Kansas halftime thoughts
First of all regardless of outcome, we belong. We’re easily one of the top 4 teams in America
Justin Mason kept us in the game early. Justin fucking Mason
DJ and Damion James are making themselves some money and have answered every haymaker the Jayhawks have thrown at us.
Took Kansas’ best shot and lived to tell about it. 61% against our zone. Can we see some man please?
Speaking of zone, why do we guard the high post like he’s Larry Bird. We need to entice jumpers there and allow our wings to squeeze down on the baseline before we run out. I’d take a 15 footer from Darrell Arthur over dunks by Chacka Kaun or 3’s from Rush or Chalmers. Again can we man now?
Why is Chalmers talking shit to DJ Augustin? Seriously. Is he complaining about the anal fissure DJ has given him this game? Especially considering all of Mario’s points have come against our zone.
Overall, probably the most well played basketball game of the year. Both of these teams are number one seeds. Tennessee and UCLA can go shit in their hat.
Second half, don’t be surprised to see some junk defense like a box and 1 or triangle and two from either side. It’s just tough to man NBA players all over the court.
Final, thought, wow.
March 16, 2008 at 12:16 pm
We did that to Kansas twice last year, and Tennessee once, and lost all 3. Still fun to watch though.
March 16, 2008 at 12:28 pm
I’ve never cared much for this tournament but I’m on the edge of my seat right now. Of course at the moment KU can’t miss and we can’t throw it in the ocean. We’ve got to switch to man.
March 16, 2008 at 12:35 pm
Dexter Pittman is setting some badass picks for our perimeter shooters.
March 16, 2008 at 12:37 pm
AJ for the lead. What a game this is.
What a massive sense of entitlement KU fans have. They absolutely expect every call even if it’s not close and seem somewhat indignant about us not fading down the stretch here. They remind me of us in Football.
March 16, 2008 at 12:43 pm
Sasha Kahn feels for you. He really loves you.
March 16, 2008 at 12:50 pm
These are two teams playing at a very high level of basketball. I’m in awe.
March 16, 2008 at 12:52 pm
Slipping away.
Pity.
March 16, 2008 at 12:54 pm
Fuck. That’ll do it.
My heart is full of icy hate right now. I thought I didn’t care about this tournament.
March 16, 2008 at 12:59 pm
Bad decision by Augustin on that 3. We had all of the time in the world to try and get a good shot.
March 16, 2008 at 1:00 pm
Oh well, good effort on their de facto home court. We ran out of gas a bit.
Let’s see where the NCAA puts us.
March 16, 2008 at 1:09 pm
Two things really hurt us late.
The decision to go zone in a tight game was perplexing to say the least, particularly when we were down one. KU was too hot from long distance to give them the look they got, and it went from a one posession game to a 2 possession game. Would rather have seen man there, where odds were much better that 2 would be their best bet.
The other, as alluded to, was DJ hoisting desperation 3’s with the game still in reach. The last one was beyond a poor decision. Really expected more from him in that situation.
Also, if anyone knows where Connor Atchley went, I’d like to know. Last time I remember seeing him, he was being interviewed by Erin Andrews after the KSU game.
Disappointing that we continue to be KU’s tourney bitch.
March 16, 2008 at 1:09 pm
Three in a row is frustrating. Waddyagonnado? Good luck in the Tourney Jayhawks.
March 16, 2008 at 1:14 pm
It’s all about guard depth. They have it, we don’t.
March 16, 2008 at 1:18 pm
They’re still the class of the league.
Now let’s see if they can actually accomplish something in the Tournament. Last few years have made it seem like they’re more interested in winning the Big 12 tournament than they are the NCAA.
March 16, 2008 at 1:20 pm
Who knew KU fans were such whiny bitches? Oh well, they win a game on their home floor by getting shooting from Chalmers that he will never ever achieve again. Hopefully, they draw another B team in the first round and go home.
March 16, 2008 at 1:21 pm
We were very tired and took tired shots the last five minutes. The zone sucked but we fade much sooner without it.
March 16, 2008 at 2:38 pm
Damned if you do, damned if you don’t. If we man up, they foul half our team out pronto and our legs are gone that much sooner.
Having GJ and The Turk both healthy and with a full year under their belts may have been the difference. We needed another guard who can handle. I liked what I saw out of Pittman. I usually do.
I like KU to the final four and have all year. I could see them winning it.
March 16, 2008 at 3:04 pm
Incredible game. Won’t be the least bit surprised to see a final four of UNC, KU, UT, UCLA.
Ransom - whiny bitches? how so?
March 16, 2008 at 3:25 pm
How far away are we from having a team full of 6′6 shooters like that? We have to be getting close.
I hope we still save a scholarship for Jay Mason and Conner Atchley types. Surrounding them with a bunch of NBA types would bring us a shit ton of wins.
March 16, 2008 at 6:10 pm
I think I’ve said it here, and other boards, we need to have a set play that runs through Conner and takes advantage of his hook shot. He rarely misses the hook, set or moving. It’s money in the bank.
