard Brady Morningstar and redshirt freshman center Jeff Withey are both eligible to play against Michigan. Morningstar was suspended for the first semester for breaking team rules. He started 34 of 35 games last season and averaged 30.3 minutes per game with a 6.5 scoring average. Withey, who returned to practice full-time Dec. 7 from a knee injury, transferred to Kansas from Arizona in December 2008 and becomes academically eligible.

Team Notables

Kansas remains one of 11 undefeated teams in NCAA Division I (Dec. 13). Others include Georgetown, Kentucky, Missouri State, New Mexico, Purdue, Seton Hall, Syracuse, Texas, Texas Tech and West Virginia.
Seven of Kansas' nine victories this season have been by 25 or more points with six of those by 30 points or more.
Entering the week, Kansas led the nation in scoring margin at +32.7. The Jayhawks also ranked in the top 10 nationally in scoring offense (third at 90.3), field goal percentage (seventh at 51.2), field goal percentage defense (second at 34.3), three-point field goal percentage (fifth at 44.2), assists (fourth at 19.7), assist-to-turnover ratio (fourth at 1.65) and blocked shots (seventh at 7.4).
Kansas forces 16.7 turnovers per game and averages 21.3 points off turnovers per game.

		GP	GS	MPG	PPG	FG%	FT%	3P%	RPG	ORPG	DRPG	APG	TPG	SPG	BPG	FPG
#3	M. Harris	9	9	35.778	22.222	46.8	76.0	28.9	8.444	3.222	5.222	5.0	2.333	2.0	0.111	1.111
#34	D. Sims	9	9	30.667	15.556	47.0	75.0	37.5	7.444	3.0	4.444	1.0	1.0	1.222	0.889	1.889
#0	Z. Novak	8	8	31.0	6.25	40.0	55.6	28.1	4.375	0.875	3.5	1.5	0.5	1.5	0.5	2.25
#31	L. Lucas-Perry	9	9	24.667	7.444	38.9	57.1	36.1	2.111	0.667	1.444	1.667	1.556	0.889	0.111	2.444
#4	D. Morris	9	9	24.222	4.778	42.1	75.0	20.0	1.889	0.222	1.667	2.222	2.222	0.444	0.111	1.778
#1	S. Douglass	9	0	24.0	4.667	26.4	71.4	23.1	1.444	0.222	1.222	2.556	0.778	1.0	0.0	0.889
#32	Z. Gibson	9	1	12.333	6.0	56.8	62.5	22.2	2.667	1.444	1.222	0.222	0.444	0.444	0.889	1.667
#12	A. Wright	9	0	9.111	1.889	26.1	75.0	16.7	1.444	0.667	0.778	0.889	0.333	0.222	0.111	0.889
		GP	GS	MPG	PPG	FG%	FT%	3P%	RPG	ORPG	DRPG	APG	TPG	SPG	BPG	FPG
#4	S. Collins	9	9	29.667	13.333	43.8	77.3	43.2	2.0	0.222	1.778	4.444	1.556	1.333	0.0	1.333
#1	X. Henry	9	9	27.0	18.0	55.6	82.4	53.3	4.111	0.889	3.222	1.778	2.0	1.778	0.778	2.0
#45	C. Aldrich	9	9	25.889	12.0	56.3	70.0	0.0	9.556	3.333	6.222	1.222	1.444	0.667	3.556	2.111
	T. Taylor	9	7	23.556	7.333	40.0	68.4	31.2	2.778	0.667	2.111	3.889	2.0	1.556	0.222	1.778
#22	M. Morris	9	7	22.444	9.778	55.4	67.6	33.3	5.333	2.444	2.889	1.444	1.333	1.111	0.444	2.556
#21	M. Morris	9	2	16.778	8.889	69.8	66.7	66.7	6.222	2.111	4.111	1.222	0.889	0.778	1.0	1.889
#14	T. Reed	9	0	16.111	4.778	41.7	75.0	35.7	1.444	0.111	1.333	1.556	0.333	0.889	0.111	1.0
#15	E. Johnson	9	2	12.222	4.333	51.7	55.6	36.4	2.111	0.889	1.222	2.667	1.111	0.667	0.0	1.889

Statistical Rearview: Kansas v La Salle

Denverjhawk — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 18:58:29 -0000

Is it just me, or are things pretty damn easy when it comes to Jayhawk basketball. Sure it's La Salle but I continue to believe the competition in practice is better than the majority of the games we've played this year. Once again yesterday was a situation where when the lead became 10 it just went downhill from there for an overmatched opponent. Thanks to Warden and his fanshot I'm going to avoid bashing the schedule, but I am looking forward to Michigan this week and a possible formal introduction of our new football coach to the fans. On a side note Kansas fans, regardless of how you feel about the Gill hire...PLEASE give the man a standing O!! We're likely going to have some football recruits in town for that game.

NCAA Basketball Stats

Kansas continues to win in almost every area as it pertains to the four factors of winning. Most impressive...the field goal shooting percentage and the ability to take care of the basketball.

NCAA Basketball Stats

Statistically the Jayhawks defense clearly got the job done. 11 blocks point to a big reason why the Explorers were held to just 36% shooting from the field as La Salle was likely disrupted in their shooting efforts all night long. Throw in a +10 rebounding margin and the Jayhawks were able to match a pretty good night from the three point line for the Explorers with one of their own.

Stat	Game
Stat
Points	65	90
FG Att	61	61
FG Made	22	32
FG Pct	36.1	52.5
FT Att	24	25
FT Made	14	18
FT Pct	58.3	72.0
3pt FG Att	19	17
3pt FG Made	7	8
3pt FG Pct	36.8	47.1
Rebounds	34	44
Off Rebs	16	13
Def Rebs	18	31
Team Rebs	3	1
Assists	14	20
Steals	6	5
Blocks	2	11
Turnovers	14	12
Fouls	22	21

HUGE game from Xavier Henry as he goes for 31 and continues to look more and more like a one and done type player with his ability to score anywhere on the floor. Cole with a solid game and the Morri put together another performance displaying their improvement year over year. Lastly, I'd challenge anyone to find a player impact chart from last year where this little Sherron Collins resulted in a win. Not gonna happen.

NCAA Basketball Stats

Not a starter logging over 30 minutes in this one which is good to see. Keep the legs fresh for later in the season when we might need to rely on some of them a little more. Morri with 21 pts, 18 boards and 4 blocks. Good production from the four spot. Throw in a great game from Xavier, Cole getting into the offense and Tyshawn Taylor finding a bit of a groove and you've got a team that seems to be finding it's way to some consistency from the guys that need to show it.

