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Volume 126 Issue 69
kansan.com
Thursday, January 30, 2014
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COMMENTARY
Tharpe key to Kansas success
KANSAS 92 - IOWA STATE 81
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Junior point guard Naadir Tharpe drove to the lane with three minutes left in the first half and decided not to score. Instead, Tharpe dished the ball to sophomore forward Perry Ellis, and Ellis flushed the ball with a two-handed slam.
Tharpe, who has stepped up his game during conference play, showed his experience and leadership during the 92-81 Kansas victory.
"Toward the end they tried to trap me a little bit, but I knew I had to get dudes involved and get them going," said Tharpe, who is a first-year starter. "That is the most important thing. I was just trying to draw defenders and find the open man and they were just knocking down shots."
the jayhawks are now 7-0 in the Big 12 conference and they are now led by an upperclassman.
"I just wanted to try to do whatever I can to help the team." Tharpe said. "Coach has put the ball in my hand and given me the chance to make plays and have every body follow me."
"I'm not surprised at all because Coach Self prepares us" Tharpe said.
The second half was where Tharpe showed his experience and leadership. At the 15-minute mark, Tharpe grabbed an offensive rebound at the top of the key and didn't shoot the ball. Instead, Tharpe held on to the ball and ended up with an easy assist to freshman center Joel Embid. Tharpe ended the game with a season-high 12 assists and only one turnover.
Turnovers have been Tharpe's weakest attribute of his game, but overcame his struggles as of late. Tharpe gave up 11 turnovers in the beginning of the Big 12 conference. In the past three conference games, he had just one turnover.
The scoring aspect of Tharpe's game has been conservative in conference, but has made some key shots for Kansas. Tharpe took the game into his own hands when the game became close at 65-61. He had the ball at the top of the key and swished a 3-pointer to pad Kansas' lead to seven points.
Tharpe finished with 12 points and 12 assists, which is the first time this season Tharpe earned a double-double.
Two of those points came with less than one minute left in the game and were two clutch points. The points came at the free-throw line for Tharpe after an Iowa State personal foul to stop the clock, and Tharpe extended the lead to 10 points, 86-76. The calm demeanor at the free-throw line was an example of Tharpe's experience as a junior. He understood that the team was relying on him to knock down both free throws and enlarged the lead late in the game.
GEORGE MULLINIX /KANSAN
Freshman center Joel Embiid works hard for a basket after grabbing the offensive rebound late in the first half. Embiid scored 14 points and had 11 rebounds.
Cyclones fail to blow away Jayhawks
BLAKE SCHUSTER
sports@kansan.com
With Iowa State mounting a comeback late in the second half against the Jayhawks, Andrew Wiggins ran back on defense and positioned himself perfectly under the rim. He knew the shot was coming and made sure he was ready for it. Shoulders squared, hands up and letting everyone know that if the ball came near the rim it would end up in his grasp.
Seconds later Wiggins stood in the paint screaming at himself as Iowa State's Melvin Ejim hurled his body at the rim, grabbed the Cyclone rebound and came back up for the easy lay in.
The same Andrew Wiggins whose career high 29 points helped Kansas to a 92-81 victory over Iowa State still found a reason to get upset with himself. Never mind the six straight points Wiggins
Transitioning to the college game hasn't been the easiest move for Wiggins, but his development has been impossible to ignore. Extreme expectations aside, against Iowa State Wiggins displayed the attributes that made him a coveted prospect coming out of Huntington Prep.
From the start it was Wiggins igniting the Kansas offense to 30-14 lead halfway through the first frame. As usual for the freshman the points came by way of jump shot or layup. Rarely does he cycle through his arsenal of highlight worthy dunks. The one time Wiggins even considered getting fancy — on a fast break late in the
"I'm feeling more comfortable on the court," Wiggins said after his second consecutive career game. "It's slowing down for me."
scored with three minutes left to keep the Cyclones out of reach.
second half with Kansas clinging to a four-point lead he decided securing the points was more important than a viral video.
"Better safe than sorry," Wiggins said shrugging it off.
- on a fast break late in the
BILL SELF Kansas coach
It was only once Wiggins came off the floor in the first half that Iowa State was able to climb back into contention. What appeared to a quick breather for Wiggins became a five-minute, 20-7 run for the Cyclones.
Iowa State coach Fred
Hoiberg, who's been a Kansas opponent as both a player and coach, noted that if teams can withstand the Jayhawks' initial push at tipoff, they would have a chance to chip away at the lead later in the game. The
Cyclones held on early, they just couldn't help themselves out anymore than that.
"We had very good looks that we just didn't knock down," Hoiberg said.
Instead it was Kansas that flowed with as much precision as it's shown all year. Both Naadir Tharpe (12 points, 12 assists) and Joel Embibid (14 points, 11 rebounds) recorded double-doubles. Wayne Selden Jr. added five assists himself and the Jayhawks relentlessly pounded the glass, grabbing 10 more boards than Iowa State.
With the starting five in sync, there was hardly any need for backup. In fact the Kansas bench only added six points.
"We're getting hard to guard because we're able to score from all five spots," Kansas coach Bill Self said.
Against Iowa State there was no one tougher to guard than Wiggins. Although Self argued that's been the case the whole season.
"He's been good all year," Sei said. "He just hasn't lived up to the hype. There's no way he could have."
On Wednesday the kid who was pinned as "the next Lebron James" was able to lock down the skills that initially drew the comparisons.
All Andrew Wiggins could complain about was one missed rebound. He still tallied seven others.
"You can just tell he's oozing with confidence," Holberg said. "That's scary."
— Edited by Alec Weave
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