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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THURSDAY, MARCH 13, 2014
PAGE 3B
KANSAS
TIPOFF
BLAIR SHEADE
sports@kansan.com
AT A GLANCE
Kansas dropped to No. 10 in the Coaches Poll this week after the Jayhawks lost to West Virginia. Kansas and Oklahoma State split the season series; each team won its home game. Both games Embiid played, but this time the Jayhawks will have to battle a tough eight seed without him.
Tharpe will have to guard Marcus Smart, the best point guard in the Big 12 tournament, and Tharpe's defense has been terrible lately. Watch for Tharpe to step up his defense against Big 12 guards to gear up for the NCAA tournament.
PLAYER TO WATCH
Can the Jayhawks win without freshman center Joel Embiid? Kansas is 2-1 without Embiid this season, but the Jayhawks miss Embiid's rebounding ability. Against West Virginia, the Jayhawks gave up a lot of second-chance points from the Mountaineers 13 offensive rebounds.
BASKETBALL GAMEDAY
Naadir Tharpe
BY THE NUMBERS
QUESTION MARKS
The Jayhawks lost eight regular season games for the first time since 2005-06.
KANSAS VS. OKLAHOMA STATE MARCH 13, TBD, SPRINT CENTER, KANSAS CITY, MO.
89
The three games Kansas played without Embid, the Jayhawks average 89 ppg.
32
Wiggins averages the most minutes played on the team with 32 minutes per game.
Tarik Black can give the Jayhawks a solid post-player while Embid's injured. If Kansas wants a chance to win the Big 12 tournament, the Jayhawks will need Black to provide an inside presence.
BABY JAY WILL CHEER IF
No.10 KANSAS (23-8; 14-4 Big 12)
STARTERS
Nation Tharpe, guard
When Tharpe has a bad game, the whole team suffers. Not only on offense, but on defense too. Tharpe's been an unreliable defender the whole year and his defensive struggles showed against West Virginia where he allowed Juwan Staten to score 24 points.
Naadir Tharpe, guard
Wayne Selden Jr., guard
Selden has changed his offensive game from a high-flying dunker to a 3-point shooter because that's what coach Self needs him to be. Selden has become a decent 3-point shooter by shooting 35 percent from beyond the arc.
Edited by Alec Weaver
Andrew Wiggins, guard
Games can't be won when Wiggins is the only player on the team to show up. For example, Wiggins scored 41 points against West Virginia, but the Jayhawks still lost.
Perry Ellis, forward
The past three games, Ellis has shot 60 percent from the field. He's improved his mid-range jumper and he's taken five-times more 3-point shots this season. Without Embid in the frontcourt, Ellis has averaged 20 points per game.
OKLAHOMA STATE (21-11,8-10 Big 12)
Tarik Black, forward
As reported Monday, freshman center Joel Embiid will miss the Big 12 tournament. Black will be in this spot until Embiid's back injury improves. Black struggled in the recent matchup in West Virginia, where Black had a two-point, four-rebound day.
STARTERS
Marcus Smart, guard
A member of the All-Big 12 First Team. Smart is a highly touted NBA prospect and one of the best point guards in the country. He ranks third in the conference in points (17.9) and first in steals (2.68).
Phil Forte III, guard
Forte has scored 20 or more points in four of his last six games. He ranks second in the conference in 3-point field goals made and 3-point percentage.
Markel Brown, guard
The lone senior in the starting lineup is a dual-threat guard who can drive to the rim or shoot the three. He has excelled against the Jayhawks this season, totaling 36 points and eight 3-pointers.
Le'Bryan Nash, forward
Named an All-Big 12 Honorable Mention. Nash is a tall, hybrid guard who can post up his defenders and score easy buckets around the rim. He averages 14.2 points and 5.7 rebounds per game. Nash has averaged 13 points against the Jayhawks this season.
Kamari Murphy, center
The team's leading rebounder, Murphy is the only true post player in the starting lineup. He doesn't look to score often and has reached double-digits in scoring only three times during Big 12 play. The sophomore has struggled with four trouble this season and has fouled out in six conference games including against Iowa State on Saturday.
OKLAHOMA STATE TIPOFF
BRIAN HILLIX sports@kansan.com
AT A GLANCE
PLAYER TO WATCH
Oklahoma State may be the most talented No. 8 seed in the history of conference tournaments. The Cowboys stumbled midway through the conference season and lost seven games in a row, although three of those games came without star guard Marcus Smart due to suspension. The Cowboys won three of their last four games of the season.
Marcus Smart
No lead is ever safe with Smart on the other team, something the Jayhawks discovered in Stillwater, Okla. He will be counted to on score and occasionally guard Andrew Wiggins, who erupted in his last game with 41 points at West Virginia.
QUESTION MARKS
Will the Cowboys start strong?
The past two games, Oklahoma State has fallen behind by double-digits. It was able to come back at home, but the deficit was too much to overcome at Allen Fieldhouse. In a virtual home game for the Jayhawks at the Sprint Center, the Cowboys will need to keep the game close to keep the crowd out of it.
BY THE NUMBERS
Oklahoma State has one non-conference loss this season against Memphis, Dec. 1.
10
During conference play, Oklahoma State has 10 losses.
The Cowboys have four players who average at least 13 ppg.
BABY JAY WILL CRY IF
Prediction: Kansas 89, Oklahoma State 83
Three of the starters struggle. This is exactly what happened
This is fairly well-applicable against West Virginia on Saturday as Tarik Black, Naadir Tharpe and Wayne Seiden Jr. combined for 10 points, seven rebounds and three assists. Without Joel Embel on the court, other players will need to emerge and make up for his lost production.
production.
- Edited by Blair Sheade
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