	S	MIN	PTS	FGM	FGA	FG%	FTM	FTA	FT%	3PM	3PA	3P%	OR	DR	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF
Y. Mekongo Mbal	*	40	10	2	7	28	5	8	62	1	2	50	6	3	9	6	1	0	2	1
R. Green	*	40	19	8	21	38	0	1	0	3	7	42	0	1	1	4	1	0	3	3
K. Barrett	*	36	8	3	7	42	1	2	50	1	4	25	2	3	5	2	2	0	0	3
J. Williams	*	33	21	7	13	53	5	8	62	2	3	66	3	2	5	2	1	1	4	4
A. Murray	*	20	4	1	6	16	2	3	66	0	3	0	2	4	6	0	1	1	2	5
T. Williams		12	0	0	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	0	0	0	1	3
D. White		10	3	1	4	25	1	2	50	0	0	0	2	1	3	0	0	0	2	3
S. Weingarten		8	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	0
P. Grant		1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	S	MIN	PTS	FGM	FGA	FG%	FTM	FTA	FT%	3PM	3PA	3P%	OR	DR	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF
S. Collins	*	29	5	1	12	8	2	2	100	1	4	25	0	2	2	6	0	0	2	4
X. Henry	*	29	31	10	15	66	7	9	77	4	5	80	1	3	4	2	2	1	3	4
C. Aldrich	*	27	19	8	10	80	3	4	75	0	0	0	1	5	6	1	0	5	3	1
M. Morris	*	21	9	4	6	66	1	1	100	0	1	0	3	3	6	0	0	0	1	3
E. Johnson	*	6	1	0	0	0	1	2	50	0	0	0	1	1	2	2	0	0	0	0
M. Morris		28	12	5	6	83	1	4	25	1	1	100	3	9	12	2	1	4	1	0
T. Taylor		28	10	3	6	50	3	3	100	1	2	50	1	2	3	6	0	1	0	1
C. Henry		11	3	1	3	33	0	0	0	1	3	33	0	2	2	0	0	0	0	2
T. Reed		10	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	2
T. Robinson		9	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	2	4	0	1	0	1	3
C. Teahan		1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	1	1	0	1	1
C. Buford		1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Kansas Takes on La Salle at Sprint Center

Denverjhawk — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 12:00:23 -0000

Kansas vs. La Salle

Kansas returns to the Sprint Center in Kansas City, Mo., when it plays host to La Salle in the M&I Bank Kansas City Shootout, Dec. 12 at 1 p.m. on ESPN. The Jayhawks are 8-0 on the season, while the Explorers have won three straight and are 6-2 in 2009-10.

	PPG	FG%	FT%	3P%	RPG	ORPG	DRPG	APG	TPG	SPG	BPG	FPG
LAS	72.8	47.2	63.4	43.5	46.0	14.4	26.9	13.4	16.8	6.2	4.8	16.8
KU	90.4	51.1	66.5	43.9	46.5	14.8	28.9	19.6	11.9	10.1	7.0	17.8
LAS Opponents	69.6	41.0	71.7	34.4	35.1	12.2	18.6	13.5	11.5	8.4	4.2	20.4
KU Opponents	56.8	34.1	67.1	27.4	37.1	13.4	20.2	10.8	17.0	5.8	3.4	19.8

Rank and Records	LAS	KU
RPI	#82	#34
Strength of Schedule	#214	#234
Overall	6-2	8-0
Conference	0-0	0-0
Home	3-0	6-0
Away	1-1	1-0
Top 25	0-1	0-0
RPI Top 50	0-1	0-0

About Kansas

Kansas extended the nation's longest home court winning streak to 47 games with its 99-64 win against Radford on Dec. 9. The Jayhawks are looking to snap a two-game losing streak at the Sprint Center, a venue which they are 5-2 in, including a 4-0 mark during their 2008 NCAA National Championship season. Kansas averages 90.4 points per game, is giving up 56.8 points and ranks in the top five nationally with a +33.6 scoring margin. KU is shooting 51.1 percent from the field, while its opponents are shooting 34.1 percent. Only one KU opponent, Radford, has shot above 40 percent against the Jayhawks this season.

About La Salle

Located in Philadelphia, Pa., La Salle is 6-2 on the season and has won five of its last six games after its 69-60 win at Rider on Dec. 9. La Salle averages 72.8 points per game and gives up 69.6. La Salle dominates the rebounds with a +10.4 margin through eight games, yet no Explorer averages more than 7.1 boards per game.

Senior guard Rodney Green leads La Salle with an 18 point scoring average. He has made a team-high 14 three pointers, just ahead of senior forward Kammini Barrett who has 12 threes. Barrett is second in scoring at 13.3 points per game.

Freshman center Aaric Murray leads La Salle with 7.1 rebounds per game to complement his 11.5 scoring average. Murray has a team-high 20 blocked shots on the season. Senior forward Yves Mekongo is next in scoring at 10.1 ppg, while junior forward Terrell Williams (6.9 ppg, 6.1 rpg) rounds out the starters. He is second on the team in rebounds.

Senior guard Ruben Guillandeaux comes off the bench to score 9.5 points per game.

Meet an Opposing Coach

Dr. John Giannini is in his sixth season as head coach at La Salle with a 77-81 record. Overall, Giannini is 374-230 in his 21st season. In 2008-09, Giannini led the Explorers to 18 wins, including a 3-1 record in the Philadelphia Big 5, which was second to only Final Four participant Villanova. Giannini is one of three NCAA Division I head men's basketball coaches with doctorates, joining Lehigh's Brett Reed and Valparasio's Homer Drew. He earned his Ph.D. in kinesiology from Illinois in 1992.

KU-La Salle Notables and Connections

--Both teams feature identical twins with Kansas sophomores Markieff and Marcus Morris and La Salle's
juniors Terrell and Jerrell Williams.
--The Morris twins played high school basketball with La Salle's Parrish Grant and Rodney Green. With Green as a teammate, they led Prep Charter to the 2006 Pennsylvania Class AA State Championship. Additionally, the KU twins played AAU basketball with La Salle's Devon White and Earl Pettis.

KU in Kansas City

Kansas City has been a second home of sorts for Kansas over the years. KU's first ever game -- a 16-5 loss to Kansas City YMCA on Feb. 3, 1899 -- was played in Kansas City. The Kansas-La Salle game will mark KU's 268th game all-time in Kansas City, and its eighth in the Sprint Center. KU is 5-2 in the Sprint Center. Last season, KU went 1-2 in the Sprint Center defeating Washington and losing to Syracuse in the CBE Classic, and then falling to UMass in the M&I Bank Kansas City Shootout. In 2007-08, Kansas went 4-0 in the venue, including winning the Big 12 Championship en route to its NCAA National Championship. KU played 104 games in Kemper Arena with an 80-24 record. KU is 190-76 in games played in Kansas City.

