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Volume 128 Issue 120
kansan.com
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Wednesday, May 6, 2015
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FACE OF THE STREAK
MARIO CHALMERS
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In the end, Chalmers outshined all of them.
from Anchorage, Alaska, to Lawrence, Mario Chalmers' basketball career has reached a level of success few have experienced. As the 12thranked recruit in the 2005 Rivals150, Chalmers was part of an absolutely star-studded freshman class, but he wasn't buried by the other talents.
The class also featured other five-star recruits, like Julian Wright and Brandon Rush, in addition to four-star recruit Micah Downs.
In his first year at Kansas, Chalmers produced right away. He averaged 11.5 points and 3.8 assists per game and shot 44.5 percent from the field and 37.5 from three. He also averaged 2.2 rebounds per game, with a true shooting percentage of 58.2 percent.
SCOTT CHASEN
@SChasenKU
Remarkably, all of those numbers would increase by his final year.
By his junior year, Chalmers posted right around 13 points, four assists, three rebounds and three steals per game, and shot 56 percent from the field on twos and 47 percent on
threes.
simply put, there were no weaknesses in his game, and it showed in Kansas' record.
The Jayhawks went 37-3, winning by 15-plus points 22 times and by 25-plus points 11 times.
The jayhawks outclassed pretty much every team they faced, and it showed. In fact, two of the team's three losses came by a combined three points. All three were on the road.
In his freshman season Kansas went 25-8, winning 76 percent of its games. The next year, the team went 33-5, and the winning percentage ballooned to 87.
Year after year, Chalmers battled against some of the toughest college players in recent times, but it didn't matter.
The Big 12 alone featured remarkable players in Michael Beasley, Kevin Durant, Blake Griffin, LaMarcus Aldridge, P.J. Tucker and D.J. Augustin, all of whom went on to play in the NBA.
Still, Chalmers posted a career record of 41-8 in Big
12 conference play, winning more than 83.5 percent of his games.
It was simply a ridiculous mark, but then again, in college, Chalmers was simply a ridiculous player.
Chalmers finished his Kansas career with 1,341 points, and had he returned for his senior season, he would've had a solid chance to get to the 2,000-point mark. His total points scored had gone up by an average of 60 in each of his last two years. With all four of the other starters from the championship team moving on, he definitely would've had to shoulder more of the load.
If Chalmers had bumped up his scoring to 16 or 17 points per game, he could have easily had a 600-point season to get to 2,000 points, a mark only three other Jayhawks have reached: Danny Manning, Nick Collison and Raef LaFrentz.
But for now, he'll just have to settle on being a Kansas legend and the potential Face of the Streak.
That's a pretty nice consolation prize.
— Edited by Garrett Long
"He has the biggest guts I've ever seen and I've ever played with."
Memphis star Derrick Rose is at the free-throw line to ice the game for the Tigers. Two shots and the game is over.
Rose leans back as the ball clanks off the front iron and off the backboard. Nervous Kansas fans nearly chew their fingertips off as they look down at the scoreboard.
GRIFFIN HUGHES
@GriffinJHughes
Ten seconds left
Rose steps up again. Nothing but net.
Still 62-60.
First shot.
"Kansas has made only two threes on the night."
"They must make one here to extend the game."
63-60.
It was on Sherron Collins, the point guard, the leader. He made it look so smooth, so easy. With five strikes, the 5'11" guard cleared midcourt and drove head-first into
There are 10.2 seconds left.
the nasty Calipari-led mandefense. This was destiny for Memphis.
Rose was one of the most talented recruits in the country, and now was his time to hoist a trophy. Finally this would put the doubt behind Calipari. Is he a good coach? How clean is his recruiting? Is Memphis a top program? Finally Coach Cal was going to have a ring to show for himself.
Then, Collins lost the ball. The rock skipped away from him as he drove near the top of the three-point line. Memphis players closed down, and it seemed Collins was sure to lose the ball and the game.
For Kansas fans, this was it. For as long as Bill Self was coach, he had fame, Big 12 titles and tournament runs, but no rings. And he was going to exit this game with no rings.
And then No.15 appeared. Like the hero in a great action
movie, he soared from his spot near the baseline to run around the falling Collins. His man had already given up on him. After all, he had just 13 points, and he'd been quiet the entire second half.
Collins looked up, and he saw Chalmers running the other way. He dribbled once and finally his feet gave out. Diving forward, Collins made his last play of the second half: a desperation toss to Chalmers.
He made just one three.
Edited by Vicky Diaz-
Camacho
Mario Chalmers went into overtime with 16 points.
