Post by MizzouTiger on Jan 27, 2008 14:43:21 GMT -5
www.kansascity.com/sports/story/462639.html
Huskers are just a speed bump as KU barrels toward Manhattan
By J. BRADY McCOLLOUGH
The Kansas City Star
LAWRENCE | Kansas center Sasha Kaun, not known for his quick and nimble hands, pickpocketed Nebraska point guard Cookie Miller beyond the three-point line. Twice.
Soon after, 6-foot-9 KU forward Darrell Arthur took 6-foot-4 Nebraska guard Ryan Anderson off the dribble and was fouled.
This is what the Grand Canyon looks like.
In the Big 12, the gap between first and last place certainly can’t get much wider or deeper. Good thing, then, that the Cornhuskers and Jayhawks aren’t scheduled to see each other again this season after KU’s 84-49 victory, its second thrashing of Nebraska in as many weeks.
No. 2 KU’s prolonged scrimmage is over. Fellow Big 12 unbeaten Kansas State is next, and that’s a welcome change for the Jayhawks, now 20-0 and 5-0 in the Big 12.
“We’re ready for a real challenge,” KU guard Sherron Collins said.
They didn’t find it on Saturday. No surprise there. KU led 44-15 at halftime and rendered the second half totally irrelevant.
“We try not to focus on how much we’re winning by, because sometimes we’ll lose focus,” KU forward Darnell Jackson said. “We always say: The second-half score is zero-zero. We try to play like we’re down 10, and then we have to come back.”
The Jayhawks can now leave the mental exercises behind. On Wednesday night, when they take on Kansas State in Manhattan, they won’t be needed. KU coach Bill Self was noticeably excited about the chance to play the Wildcats on their home floor.
“I love their personnel,” Self said. “They’re playing through two guys that are as talented as any two guys on the same team, maybe in the country. We’ll have to play at a level that we haven’t played at here in the last few weeks.”
Those two guys, of course, are freshmen Michael Beasley and Bill Walker. The Jayhawks won’t have any trouble identifying Beasley, the 6-foot-9 power forward and potential No. 1 overall NBA draft pick. Beasley said last summer that K-State would beat KU in Manhattan, Lawrence or “Africa.”
“He’s a tough player,” Collins said. “But for him to go out and say something like that … we’re going to take it all in. We’re not going to respond back to him. Just gonna let our game talk for us.”
Self said he didn’t mind Beasley’s guarantee.
“When a guy is averaging 24 (points) and 13 (rebounds),” Self said, “I think he has a right to talk a little bit.”
Heck, Self was probably just happy that Saturday’s postgame discussion revolved around K-State instead of his team’s second easy win over Nebraska. What was there to say, really?
That the Jayhawks held the Cornhuskers to 20.7 percent shooting and six field goals in the first half? That Arthur and Brandon Rush each almost outscored Nebraska with 14 points apiece in the opening 20 minutes? That KU had 12 assists compared with the Huskers’ one? That Nebraska center Aleks Maric (averaging 16.6 points per game) was so overmatched that he finished with a goose egg?
To Self, it was simple. KU played with an enthusiasm he thought was lacking in its last game against Iowa State (in which the margin of victory was 24 points). Against Nebraska, KU had 14 steals, four of which came at the hands of point guard Russell Robinson.
“Our energy level was better,” Self said. “Russell did a good job of heating up the ball up top. He created a lot of havoc.”
The havoc moved its way down into the low post, where the Jayhawks made Maric look like a player with a limited professional future.
“You gotta do your job early,” Jackson explained. “Instead of him hitting you first, you gotta hit him first. Don’t let him get to his spots.”
Jackson said KU had watched lots of tape on Maric. Imagine how much film the Jayhawks will watch of Beasley this week.
“We take no wasted days,” Jackson said. “We try to go hard every day in practice, and every game we try to take it serious.”
For the next four days, Kansas won’t have to try.
Huskers are just a speed bump as KU barrels toward Manhattan
By J. BRADY McCOLLOUGH
The Kansas City Star
LAWRENCE | Kansas center Sasha Kaun, not known for his quick and nimble hands, pickpocketed Nebraska point guard Cookie Miller beyond the three-point line. Twice.
Soon after, 6-foot-9 KU forward Darrell Arthur took 6-foot-4 Nebraska guard Ryan Anderson off the dribble and was fouled.
This is what the Grand Canyon looks like.
In the Big 12, the gap between first and last place certainly can’t get much wider or deeper. Good thing, then, that the Cornhuskers and Jayhawks aren’t scheduled to see each other again this season after KU’s 84-49 victory, its second thrashing of Nebraska in as many weeks.
No. 2 KU’s prolonged scrimmage is over. Fellow Big 12 unbeaten Kansas State is next, and that’s a welcome change for the Jayhawks, now 20-0 and 5-0 in the Big 12.
“We’re ready for a real challenge,” KU guard Sherron Collins said.
They didn’t find it on Saturday. No surprise there. KU led 44-15 at halftime and rendered the second half totally irrelevant.
“We try not to focus on how much we’re winning by, because sometimes we’ll lose focus,” KU forward Darnell Jackson said. “We always say: The second-half score is zero-zero. We try to play like we’re down 10, and then we have to come back.”
The Jayhawks can now leave the mental exercises behind. On Wednesday night, when they take on Kansas State in Manhattan, they won’t be needed. KU coach Bill Self was noticeably excited about the chance to play the Wildcats on their home floor.
“I love their personnel,” Self said. “They’re playing through two guys that are as talented as any two guys on the same team, maybe in the country. We’ll have to play at a level that we haven’t played at here in the last few weeks.”
Those two guys, of course, are freshmen Michael Beasley and Bill Walker. The Jayhawks won’t have any trouble identifying Beasley, the 6-foot-9 power forward and potential No. 1 overall NBA draft pick. Beasley said last summer that K-State would beat KU in Manhattan, Lawrence or “Africa.”
“He’s a tough player,” Collins said. “But for him to go out and say something like that … we’re going to take it all in. We’re not going to respond back to him. Just gonna let our game talk for us.”
Self said he didn’t mind Beasley’s guarantee.
“When a guy is averaging 24 (points) and 13 (rebounds),” Self said, “I think he has a right to talk a little bit.”
Heck, Self was probably just happy that Saturday’s postgame discussion revolved around K-State instead of his team’s second easy win over Nebraska. What was there to say, really?
That the Jayhawks held the Cornhuskers to 20.7 percent shooting and six field goals in the first half? That Arthur and Brandon Rush each almost outscored Nebraska with 14 points apiece in the opening 20 minutes? That KU had 12 assists compared with the Huskers’ one? That Nebraska center Aleks Maric (averaging 16.6 points per game) was so overmatched that he finished with a goose egg?
To Self, it was simple. KU played with an enthusiasm he thought was lacking in its last game against Iowa State (in which the margin of victory was 24 points). Against Nebraska, KU had 14 steals, four of which came at the hands of point guard Russell Robinson.
“Our energy level was better,” Self said. “Russell did a good job of heating up the ball up top. He created a lot of havoc.”
The havoc moved its way down into the low post, where the Jayhawks made Maric look like a player with a limited professional future.
“You gotta do your job early,” Jackson explained. “Instead of him hitting you first, you gotta hit him first. Don’t let him get to his spots.”
Jackson said KU had watched lots of tape on Maric. Imagine how much film the Jayhawks will watch of Beasley this week.
“We take no wasted days,” Jackson said. “We try to go hard every day in practice, and every game we try to take it serious.”
For the next four days, Kansas won’t have to try.