More Notes on the Jayhawks in Kansas City

--Kansas went 26-4 in Kemper Arena from 1997 until 2006, when it played its last game in the venue.
Included in that run were Big 12 Tournament titles in 1997, 1998 and 1999.(I was at all three!!)
--Kemper Arena was the host of the 1988 NCAA Final Four when the Jayhawks won the national championship.
--When KU faces La Salle on Dec. 12, 2009, at the Sprint Center for the M&I Bank Kansas City Shootout, Kansas will have played at least one regular-season game in Kansas City in 19 of the last 21 seasons.

		GP	GS	MPG	PPG	FG%	FT%	3P%	RPG	ORPG	DRPG	APG	TPG	SPG	BPG	FPG
#10	R. Green	8	8	35.5	18.0	46.5	75.0	45.2	5.75	1.0	4.75	3.875	3.5	2.0	0.25	2.375
#12	Y. Mekongo Mbal	8	8	35.125	10.125	38.6	66.0	22.2	5.5	1.5	4.0	1.125	2.875	0.375	0.75	2.0
#5	K. Barrett	8	8	34.625	13.25	45.6	68.8	36.4	4.375	1.875	2.5	1.25	2.5	1.125	0.5	1.875
#24	A. Murray	8	7	27.625	11.5	50.6	46.2	50.0	7.125	3.125	4.0	1.375	2.875	0.75	2.5	2.25
#20	J. Williams	7	7	21.143	6.857	48.5	50.0	0.0	6.143	3.143	3.0	2.143	2.143	0.714	0.143	2.143
#41	S. Weingarten	8	1	16.875	4.625	60.0	55.6	80.0	3.25	1.375	1.875	1.125	0.75	0.625	0.25	2.125
#34	R. Guillandeaux	4	0	28.0	9.5	41.9	57.1	61.5	0.75	0.0	0.75	3.25	1.5	1.0	0.0	2.5
#3	T. Williams	7	1	11.571	2.429	70.0	75.0	0.0	2.286	0.429	1.857	1.0	1.143	0.0	0.429	1.286
		GP	GS	MPG	PPG	FG%	FT%	3P%	RPG	ORPG	DRPG	APG	TPG	SPG	BPG	FPG
#4	S. Collins	8	8	29.75	14.375	48.8	75.0	45.0	2.0	0.25	1.75	4.25	1.5	1.5	0.0	1.0
#1	X. Henry	8	8	26.75	16.375	53.6	84.0	50.0	4.125	0.875	3.25	1.75	1.875	1.75	0.75	1.75
#45	C. Aldrich	8	8	25.75	11.125	52.5	69.4	0.0	10.0	3.625	6.375	1.25	1.25	0.75	3.375	2.25
	T. Taylor	8	7	23.0	7.0	38.9	62.5	28.6	2.75	0.625	2.125	3.625	2.25	1.75	0.125	1.875
#22	M. Morris	8	6	22.625	9.875	54.0	66.7	37.5	5.25	2.375	2.875	1.625	1.375	1.25	0.5	2.5
#14	T. Reed	8	0	16.875	5.375	44.1	75.0	37.0	1.5	0.125	1.375	1.75	0.375	1.0	0.125	0.875
#21	M. Morris	8	2	15.375	8.5	67.6	75.0	60.0	5.5	2.0	3.5	1.125	0.875	0.75	0.625	2.125
#15	E. Johnson	8	1	13.0	4.75	51.7	57.1	36.4	2.125	0.875	1.25	2.75	1.25	0.75	0.0	2.125

Kansas to Host Radford Tonight

Denverjhawk — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 22:07:10 -0000

Kansas vs. Radford

Following its 73-61 win at UCLA in the Big 12/Pac-10 Hardwood Series on Dec. 6, No. 1 Kansas (7-0) looks to extend the nation's longest home court winning streak against Radford on Wednesday night.. The Jayhawks have won 46 straight in Allen Fieldhouse. Radford is 4-2 on the season and 2-0 in Big South Conference play after its 61-57 win at Presbyterian College on Dec. 5.

	PPG	FG%	FT%	3P%	RPG	ORPG	DRPG	APG	TPG	SPG	BPG	FPG
RAD	70.3	41.1	62.0	25.8	49.0	16.2	29.0	13.3	17.3	6.7	4.2	15.8
KU	89.1	51.0	65.0	42.6	46.0	14.4	29.1	19.4	12.4	10.7	7.1	16.9
RAD Opponents	71.0	39.5	62.5	31.6	43.2	13.7	26.2	14.8	14.2	10.5	3.5	21.7
KU Opponents	55.7	33.1	66.7	27.8	37.6	14.0	20.3	10.0	17.4	6.0	3.4	19.7

Rank and Records	RAD	KU
RPI	#62	#48
Strength of Schedule	#142	#253
Overall	4-2	7-0
Conference	2-0	0-0
Home	2-0	5-0
Away	2-2	1-0
Top 25	0-1	0-0
RPI Top 50	0-1	0-0

About Kansas

The Jayhawks won their first true road game of the season at UCLA on Sunday. Kansas averages 89.1 points per game and is giving up 59.1 points for a +33.4 scoring margin. KU is shooting 51 percent from the field, while its opponents are shooting 33.1 percent. No KU opponent has shot above 40 percent against the Jayhawks this season.

Freshman guard Xavier Henry continues to lead the team with a 16.9 point scoring average. He is making 50
percent of his shots from three-point range and leads KU with 19 threes through seven games. Henry was named the Phillips 66 Big 12 Rookie of the Week on Monday for his efforts against Alcorn State and at UCLA.

Senior guard Sherron Collins is at 14.3 points per game and he has made 17 three pointers. Collins leads the team with 26 assists, which is three ahead of sophomore guard Tyshawn Taylor (7.1 ppg). Taylor leads KU with 13 steals, one ahead of Collins and Henry who have 12 a piece.

Junior center Cole Aldrich leads the team in rebounds with 10.1 per game. He also leads KU and the Big 12 in blocked shots with 3.5 per outing.

Sophomore forward Marcus Morris is a starter who is scoring 10 points and pulling down 5.6 rebounds per game. Sophomore forward Markieff Morris is coming off a career-high 19 points at UCLA and he is scoring 9.1 points per game. Markieff is second on the team with his 5.7 rebound average and leads KU with 72.7 percent field goal shooting.

About Radford

Located in Radford, Va., Radford is 4-2 on the season and 2-0 in Big South after its 61-57 win at Presbyterian on Dec. 5. The Highlanders won their 11th-straight Big South Conference game with their win at Presbyterian on Saturday. Radford has eight players who average 15 or more minutes per game.