Super Mario was ready.
And two made threes.
SHANE JACKSON
@jacksonshane3
SHERRON COLLINS
In a Bill Self era that has seen 11-consecutive conference regular season titles, one position has been routinely lackluster; the point guard.
The point guard's job is to direct the offense. He's the one calling out every single play as he dribbles up the court. The offense starts and runs through the point and is a particularly important position in college basketball, where a great point guard can carry a team deep into March.
Since Bill Self has been at Kansas, he has recruited only four five-star point guards.
Mario Chalmers and Russell Robinson are both on that list, but both played more as combo guards rather than true point guards. Josh Selby is another, but he was practically jumping ship to the NBA before fans could complete the Rock Chalk chant.
Only one player stands out from the pack: Sherron Collins.
Collins' path to becoming
a layhawk was an eventful one. Despite being ranked 21st overall in the 2006 class, the former Chicago native was told he'd never make it.
He not only made it, he ended his career in 2010 as the winningest Jayhawk of all-time. He is currently second, behind only Tyrel Reed.
Collins was everything you would want in a point guard and everything Self has wanted in one since. He showed leadership and toughness, he had the drive to succeed and was never afraid to take the big shot.
Collins played in 143 collegiate games, averaging 28.5 minutes per contest. He finished his four-year career at Kansas averaging 13.2 points, 3.9 assists and 2.4 rebounds per game. He finished with the fifth-most points in Kansas history with 1,888 points scored.
Many people will remember Mario Chalmers' game-tying three to force overtime in the 2008 National Championship. But an even more important play happened moments prior, when Collins stole the
ball and drilled a three on the other end, aiding in the nine-point comeback.
Collins is also the one who handed the rock to Chalmers before his threepointer. In addition, Collins dribbed out the clock to cap a seven-point victory in the first national title for Kansas in 20 years and the lone national title on Bill Self's résumé.
In an era dominated by one-and-done players, Kansas fans have had few players they have felt a significant attachment to. Because of this, players like Collins who had an impact for four years are such a rarity.
Collins' résumé is impressive enough to be considered the Face of the Streak.
After all, shouldn't the Face of the Streak be a player who played all four years?
That rareness, that unique quality, is why Collins made it all the way to the final matchup, and why he may be the Face of the Streak when all is said and done.
— Edited by Jordan Fox
"He meant as much to me as any player I have ever coached."
SEAN COLLINS
@seanzie_3
The Jayhawks found themselves down nine points with two minutes left in the 2008 National Championship game, and it seemed like everything was working against them. The team tried and failed to execute on the "chop play", and the chaos was evident, as Mario Chalmers left his feet for a tough shot, before dropping it off to Darrell Arthur at the last moment.
Following the shot, Bill Self took a timeout, and he called everyone over to talk about what needed to happen next, for the layhawks to come back.
Mercifully, Arthur was able to make something happen, as he hit a long two-pointer, but the team was still down 60-53.
Basketball terms aside, what the Jayhawks really needed was a miracle.
They got one
Sprinting towards the baseline,
Sherron Collins stripped the ball from Memphis star Derrick Rose, but he was unable to keep his footing, and was falling out of bounds. However, in dramatic fashion, Collins flung the ball behind him, and it somehow found the open arms of Mario Chalmers.
The ensuing pass was on point.
30 was the shot.
Collins knocked down the three, which brought the Jayhawks back within four, after trailing by nine points just seconds ago. In fact, without Collins' play, the Jayhawks likely wouldn't have been able to make up the ground they did, especially considering it took a last-second three-point shot just to tie the game.
So was the shot.
Chalmers hauled in the pass and drove toward the rim, but the lane was quickly blocked. Chalmers dropped the pass off to Russell Robinson, who turned and saw Collins in the corner.
And as the final seconds bled away, it was fitting that the ball would end up in the hands of Collins.
After Chalmers' famous three-pointer at the buzzer, the Jayhawks found themselves headed to overtime and never looked back. Carrying their momentum with them, the Jayhawks outscored the Tigers 12-5 in overtime.
The improbable comeback was no longer a fantasy.
With the Jayhawks up seven, Rose shot one last deep three-pointer, which careened off the back iron and found its way into the hands of Darrell Arthur.
Arthur handed it to Collins, who dribbled out the clock with a big smile on his face. You could almost see all the pressure melt away as Jim Nantz uttered the famous quote on the CBS broadcast:
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"A Kansas comeback for the history books. Rock Chalk championship."
Edited by Garrett Long
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