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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THURSDAY, JANUARY 23, 2014
PAGE 3B
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KANSAS TIPOFF
BASKETBALL GAMEDAY
BLAKE SCHUSTER
bschuster@kansan.com
Jayhawks look to avenge their road loss after last season motivated to return to their court with a victory KANSAS VS. TCU AN.25,8 P.M., DANIEL MEYER COLISEUM, FORTH WORTH, TEXA
AT A GLANCE
The last time Kansas took a trip out to TCU it invoked comparisons to the Topeka YMCA and the worst loss the Jayhawks have ever suffered. You can check motivation off the list of things the team
is packing for texas. The Jayhawks are the last remaining undefeated team in the Big 12 while every other school has at least two losses. With a long break between games you wouldn't think this would be a trap. Then again, that's what we thought last year.
Not that Selden has been in much of a slump, but it's clear he's not playing at the same level he was even a week ago. If he can become more efficient on offense again he gives the Jayhawks a scoring threat from every spot on the floor. Look for him to keep driving the lane. If nothing else, he'll fight his way to the line.
PLAYER TO WATCH
we thought last year.
Wayne Selden
QUESTION MARKS
Can Naadir Tharpe keep up his stellar play?
Kansas runs TCU out of its own gym. Don't think that Perry Ellis and Naadir Tharpe have forgotten about what happened last year. This is just as much of a revenge game as Oklahoma State at the Fieldhouse and Kansas fans are every bit as angry.
Ever since the conference opener Tharpe has near flawlessly conducted the Kansas offense and the result was four straight wins against ranked opponents. Elijah Johnson once quipped that he, as a point guard, felt it was his job to drive the car. Tharpe is on cruise control right now and the Jayhawks have never looked more energized.
Edited by Brook Barnes
BY THE NUMBERS
6. 4 Kansas blocks per game
4 Kansas is 4th in the nation in field goal percentage (50.6)
15. 2 Andrew Wiggins scoring average which leads all Jayhawks
BABY JAY WILL CHEER IF
No.8 KANSAS (14-4,5-0 Big 12)
STARTERS
Even with Mason starting in Colorado, Naadir Tharpe still played 28 minutes so it's not as if one player is getting thrown aside. Mason's aggressiveness was key during the Jayhawks' late run as he barreled into traffic resulting mostly in a tough layup or a trip to the line. In 34 minutes he registered 11 points and four assists with two turnovers.
Naadir Tharpe, Guard
Wayne Selden, Guard
For a short while it seemed like Selden had finally found his groove. He opened up conference play with two consecutive 20-point performances and seemed to take much better care of the ball. But a lackluster performance against Baylor (1-5 FG, 3 turnovers) after a 2-9 night against Oklahoma State has shown that Selden is still figuring things out. However Selden has been much more active recently which is a large improvement from the beginning of the year.
Andrew Wiggins, Guard
The pessimist is quick to point out Andrew Wiggins has averaged 35 percent from the field over the last three games. The optimist says he's still scored 37 points during that stretch, not to mention his 28 rebounds. The truth is somewhere in the middle. Wiggins isn't what many expected when he first set foot on campus, but that doesn't mean he's played poorly. Even Kansas coach Bill Self pointed out that Wiggins is in a no-win situation. He's still growing and learning and should not have to apologize for his current production.
★★★★
Perry Ellis. Forward
In a span of 30 seconds on Monday night, Ellis scored five points and essentially killed Baylor's shot at a win in Lawrence. For everything that's said about how quiet the sophomore is, his game speaks louder than anything. Ellis remains one of Self's more trusted tools on the floor and always seems to make the time play. There aren't many reasons why that should change.
TCU (9-9,0-6 Big 12)
More than likely, teams all over the country are assigning coaches to figure out how to stop Kansas' big man. And that's not limited to the college game, either. Whether Embiid will go to the draft is still up in the air. Bill Self notoriously doesn't discuss such things with his players until after the season. The fact is no one in college basketball leaves more people in awe than Embiid right now and he only gets better with every game.
Joel Embiid, Center
Kvan Anderson, Guard
STARTERS
A Fort Worth native, Anderson leads the Horned Frogs in points, assists, steals and field goal percentage. Like most of his teammates, Anderson has struggled lately and has shot 3-20 from the field in his last two games. He has scored 20-plus in four games this season but has yet to hit that mark in conference.
Jarvis Ray, Guard
The lone senior in the starting five averaged 15 points in the first five games of the season but has been quiet as of late. After scoring 15 points against Alaska Anchorage, he has reached double-digits only three times in his last 12 games. He has averaged six points in conference play.
★★☆☆☆
Karviar Shepherd, Center
The team's biggest post-presence earned a career-night 15 points against Texas Tech. He also recorded seven rebounds, three blocks and went a perfect 9-9 from the free throw line. TCU coach Trent Johnson said the freshman is beginning to figure things out and is going to get better with time.
★★★☆☆
Amric Fields, Forward
Coming off knee and hand injuries, Fields has excelled in Big 12 play and leads TCU in scoring in those games averaging 14 points a game. He made eight of his 10 free throws against Texas Tech and tied with Karviar Shepherd for a game-high 15 points.
Brandon Parrish. Forward
This freshman has been inconsistent in Big 12 play. He scored 18 against West Virginia and 16 at Baylor but has scored just eight points in his last two games. Almost half of his points this season have come from long-range, where he leads the Horned Frogs in 3-point percentage and 3-pointers made.
Prediction: Kansas 89, TCU 63
TCU
TIPOFF
BRIAN HILLIX bhillix@kansan.com
AT A GLANCE
TCU (9-8, 0-5) remains winless in the Big 12 and stands alone in last place. The Horned Frogs squandered one of their best chances to earn a conference win after falling to eighthplace Texas Tech at home on Saturday, Jan. 18. In their five conference games, the Horned Frogs have struggled to score as they rank last in the Big 12 averaging just 55 points a game. Perhaps more concerning is that three of those five games came against teams with a losing conference record. The Horned Frogs will need a repeat of Kansas' dreadful shooting performance in Fort Worth last year to have even a remote chance of winning this year.
PLAYER TO WATCH
Kyan Anderson
The lone bright spot for TCU, the junior point guard ranks among the Big 12 leaders in points (11th), assists (6th) and steals (3rd). After averaging 21 points a game in the month of December. Anderson has tapered off a bit and has combined to score just 16 points in his last two games.
QUESTION MARKS
How will TCU compensate for its lack of depth?
TCU heavily relies on its starters as each player logged at least 34 minutes against Texas Tech with only three players coming off the bench. Against a deep Kansas team, the Horned Frogs may struggle to sustain a high level of play throughout the entire game due to fatigue.
BY THE NUMBERS
18 Average margin of victory for TCU's conference opponents
35
TCU field goal percentage in conference play, last in the Big 12
10
Made field goals against Texas Tech on Jan. 18
BABY JAY WILL CRY IF
The game is close. This game has all the makings of a blowout in a battle between the first- and last-place teams in the Big 12. If TCU hangs around, especially in the second half, flashbacks from last year will begin to resurface.
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Edited by Alec Weaver
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