Big South Preseason Player of the Year Art Parakhouski anchors the Highlanders with his 22.3 scoring and 14.8 rebound averages. The senior center has scored 20 or more points in all but one game this season and he leads the team with 14 blocked shots.

Senior forward/center Joey Lynch-Flohr is next in scoring at 13.2 points and he averages 8.2 rebounds. Junior forward Lazar Trifunovic has only played the last two games yet he is second on the team with 8.5 rebounds per game along with a 12 point scoring average.

Freshman guard Blake Smith has a team-high nine three pointers, 13 steals and is scoring 11 points per game.

Meet the Opposing Coach

Radford is coached by Brad Greenberg with a 35-34 record in his third season at RU. In 2008-09, Greenberg led his club to the biggest turnaround in league history, earning him 2008-09 Big South Coach of the Year honors. After finishing seventh in 2007-08, Radford claimed its fourth Big South regular season title and just its second tournament crown in school history. Prior to Radford, Greenberg spent four seasons as an assistant coach at Virginia Tech alongside his brother, Seth. Brad was the first assistant hired when Seth took the VT position. Brad was named associate head coach at Virginia Tech in 2004.

KU-UCLA Leftovers

--Kansas shot 70.6 from the free throw line in its third game this season shooting over 70 percent from the charity stripe.
--KU held UCLA to 36.1 percent shooting from the field. Eighty-one straight opponents have shot under 50 percent versus the Jayhawks. No team has shot more better 40 percent against KU this season.

--The KU bench outscored UCLA's bench 24-10.
--Sophomore Markieff Morris scored a career-high 19 points while making a career-best eight field goals and attempting a career-high 11 shots. His eight field goals also tied the 2009-10 season high by a Jayhawk.
--Sophomore Marcus Morris finished with nine rebounds, two shy of his career best and his second-straight game with seven-plus boards.
--Junior Cole Aldrich finished with three blocks and has at least three blocked shots in every game this season.
--Aldrich also had a team-high 12 rebounds for his third-straight contest with 10-plus boards.
--Senior Sherron Collins scored 14 points in his third-straight game with 10-plus points and sixth time in seven games this season. Collins is just three points shy of KU legend Wilt Chamberlain for the 21st spot on career scoring list.
--Freshman Xavier Henry netted 16 points and has scored double-digit points in every game this season.

		GP	GS	MPG	PPG	FG%	FT%	3P%	RPG	ORPG	DRPG	APG	TPG	SPG	BPG	FPG
#40	J. Lynch-Flohr	6	6	35.333	13.167	43.1	74.2	0.0	8.167	3.333	4.833	0.833	3.167	0.333	0.167	3.5
#45	A. Parakhouski	6	6	35.0	22.333	52.5	52.7	50.0	14.833	6.667	8.167	1.0	3.167	0.833	2.333	2.333
#30	P. Martin	6	6	29.833	7.833	40.0	61.1	21.1	4.167	1.5	2.667	1.833	2.0	1.167	0.5	2.833
#25	B. Smith	6	4	28.0	11.0	41.8	73.3	36.0	4.167	0.5	3.667	2.167	2.0	2.167	0.667	1.667
#11	A. Johnson	4	4	35.5	4.0	15.6	62.5	7.1	3.5	0.5	3.0	5.75	2.25	1.0	0.0	2.25
#2	E. Faulkner	6	2	21.0	3.833	28.6	0.0	29.2	2.167	0.167	2.0	1.333	1.833	0.833	0.5	1.5
#12	L. Trifunovic	2	2	38.5	12.0	35.7	50.0	33.3	8.5	3.5	5.0	2.0	3.5	1.0	0.0	1.0
#1	J. Robinson	4	0	15.75	5.5	46.2	62.5	0.0	2.25	0.25	2.0	2.0	2.25	0.0	0.0	2.5
		GP	GS	MPG	PPG	FG%	FT%	3P%	RPG	ORPG	DRPG	APG	TPG	SPG	BPG	FPG
#4	S. Collins	7	7	29.429	14.286	48.6	68.8	44.7	2.0	0.143	1.857	3.714	1.143	1.714	0.0	1.143
#1	X. Henry	7	7	26.571	16.857	53.3	90.5	50.0	4.286	0.857	3.429	1.857	2.0	1.714	0.429	1.857
#45	C. Aldrich	7	7	25.571	10.571	51.9	66.7	0.0	10.143	3.714	6.429	1.429	1.143	0.714	3.571	2.143
	T. Taylor	7	7	23.857	7.143	40.0	62.5	30.8	2.429	0.286	2.143	3.286	2.571	1.857	0.143	1.429
#22	M. Morris	7	5	23.571	10.0	54.5	64.5	28.6	5.571	2.571	3.0	1.714	1.571	1.286	0.571	2.286
#14	T. Reed	7	0	17.143	5.714	48.3	75.0	39.1	1.571	0.143	1.429	2.0	0.429	1.143	0.143	0.714
#21	M. Morris	7	2	15.286	9.143	72.7	72.2	60.0	5.714	2.0	3.714	1.286	0.857	0.857	0.714	2.143
#15	E. Johnson	7	0	12.714	3.857	47.8	60.0	22.2	2.0	0.714	1.286	3.0	1.429	0.714	0.0	2.0

Kansas vs. Fort Hays State Random Thought Roundup

Denverjhawk — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 15:29:25 -0000

More photos » by Charlie Riedel - AP

Browse more photos »

All in all that was pretty easy. The Kansas Jayhawk basketball squad got a chance to get out and go up against someone besides themselves for a change and while it may have actually been less strenuous than a practice scrimmage at least the fans got to see this one.

Now I have to preface this with the fact that I watched this via a web feed that made individual players somewhat difficult to decipher, but nonetheless we got to see a little bit of what everyone might have to offer this team in the 2009-2010 season.

So this certainly isn't going to have any earth shattering analysis but I did have a few quick thoughts on the game, the team, Bill Self and our newcomers. Please, anyone else who caught the action feel free to jump in with comments.

First off Sherron Collins. I think this year is going to be a great experience for Sherron. Statistically he may not have the same year as last, but I think the key word here is efficiency. Last season it was no secret that Sherron was going to have to play a lot, get a high number of touches and he certainly couldn't be bashful about making plays.

With the improvements around him and the increased depth Sherron won't be forced to play as many minutes all season long. Certainly later in the year when it matters you'd expect he'll see major playing time but it will be nice to save his legs a little bit throughout the season.

Sherron will also be able to show a little more discretion in his shot selection which will likely mean a high level of production without having to demand such a high percentage of the teams overall offensive possessions. Plain and simple there are other guys around him now. Sherron can truly take the shots and make the plays that make sense and not feel like he has to force things just to get things going. Last night 6-11 from the field, 3-6 from the 3 point line and 19 points.