March 16, 2008 at 6:42 pm
“How far away are we from having a team full of 6′6 shooters like that? We have to be getting close.
I hope we still save a scholarship for Jay Mason and Conner Atchley types. Surrounding them with a bunch of NBA types would bring us a shit ton of wins.”
Pretty sure we have a shit ton of wins and it’s looking like Mason and maybe Atchley might be NBA-bound. Mason is just a sophomore and his athleticism seems off the charts. He’s also not scared of anything.
Atchley has reverted some but his pick and pop game will earn him a check somewhere.
March 17, 2008 at 5:48 am
Right, but that’s not my point. I want to know when we can stop recruiting AJ Abrams and Dexter Pittman. When are we going to take that next step?
March 17, 2008 at 7:17 am
Never. We’re just going to keep surrouning them with Durants, Aldridges, and Augustins.
March 17, 2008 at 7:19 am
To continue that thought… look at Florida and Ohio St. and where they are right now. Then look at us… we lose Kevin Durant and the next year we’re a few points away from a #1 seed. That wouldn’t be possible without guys like Abrams.
March 17, 2008 at 7:23 am
Dexter Pittman is going to be a player. His assets aren’t well-paired with this year’s team’s up-tempo approach but the dude can be a a force. I look forward to seeing him next year, hopefully still at Texas.
AJ Abrams is a great guy to have on schollie. You just don’t want him to be the starting 2 and playing 35 minutes a game.
Basically, even with the Oden / Durant one and done policy, teams can be decimated so quickly by the NBA it’s hard to keep the talent level steadily high. It’s also not a sure thing that a team packed with Mickey D’s is a recipe for success.
So, I guess your point is silly.
March 17, 2008 at 8:13 am
I hate AJ Abrams. He takes a lot of things off the table. He’s short, a bad on the ball defender, he can’t handle the ball, and he shoots us out of games. He has good games occasionally, but everyone falls in love with what he can do, and not what he actually does, including Abrams himself. I’d rather have one and dones at the 2 if Abrams is the alternative.
Pittman is OK, but it’s been two years, he isn’t getting time yet. I mean he has to be in shape by now, right?
We have no depth. We are starting AJ precisely because we can’t get CJ Miles and Jerryd Bayless on campus. Our backup there is JD Lewis.
My question is, is that day coming? Can we stop recruiting good in state players that A&M and LSU want and start recruiting good national players that Duke and UCLA want? We’ve gotten a few. Kansas is stocked with them. We can beat them when they play poorly, but when they are on their game, forget it. It took a herculean effort to stay with them that we couldn’t sustain.
Florida fell off because Donovan is an overrated joke. You could give me 3 lottery picks + Green, who played together for 3 years, and I’d make the tourney. We won’t have that problem with Barnes. We’ll always have Masons. Barnes can’t help himself, and that’s a good thing. I’m not asking to recruit 13 NBA bound guys.
What I want is to not start AJ Abrams, and have more than 0 guys on the bench who can play*.
We have the kid from Port Arthur, who hasn’t signed yet, the kid in 2025 who might not be here by then, and Jordan Hamilton. Can we take the leap up into the elite teams?
* I realize Balbay got hurt and guys like Chapman will be good, just aren’t there yet.
March 17, 2008 at 8:27 am
Mr MajorSimms, F*&^ you.
March 17, 2008 at 8:42 am
So all you want is to bench the guy scoring 16 ppg, and to not have any early defections or injuries? Okay. Just try not to keep harping on these “issues” when we’re in the Final Four.
March 17, 2008 at 10:10 am
Her Chris Applewhite, are you telling the guy in the $3000 suit how to do his job?
March 17, 2008 at 11:12 am
JD Lewis and Harrison Smith are recruiting mistakes (made by the same assistant) that we’re still paying the price for. Dogus Blabay would’ve helped that. Oh well.
The list of top national recruits we’re recruiting the bejeezus out of is lengthy, starting with Tyreke Evans for the ‘08 class. Who knows how many we’ll land but we’re out there giving ourselves solid looks at every one of them.
March 17, 2008 at 11:38 am
I’m not sure why anyone would “hate” one of our players when he has worked his ass off to raise every element of his game. What a weak comment.
Bayless is an AAU purchase. CJ Miles went to the NBA. What would you like to do - place a lien on him?
AJ was brought in as a 20 minute 6th man energizer/instant offense dude that we’ve asked to become a 40 minute per game complete guard because we made a couple of recruiting errors and have an injured Byzantine.
AJ deserves our appreciation and respect for working his ass off to fill needs to which he isn’t suited.
March 17, 2008 at 12:01 pm
“Florida fell off because Donovan is an overrated joke.”
Sweet Jesus. A guy who has been a head coach for about 10 years and has been to three final fours, played in three final games and won two of them.
Wish we had a charlatan like that.
Scipio with a more clearly stated version of the point I made above. AJ should be a 6th man/situation guy. As it is, he’s tossing his tiny frame out there and busting his ass to guard bigger and better guys.
One thing is for sure, if AJ is hot the next few weeks, we’ll be playing the next few weeks.