THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THURSDAY, MARCH 6, 2014
PAGE 5B
+
KANSAS TIPOFF
BASKETBALL GAMEDAY
BLAIR SHEADE
sports@kansan.com
Jayhawks look to continue momentum before entering the Big 12 Tournament KANSAS VS.WEST VIRGINIA MAR.8,11 A.M.,WVU COLISEUM,MORGANTOWN
AT A GLANCE
Will Naadir Tharpe be able to guard Staten?
The Mountaineers are still fighting to receive a bid into the NCAA tournament, and the Jayhawks would be the best victory on West Virginia's resume. The Jayhawks can't take this game lightly because Kansas will try to gain momentum going into the Big 12 Tournament and on to the NCAA tournament.
PLAYER TO WATCH
Tarik Black
Black came off the bench the last time these two team met and he still scored 11 points and grabbed 4 rebounds in 21 minutes. Black will get the chance to start this time around against the Mountaineers and provide more minutes as the injured Embiid watches from the sidelines.
Last matchup, Staten scored 22 points on Tharpe. Tharpe couldn't keep Staten out of the paint and off the foul line. Tharpe will need to play solid man-up defense to prevent Staten from driving and getting open looks.
QUESTION MARKS
er than 35 percent from 3-point range. Currently, Kansas averages 35 percent from beyond the arc on the season, but with the Big 12 and NCAA tournaments coming up, the Jayhawks can hope for any possible momentum.
Edited by AlecWeaver
BY THE NUMBERS
Kansas has zero losses against West Virginia since the Mountain-joined the conference in 2012.
5. 7 Blocks per game the Jayhawks average.
The Jayhawks average 80 points per game, which is 25th in the NCAA.
The Jayhawks can shoot high-
BABY JAY WILL CHEER IF
No.8 KANSAS (22-7,13-3 Big 12)
STARTERS
Naadir Tharpe, guard
The battle against West Virginia guard Juwan Staten will be a challenge for Tharpe. On Feb.8, the junior guard failed to contain Staten's offensive game, and Staten scored 22 points on 7-13 from the field. Tharpe will need to shut down Staten defensively before he takes over the game.
Wayne Selden Jr., guard
The physical tools are there for Selden. He defends better than anyone on the team, but his offense can be inconsistent. While the team has confidence in Selden's offense, lately his game has evolved into a jump-shooter. Kansas will benefit more when Selden drives to the basket.
Andrew Wiggins, guard
The key to the offense rests in Wiggins' hands. When Wiggins' offense has been on point, the Jayhawks play well around him. Lately, Wiggins has played better by scoring nine consecutive double-digit games and coach Bill Self said Wiggins' offense has improved because he's driving the ball better. In the first matchup against West Virginia, Wiggins scored 19 points and shut down Mountaineer guard Eron Harris.
Elli's all-around game has sharpened the stretch of the season. He has improved his mid-range jump-shot and consistently attacks the basket, which results in more foul shots. Ellis scored eight points on 4-8 from the field, but didn't get to the free-throw line. Ellis will be a bigger factor without Joel Embid in the lineup.
Perry Ellis, forward
★★★★☆
This will be the last game for Black as a starter before Embid comes back to play in the Big 12 conference tournament. Black has provided enforcement in the paint with the absence of Embid, but Black falls into toul trouble when he gets the chance to start. Black understands his role in the offense as a post-player and an aggressive offensive rebounder.
Tarik Black, center
WEST VIRGINIA (16-13,8-8 Big 12)
STARTERS
He scored 12 points in each of his first three conference games but hasn't reached that total since. The freshman is the team's leading rebounder and also averages eight points per game. At 6-foot-9, Williams is the tallest starter on a team that doesn't have much size, especially compared to Kansas.
Remi Dibo, forward
Dibo has been inconsistent all season. He had a 20-point game against Iowa State on Feb. 10 but followed that by scoring two and six points, respectively, in his next two games. The French native is a forward who stretches the floor with his shooting range and ranks fourth in the league in 3-point percentage and seventh in 3-pointers made.
Juwan Staten, guard
A candidate for Big 12 Player of the Year, Staten leads the team in points and assists and ranks second in rebounds. His 5.93 assists per game also rank first in the Big 12. He doesn't shoot much from the outside but is effective at scoring around the rim or finding his teammates on the outside. The junior plays nearly the entire game and leads the league in minutes played, highlighting his importance to the team.
Eron Harris, guard
Another guard capable of lightning up the scoreboard, Harris is tied with Staten averaging 18 points a game, which ranks second in the conference. Unlike Staten, Harris will shoot often from long-range as he ranks third in the Big 12 in 3-pointers made, with 80 this season. He has averaged 21.7 points in his last three games.
Terry Henderson, guard
Ranked third on the team in scoring with 12.1 points a game, Henderson only scored two points against Kansas on Feb. 8 and missed all three of his field goal attempts. The sophomore has battled an illness of late and has missed the team's last three games. He is another Mountaineer that is efficient from long range as he ranks eighth in the league in 3-point percentage.
★★★☆☆
WEST VIRGINIA TIPOFF
BRIAN HILLIX sports@kansan.com
Prediction: Kansas 85, West Virginia 78
AT A GLANCE
The Mountainteers have one of the best backcourts in the country as Staten and Harris each average 18 points a game. However, their frontcourt is undersized and inexperienced. The Jayhawks took advantage of this in the teams' first meeting as Kansas outscedored West Virginia 46-18 in the paint. Around mid season, the Mountainters looked like they were capable of making the NCAA Tournament. It now looks unlikely after suffering a three-game losing streak after beating Iowa State Feb. 10.
PLAYER TO WATCH
Eron Harris
Harris hit, three consecutive 3-pointers in a 90-second span against Kansas on Feb. 8 to help keep West Virginia close. However, he didn't score a field goal the rest of the game. His consistency will be important for the Mountaineers to compete on Saturday.
QUESTION MARKS
Will Terry Henderson play?
He sat out the team's last three games with an illness. When healthy, Henderson is another solid scoring option for West Virginia that would only help its chances for an upset.
28
BY THE NUMBERS
44.7
Field goal percentage allowed by West Virginia, the worst in the Big 12.
Kansas outscored West Virginia in the paint by a 28-point margin on Feb. 8.
38.3
West Virginia's 3-point percentage, second best in the Big 12.
BABY JAY WILL CRY IF
Kansas cannot dominate inside. The Jayhawks controlled the paint against the Mountaineers in their last matchup. Even with Embidid sitting out, Black, Ellis and Taylor should be able to score near the rim.
Edited by Brook Barnes