Next up is Cole. It may be hard to remember but we harped and complained about Cole's post awareness and lack of offensive post moves last season as he sometimes looked lost when double teamed or facing stiff competition down low. Now clearly Fort Hays State doesn't present that challenge but Cole did show a few new moves in his repertoire and appeared much more decisive in whatever move he made. Like Sherron I think Cole is going to be much more efficient and a major load to deal with underneath the basket. 13 points, 13 rebounds and 1 induced lane violation.

The Morris twins as a duo have clearly bulked up and while there is still improvement to be made there were positives to be drawn from their game last night as well. First off a combined 1 turnover between the two of them is a great thing too see to go along with only 5 fouls between the duo. Last year this time those two numbers would have likely been closer to 10 turnovers and 10 fouls so it would appear the basketball IQ might be catching up to the college game a bit. I also felt like they were more aggressive around the basket and while finishing at the rim still needs work the Morris' line wraps up at a solid 22 points, 15 rebounds, 7 assists and 4 blocks. Not sure why but I will forever present these two as one stat line.

Tyrel and Tyshawn are the other returning guards that made their way onto the court last night with Tyrel starting and Tyshawn off the bench. It's pretty clear that as the season goes on Tyrel will likely be a key role player while Tyshawn could be a pretty key player in general. Reed was efficient 3-5 from the field 1-2 from the 3 point line for 7 points. At times his defense is still a concern but I'm all for bringing back the patented Tyrel Reed 3 pointer at the buzzer to end the first half.

As far as Tyshawn, he was dropped out of the starting lineup, but he'll be a factor and may find his way back in. Tyshawn is fast, he scores, he get's to the line and his decision making looks improved over last season. It's early yes, but 15 points including 7-8 from the free throw line and leading the team with 5 assists in 21 minutes of play is pretty efficient for a 6th man off the bench.

Lastly there was the freshman trio of Xavier Henry, Thomas Robinson and Elijah Johnson. These three bring some pretty unique things to the team and I don't see any way all three don't make an impact.

Xavier is fluid, he doesn't jump out at me for his athleticism or speed but he's clearly very strong and has a great stroke from outside. His strength and physical play will get him to the line. Another positive is Xavier appears very confident in his outside shot so I don't expect him to be bashful to take it when it's available. 14 points on 3-7 shooting, 2-4 from the 3pt line and 6-8 from the charity stripe. If there was one area I maybe expected more it was in rebounding where Xavier only had one on the defensive end. Still a solid first outing for one of the more hyped freshman in Kansas history.

Thomas Robinson, much like Henry, is already a physical presence as a true freshman. All the things we've heard about his motor appear to be true. His first moment in the game resulted in an offensive rebound and put back on a missed free throw. His rebounding was solid, has a nice stroke from the free throw line which is good for a big man and another area that impressed me was his passing which appeared rather creative for a freshman big man. Sure he fouled out, but isn't that what freshman big men do under Bill Self? 6 points, 7 rebounds and 3 rather nice assists for TRob.

Last one on the list is Elijah Johnson, who was often mistaken for Tyshawn Taylor due to the number switch this year. Johnson stood out for his speed and his athleticism. One breakaway dunk, one authoritative throw down on an alley-oop and a nice split of two defenders on a fast break for a layup. 9 points for EJ and while Kansas' deep bench at the guard spot may force a redshirt, EJ certainly showed he might be able to contribute immediately if needed.

As a team it's certainly difficult to get up for these games. However watching it, it's impossible not to see the passion Bill Self has and his constant quest to motivate his players. Defense is clearly where he wants this team to improve and they responded after the half with a pretty solid stretch of keeping FHSU scoreless.

This team can score in bunches and there is no shortage of weapons, but you get the feeling that Coach Self already knows that if he can get them playing a championship caliber defense they will be VERY difficult to stop. Long way to go, long season but it's hard not to like the preview given last night.

Friday Afternoon Big12Hoops.com Link Dump - 10.30.2009

big12hoops — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 19:00:34 -0000

The goal of the Friday Afternoon Big12Hoops.com Link Dump is to help you ease into the weekend faster by giving you links that will get you to 5PM faster.

Big 12 North

Colorado Buffaloes: Boulder Daily Camera - Buffs' Sharpe to miss entire basketball season

Kansas Jayhawks: Lawrence Journal-World - Kansas’ Reed can hit big shots

Kansas St. Wildcats: Manhattan Mercury - Wildcats ready to take next step

Iowa St. Cyclones: GoCyclones.com - Cyclones believe all the pieces are in place for a special season

Between the return of superstar forward Craig Brackins, the influx of exciting new talent and the progress made by returning players, there is more buzz around this team than any of the others during the Greg McDermott era.

Nebraska Cornhuskers: Lincoln Journal Star - Anderson, Henry voices of experience for NU's newcomers

Missouri Tigers: Columbia Daily Tribune - Dooling’s NBA career takes pleasing turns

Big 12 South

Baylor Bears: Baylor Lariat - More than just a name

Superstitions just aren't his thing. Most athletes avoid wearing unlucky No. 13, but junior Ekpe Udoh chose it.

Why?

Friday is his middle name.

Oklahoma Sooners: Tulsa World - OU's Capel: Sooners young but talented

Oklahoma St. Cowboys: Stillwater NewsPress - OSU receives votes in preseason poll

Texas Longhorns: Austin American Statesman - Horns expect Lucas before North Carolina game

Texas A&M Aggies: AggieSports.com - A&M men, women get practice going

Texas Tech Red Raiders: RedRaiders.com - Kansas, A&M games boost Singletary’s confidence

Non Big 12 Links

True Hoop (NBA) - Mark Warkentien's play-in tournament

This proposal calls for all the games to be played in four or five days after the season ends, which would mean four or five days of, effectively, Game 7s.The call is to have higher-seeded teams play at home, although I wonder if it might be better to skip the travel and have all the games at a neutral site.

ESPN.com - World Series: Umpires blow two calls in Game 2

MLB Daily Dish - LaRussa Returning to Cardinals/McGwire to be Hired as Hitting Coach

CBSSports.com Fantasy Football - Week 8 Start 'Em and Sit 'Em

Fanhouse - Dana White 'Not a Fan' of Amateur MMA

Have a great weekend!

Self, Collins and Aldrich from Big 12 Media Day

Denverjhawk — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 23:12:53 -0000

More photos » by Charlie Riedel - AP

about 1 month ago: Kansas coach Bill Self talks to the media during during the men's Big 12 Conference college basketball media day Thursday, Oct. 22, 2009 at the Sprint Center in Kansas City. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Browse more photos »

Kansas head coach Bill Self took the podium Thursday for a question and answer session at the annual Big 12 Basketball Media Day at the Sprint Center.

