Thoughts on KSU vs. Kansas

Before the season I thought Dexter Pittman might cancel out Cole Aldrich…

Nickel, I know. I thought Hamilton would cancel out Xavier Henry.

I can’t stand the smarmy, smug visage of Bill Self but the SOB can coach. Given that the Big 12 tourney is on his home court in KC, and the tomb that is The Drum, he will not face a tougher atmosphere this year than last night and he comes out with a W. He made adjustments, worked refs, switched defenses—basically did what you would expect a head coach to do. I’m jealous.

Nickel: Pittman may still cancel out Cole. Texas always gets up to play KU and I expect no different next week.

Trips: you don’t have to worry about Hamilton cancelling out Xavier. Xavier is doing a great job of cancelling himself out. That kid has something going on in his head. He’s afraid to drive to the basket. I certainly hope he’s not worrying about his draft status because, if he is, he’s causing it to plummet.

Ransom: I can’t possibly see why you think Bill is smarmy/smug. He truly is one of the more genuinely good guys in coaching (contrast with Scott Drew — THERE’S a smarmy SOB right there). But you’re right: the man can coach like nobody’s business.

Looking forward to the game in Austin.

Ask the people connected with the Okstate program if Self is “one of the more genuinely good guys in coaching”.

Why? Because he turned down Boone Pickens’ crazy cash to stay at KU? Hardly makes him a bad guy. He listened to their pitch, gave it a night’s thought, and turned it down. It’s not like he went out of his way to shop himself to them. He didn’t leave for the NBA and then a couple of days later ask to come back. He didn’t say he was retiring, then changing his mind to say it’s just a leave of absence, and then continuing on as though nothing happened.

Ransom, you can hate away on Self, but I’ll be on the other side of that one all day long. He is about as down to earth as it gets.

Barnes made no adjustments yesterday? Are you serious?

Ransom,
smarmy gave me an instant flash of Ipowers, truly a fitting word for him.
 Agreed that Self is a very good coach, has a good game plan but quick to adjust if things are not flowing well. Lets players play, Kansas is consistant and they do not spook. Will be a good game depending on how well the next two games turn out.

Big difference I can see between Texas and KU is that when Brady Morningstar and Tyrel Reed are open, they are expected to shoot. Mason and Balbay are expected not to.

It’s really hard to score if the other team only need pay passing attention to two of your players, which is, don’t let them make layups.

Sky, you are correct regarding Self. He gives them a plan and (by and large) Barnes’s players have had the confidence coached out of them. It’s one thing to tear someone down while remaking his game. It’s been awhile since we’ve seen someone built back up into something improved.

But, I noticed some interesting parallels between KU’s game last night and Texas’s game yesterday. Save for FG percentage (KU shot 50 percent), there wasn’t a huge difference. The rebound margin was about the same, and the FT percentage wasn’t much off (KU made 22 of 33 — not great). He also shortened the rotation big time, as Barnes did. Xavier Henry played only 16 minutes. KU and Texas both ran a deficit, A/TO (13/17 vs. 13/18).

My wild guess is that Self bears down in practice but lets the guys play in games. He can do that a little easier because he’s not playing a lot of freshmen/new players. Barnes is still, rightfully, cracking down on mistakes, but he hasn’t found the balance that keeps them from worrying about being pulled. Lucas commits three turnovers in two minutes? Gone. Hamilton hoists three shots in two minutes? Gone. I can’t say I wouldn’t have made the same decision.

But if he has picked his seven/eight — maybe he has? — it’s time to let them work.

To be clear, I am not a Barnes hater and did not say he made NO adjustments yesterday. My comment was about Self, not Barnes. I will say I don’t think Rick has distinguished himself so far this year.

I couldn’t help but grimmace/chuckle as Vitale kept saying that needed big nights from Pullen and Clemente to beat top teams like Kansas. It really is amazing that those two played so poorly against us and we still lost.

That was a great game. KSU is going to be a tough out in the tourney. However, I still say Clemente has a better chance to lose a game for them than win one. His shot selection is pretty atrocious at times.

Aldrich is very, very good. Dexter has a lot of money on the line November 8.

Firing up a three from 25 feet in the final minute of overtime was unconscionable. He lost that game for them.

KU has role players who KNOW they are role players (Tyshawn is just now
figuring this out). Reed, Morningstar, Taylor (begrudgingly), Kieff Morriss, and Robinson
all know they play a role and most do it well. UT has role players who do not know they are role players.