A few things really standout to me from Coach Self's comments. First his comments on freshman Thomas Robinson's intensity in practice and how that has stepped up the overall competitiveness in practice. I don't think anyone can over exaggerate the impact that the competition in the program is going to benefit this years team and those moving forward.

Secondly, coach really gives some high praise to Cole Aldrich and it's just fun to watch a guy like Cole come in as a wide eyed freshman who really made his presence known once in a big way, but now is developing into a leader and a potentially dominant player with the program.

PETER IRWIN: Coach Self, welcome. Your opening comments, sir.

COACH SELF: I know I can probably speak for everybody that we're all very excited to be here this morning. This early. No, it's an exciting time. Of course, everybody's optimistic this time of year, and rightfully so. I really like our team. I think we have a chance to be a special group. We'll have to be very special because I think the league is the best since I've been in it, and I think it's the best it's going to be since the inception of the league. We've had success in the league the last few years, and certainly it will be much more difficult to maintain that because of the quality of teams in the league.

PETER IRWIN: Okay. We'll take questions. When you ask a question, we'll get a microphone to you.

COACH SELF: I wonder if Mike Jones will ask the first question.

PETER IRWIN: He always does, Coach.

Q. Let's get this out of the way, Bill. How did the events of the recent past affect the image of your program and the chemistry of your team, if at all?

COACH SELF: I'm sorry, Mike. Would you elaborate on that? I don't know what you're talking about. You know, for a short term, I do think it probably hit us from an image standpoint, you know, especially with the fight. But from a long-term standpoint, I don't think it's going to hurt us from an image standpoint. I think it's one of those things that people deal with and move forward. As long as you don't have major hits after it. You look around the country, and all programs have had something at some point in time. Unfortunately, it was a distraction we had to deal with. Fortunately, it was a distraction we dealt with before the season started. In my mind, I can say, that was the off-season; now the season is a fresh start. I'm not real happy with our guys for those events that took place. But if we were that undisciplined and irresponsible that selfish motives could get in the way of something so insignificant as that at that point in time, then we weren't obviously disciplined or responsible enough to win big. So, if anything, I think we'll be more disciplined. We'll be more responsible. And if you have that combination along with good players, I think that can make for some fun. I see it as being a positive over time, and certainly it was a negative in the short term.

Q. Coach, I know practice is just a week old. Can you talk about how your guys are developing and maybe if anybody has stood out or any -- a couple guys?

COACH SELF: Probably the guy that's been the most -- it's not really a surprise, but the most pleasant surprise, you know, from what I thought the day we were recruiting was Thomas Robinson. Thomas is a good player, and he'll impact his team immediately. His motor is different than what we've had, so he's definitely raised the level of -- not the - the level of effort may be the right word, from the twins. Thomas has changed practice more than anybody else. Xavier is a guy that's going to be really good. He's kind of finding his way right now. As he gets more comfortable, he's a thinker now instead of a reactor. As he gets more comfortable, I really think the ceiling is so high for him. Those two have been the two most pleasant surprises. Withey's been nicked up. He's hurt right now. He's going to be out a significant amount of time with the bum knee. And Elijah Johnson's come along nicely. It's just going to take some time. C.J. Henry has been in and out with injuries, but he's going to be a nice player too. I'd say Thomas has been the most pleasant surprise we've had so far.

Q. Bill, when you look at the First Team Preseason All-Big 12 picks, how many of those guys do you put on an All-American list, maybe Player of the Year, National Player of the Year candidate?

COACH SELF: You know, if I recall correctly, I think there's six. Is that right? They all deserve to be on the first team. And I think you have six pros there, not just good college players. I think you have six pros. I also think there are a couple others that may emerge to be in the top six players or seven players in our league that hadn't even been mentioned yet. So that tells you the depth - the quality of players. You know, I think Brackins is deserving of All-American mention without question. I think Damion James. I think he's terrific. I think he's very deserving. I think Willie Warren is as good as any guard in the country, especially a combination of strength and scoring and all those things. And James Anderson, to me, is a guy that could get -- you know, could get 30 any night. Those four have gotten a lot of attention. Then there's several newcomers, and you throw in R2, who I think Sherron is about as good a league guard, if not the best guard in the country. And I think Cole's the best big man. So you could make a case that you could have guys fighting each other in the league not only for Player of the Year honors but for big-time national honors also, I agree.

Q. Bill, you think there's any kind of common denominator. There's been an influx of freshmen that make for the top ten in some lists. Just a bunch of guys. Any reason in particular why so many teams are getting so many good players?

COACH SELF: I think the staffs, the respective staffs all know what they're doing. The League is a good recruiting league too. I also think you talk about our league, and primarily the state of Texas being the proximity of players, but schools are going outside their area also and bringing in some really good talent. But when Durant plays at UT, and then when Beasley plays at K-State, and Griffin plays at Oklahoma, how could young kids not be interested in going to a league which has produced, you know, the premier player in America the last three years. So that's kind of how I see it. All those guys were the best players in the country the last three years. They may not have won all the awards, but they impacted the game more so than anybody else. So I think recent success. You know, this may sound like we're patting ourselves on the back, but I think one thing that the Big 12 hadn't had happen prior to '08 was, as great a league as it was, they haven't been able to crown a champion. Maybe that and the combination of Durant and Beasley and Griffin and coaches that know what they're doing. Maybe that's all been a bonus because the league is going to continue to get good players.

Q. Bill, two years ago you lost some great players. Could you have imagined rebuilding this quickly?

COACH SELF: You know, recruiting is a weird deal in that sometimes you don't get what you deserve, and a lot of times you get what you don't deserve. I would have had no idea. I had no idea Cole would be what he's become. I knew Sherron was a good player, but we went into last season thinking we had one good player, and Cole emerged to be outstanding, and then our young guys really developed as the season went on. You know, the way we got Tyshawn Taylor was because of a coaching change. We didn't deserve that. That kind of fell in our lap. So we've been fortunate in that regard. You know, one thing about our guys, you know, they expect to have success, and they play at a place every day where there's pressure on them to perform. I think in a lot of ways that forces the development more rapidly with our young kids than maybe what it would some other places just because they feel that every day that they wake up.

Q. Bill, there's been a pretty good coaching turnover the last, I guess, three or four seasons. Has the style of play in the Big 12 changed much in your time there?

COACH SELF: Yeah, it probably has. But I think the league, if anything, it may be playing a little faster. I think having Mike at Missouri kind of helps create that image because they do play fast and really pressure. And the thing about it is there's been a lot of turnover coaching-wise, and I think some people probably questioned whether or not the turnover -- we were losing such experienced guys, that the turnover would be able to measure up to those guys. I think what people have shown already, in that these coaches in our league, they're getting it done. I mean, the programs, if they haven't been elevated, they're real close to being on the verge of being elevated in a short amount of time. So I think there has been a lot of smart ADs, to be honest with you, that have made some hires that were very good and represented their university very well.

Q. Bill, from what you can tell around college basketball, how unique is Cole as a true post man?

COACH SELF: I think you have -- we've had some true post men in college, going back to Oden, although just one year, that was a true five. But the game's getting smaller in that he knows who he is. We have a couple of true fives in our league that -- you know, Pittman obviously at Texas -- they're true fives. You don't have to pacify them in any way other than this is what your job is, this is what you do. At this time, all fives want to be fours, all fours want to be threes, all threes want to be twos, and these guys want to be fives. I'd say it's unique. There's probably more out there than what's called attention to. But as far as -- you know, Cole has a chance, in my opinion -- a lot depends on what kind of year he has, obviously. He could be the best true big man Kansas has had since Wilt. You start and think about the true big man. Danny wasn't a center and Raef wasn't a center. But you really look at it, that's a pretty big statement for 50-plus years that he could be the best true big guy. I'd say not common, but certainly not totally unusual to have a guy like Cole that knows who he is. Most -- there's just not very many guys out there that do that. Most guys feel like they've got to be something else, and he doesn't feel that way at all.

Q. Back to Cole, you talked about he became something you didn't expect right away. Was it just the fact that he had -- he was able to have that playing time extensively last year?

COACH SELF: I don't think so. I think that, obviously, when you get playing time and experience, you've got a chance to get better. You know, in recruiting, most guys - I shouldn't say most guys, but the majority of guys that we deal with, and I'm sure the majority of guys that guys in this league deal with, they look at your roster, and they say how can I play immediately? It's a quick fix. I want to go somewhere that I can impact it right off the bat or have a chance to start. The best thing for Cole was that didn't register with him. He went to a place that he wanted to be at first and foremost, and then style and playing time and all that was way secondary. And the fact -- what got him better prepared more than anything was getting his butt beat every day by Sasha and Darnell and Shady. That prepared him. Cole played eight minutes a game as a freshman, and four of the minutes don't count because they were mop-up minutes. So he probably averaged four minutes a game as a freshman and got better every day in practice and used practice as his vehicle for getting better. And then at the end of the year, obviously, he had the one good game, and you can kind of see what it was -- what was getting ready to happen. To me, I don't think it was last year's experience, I think it was him having the right attitude his freshman year when he went getting experience is what allowed him to be pretty good last year.

PETER IRWIN: Coach, thank you.

2009 Season in Review: Awards - Sixth Man of the Year

rockchalk — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 01:54:47 -0000

More photos » by Michael Conroy - AP

Tyrel Reed, scrapping it up on the defensive end. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

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Awards time, folks. You know, that one awkward Banquet, or whatever, at the end of the year for the big-money boosters. Yeah, it's kinda like that, but way better in every way, because no Banquet is involved. Only the internet.

Of course, Sherron won't be coming on to accept his award(s), so I suppose that kind of makes it worse. You can just get over it, though, yes?

In this edition, we'll be handing out the Sixth Man of the Year Award. Sherron Collins took home the honor last year, even on a nation-wide scale. This year, we weren't so strong. So, with that said, the winner is...

Sixth Man of the Year -- G Tyrel Reed (Soph.)

Coming into the season, I expected Tyrel to start. Sure, Brady was in there because of Self's fascination with D, but eventually Tyrel would pick his game up on the defensive end and his superior offensive ability would sneak him in the lineup. Problem is, Brady improved on offense. So much, in fact, that he never relinquished his starting slot.

This left Tyrel to come off the bench. He was nearly always the first body off of the bench, and would often replace Brady. This frequently left him matched up with the opponent's best player. As the season wore on, the gap decreased. He couldn't stay in front of Denis Clemente to save his life in Manhattan. But by the end of the year, he was just as effective.

But, that doesn't tell you the real value of Tyrel Reed. No, its his nickname, Relly Ice, that showcases his value. Being a young team, we didn't really have that killer instinct to close out opponents that those old, ex-coaches providing color commetary love to talk about so much. So, no matter the lead, it always seemed the other team would make a run, and tighten up the game. The pressure increased, the other team started slapping hands and Bill Self began calling timeouts to try and settle us down. And then, Sherron Collins would bring the ball down the floor, begin driving then find, wide open in the left corner or in the right corner or, sometimes, even on a wing and pass it off. And every time, or so it seemed, the shot would fall, the momentum would be back on our side, and we'd coast to victory.

Eventually, Relly Ice expanded his repetoire to end-of-half situations, as well. So much so, in fact, that I all-but-expected our shots to always, always fall to close off halves. And, more often than not, it was a called play for Relly Ice. Always the same one, too. Have him line up on a corner, have Cole come up and set a back screen for him, have Sherron dribble in at the wing on that side, then kick it on out to a wide open Tyrel Reed.

Swish.

On a team that frequently struggled scoring outside of the Superstars, his threes were gigantic. When they weren't falling, we struggled to pull away from inferior opponents and beat equally-matched foes. When he was nailing them, we were one of the 8-or-so best teams in the country. All year long, I harpooned on the three-point issue. And, nearly always, it would come down to Tyrel Reed's long-range antics.

Next year, Relly Ice again figures to come off the bench. In fact, I doubt he ever starts a Kansas basketball again, save the obligatory Senior Day start. But he'll always be a contributor off the bench, with his ever-improving defense and three-point prowess.

And most importantly, he'll always be Relly Ice, the one who hits the shots when we need them most. Always behind the line, of course (except down in Lubbock, where he actually had to take a dribble off of a pump fake and take a 18-footer as the buzzer sounded).

Oh, and he'll always have the 2009 RCT Sixth Man of the Year Award to look back on, too. Don't underestimate its power.

Honorable Mention: F Markieff Morris (Fresh.)

Far too inconsistent to receive too much consideration, he was still a contributor. He should get much, much better in the coming years. But, this was Relly Ice's award, all along.

Next Up: Freshman of the Year (Saturday AM), Player of the Year (Saturday PM)

Previous Editions: Defensive Player of the Year

"Awesome Season, Terrible Finish" -- Kansas 62 Michigan State 67

rockchalk — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 05:17:42 -0000

This isn't about the season. If it was, it wouldn't do the game justice. The season, while naturally up-and-down given the extreme youth, was my favorite season of all time. It was so much fun to watch this team grow, from a team that looked UMKC's equal in its first half to Big 12 Champions. But this isn't about that. Last night in Indianapolis wasn't about that. This game recap is just that: a recap of last night's game, a game we should have won, no questions asked.

It's about blown chances. Blown opportunities. Lack of execution. Mental errors. All of those nasty bugs that come out and bite you in March, costing you months upon months of hard work. It sucks. But, to every team but one, it happens. We weren't going to be that one, special team at the end of it all. We all knew that, at some point, it was going to end.

But why did it have to end like that? With a late 5-point lead quickly turned into a 3-point deficit. I recorded the game, with the mindset to rewatch the game win-or-lose. If we won, it'd get me super-duper pumped for the Louisville game. If we lost, it would give me some closure to my favorite season of all time. As soon as the final buzzer sounded, I immediately deleted it. It was hard enough to take once.

***

When Tyrel Reed nailed that three from the corner, I thought we had won. I was never really nervous, before that, sticking true to my "anything extra is gravy" mantra. But as soon as he hit that three, I believed we were going to win. We had been searching for what had seemed like decades for someone, anyone, to make a big, clutch shot to give us the advantage. When it happened, I thought we were money. But after that, we regressed. We scored 6 points those final 4:58; four by Sherron and those two, late free throws by Tyshawn.

And that was what cost us the game. When it mattered most, the experienced Michigan State team knew what to do late in the game against the 10th youngest team in the country. That's what makes it all so difficult. We had this game won, and we just let it slip away.

That's what makes it frustrating. Not the fact that it ended, but the way it ended.

Player recaps after the jump...

MVP? Fittingly, it was easily our season's MVP: Sherron Collins. And, in an intriguing case of irony, he didn't take over enough. All season long, the hot topic of Kansas basketball was Sherron Collins and his shot selection. And, for much of the season, the media and the fans thought he just shot way too much. I'll be honest, I did too. It's tough to blame him for any single loss, but that UMass game...damn. We started to win when Sherron began to develop a trust with the other 4 players on the floor at any given time, lowering his shot tally into the teens. But in the end, when we needed it most, Sherron was 'on'. 9-13 is ridiculously efficient, particularly when the entire D is keying on you as the key. His first shot of the game went in-and-out three times, before finally rolling out. He continued to dish off to his teammates, though, continued to find the open guy and give them their chance to shine. If his teammates make those shots, we're playing Louisville tomorrow and Sherron is the ultimate hero. Stories are written about Sherron's unselfishness, to pass off the moment to his teammates. For much of the game, Sherron was damn near perfect. Sure, the free throw miss hurts. But our chances to win the game were highly unlikely, at that point. No need to focus on that one little blip. Sherron has carried us all season long. Carried us. He is a true champion. Please, Sherron, please come back. Enter into another realm of Kansas Basketball history.
If there was ever a game that NBA scouts need to watch on Cole Aldrich, Friday night was it. At least, if you want Cole to come back for another year. Cole was severely outplayed by Goran Suton. And yes, I realize that Suton is a senior. But from all indications, he doesn't have nearly the potential of Aldrich, and figures to be sent over to Europe for his pro prospects. Really, it was one of those games where Aldrich should have been able to use his superior athleticism to score some points. It got to the point, though, where I was screaming at the TV to not give it to him on the low post. Every time it was, it ended in a turnover. He scored 17 points, sure, but I would bet that every single point was either scored at the free throw line or on putbacks and offensive rebounds. And don't get me wrong, he's an incredible rebounder. One of the best in the country. He is also quite amazing on D, particularly at blocking shots without committing fouls. But he has a ridiculous amount of work to do with the ball in his hands. Ridiculous. And while he'll get drafted based of of potential, he isn't likely to develop enough to garner a huge second contract, where you make the real money. Wait a year, learn how to pass out of a double-team and add on 1, 2 or 18 post moves to the repetoire and be a Top 5 pick next year.
Besides those two, only one real player played well: Brady Morningstar. His jump shot was off, way off, and he even airballed the first one. It wasn't pretty. But besides that, he was excellent. Awesome. Fantastic. Nearly perfect D on Raymar Morgan. Even had a pair of freakin' dunks, man. Did a fine job of moving the ball late. We could have really used a timely three from him at one point, but he still has time to become a better shooter. That's what he needs to work on this offseason. If he would have nailed just a three or two, we win and he could have been co-MVP with Sherron.
After that, it was all blech. I'll go Tyrel Reed as the next-best, simply because his D was nearly as outstanding as Brady's. He was on the floor diving after loose ball after loose ball, clearly giving it his all. And like I said, I thought Relly Ice had showed up when we needed it the most and drilled a three to send us to victory. Oh, that's what hurts the most. The moment that shot went through, I thought we won. Oh, I thought we won. Still, though, that shot was huge. He wasn't great, and he needs to keep on getting better on D. I bet he sees some minutes next year. He's getting better and better.
Tyshawn Taylor had an extremely freshman-ish performance. Tough to be too hard on the guy, and he did show up when it mattered most and drilled two free throws. He's still too much of a turnover machine, though, and his shot needs to get way better. Still, dude has so much potential it's scary. Positives outweigh the negatives, for sure.
Oh, and I forgot. Markieff Morris? Excellent. Took two of the worst shots of the season, with his two threes, but still. Everything else was awesome. The only player not named Cole Aldrich who showed up on the glass. Played outstanding defense, for the most part. He doesn't have nearly the offensive repertoire of his brother, and that needs to change for him to see major minutes. Plus, when he gets open looks, he misses nearly all of them. That needs to change. But he has turned into an awesome defender and rebounder. Against the best rebounding team in the entire freakin' country, he showed up and picked up 7 boards. That's impressive. He'll keep on gettin' better.
The other two forwards, though, yikes. I still love Marcus Morris to death, but he had a pretty awful NCAA Tournament. He's quite good with the moves, but he couldn't quite get any of them to fall. And he's not as impressive as his twin on D or on the glass. Just like his brother, plenty of room to improve. I'm giddy to see just how much they can improve.
And, finally, Mario Little. Hopefully he's a better wing than low-post player, because he's resorted to just flashes shown. A solid defender, but not as good as he probably needs to be. I still love him, and I bet he could see some plenty of playing time next year at the 3 (maybe?), but he will never be more than a role player. And he will need to be more consistent with his shot to see too many minutes.

OK. That pretty much does it for Michigan State-specific recapping.

We're not done talking about the game, or anything, because we'll have plenty of season recap stuff and stuff coming out over the next week-or-so. And that will involve plenty of talk about this game just the same as others.

But that's it. No more disappointment over this loss, and how it happened, and all of that stuff. No more bitterness. The season was a success.

Let's just focus on that, now, huh?