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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2015
PAGE 9
QUOTE OF THE DAY
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"Regardless of how he got to the rim, he got to the rim and made the basket."
Bill Self
Bill Self
The Lawrence Journal-World
FACT OF THE DAY
Mason increased his points per game from 5.5 last season to 12.6 this season.
— ESPN
TRIVIA OF THE DAY
Q: How many points per game does Staten average?
A:14.5
THE MORNING BREW
— ESPN
Staten over Mason was right choice for All-Big 12 first team
This weekend, as the Big 12 came to a close, the All-Big 12 first and second teams were announced. Perry Ellis, a junior forward, made the first team, but sophomore guard Frank Mason III was only on the second team. That might come as a shock to some Kansas fans.
Mason improved his points per game, averaging 12.6 points per game this season compared to 5.5 last season. He also improved his average in steals, free-throw percentage (on Saturday he hit the three game-tying free-throws against Oklahoma), and three-pointers.
Juwan Staten, the West Virginia guard who made first team and was named preseason Big 12 Player of the Year, is just as good as any guard this year, but there's no doubt Mason has had an integral role in helping the Jayhawks win games this season.
However, I agree with the commit
tee that Staten is the better guard and deserved the first team nod.
When the Big 12 committee, made up of league coaches, chooses who's on the first and second team it looks for who has a great season individually, but it tends to pick veteran players — as it should — such as Ellis, Buddy Hield, an Oklahoma guard and Big 12 Player of the Year, and Staten, a senior.
For one, he has more size than Mason, who is 5-foot-11 and too short to play guard in the NBA right now, but what makes Staten a standout is that he can drive inside and not get blocked, like during the victory against Mountaineers in WVa. Ishbun
Morgantown, W. Va. Jayhawk fans still see Mason struggle when he drives inside.
Staten is in the upper tier of Big 12 guard play for his defensive performance. After his game-winning layup with seconds left in the Kansas-West Virginia matchup last month in Morgantown, Kansas coach Bill Self commended Staten's play.
"Regardless of how he got to the rim, he got to the rim and made the basket," Self said. "Then he's the one who defended Perry on the other
end. What a great hustle play. That's a kid who really wanted to win." When it comes down to it, defense and driving to the rim are the big differences between two guards, and
the
they're why Staten gets the edge over Mason. Staten also leads Mason in most statistical categories this season, averaging 14.5 points per game.
Despite the great season fans have seen from Mason, we still have two more years to see how much more Mason can improve. Staten will be a lottery pick in the NBA Draft in June, so next season the Big 12 will be Mason's to take over.
Moustakas gets two hits for Royals against Brewers
Edited by Emma LeGault
ASSOCIATED PRESS
PHOENIX — Mike Moustakas had two hits, including a two-run double, and the Kansas City Royals stayed perfect in Cactus League play with a 5-4 win over the winless Milwaukee Brewers on Monday.
The AL champion Royals are 6-0 and the lone unbeaten team in the majors during the exhibition season. The Brewers and Cubs are the only winless clubs at 0-5.
"Our guys are real focused about what they are doing," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "Our guys are real excited about the young kids getting opportunities and it excites the kids when they see the older veterans are excited about what they are doing. It gives everybody a good feeling."
Brewers star Ryan Braun fouled out and lined out, leaving him hitless in five attats this spring.
Moustakas had been 1 for 8 this spring going into the game. Raul Mondesi, son of the former major leaguer by the same game, had two hits and drove in a run for the Royals.
Matt Long and Matt Clark hit solo homers for Milwaukee.
Brewers starter Jimmy Nelson, showing his new curveball for the first time, allowed one hit in two scoreless innings in his first spring start. He's hoping an off-speed pitch will help him be more effective in the major leagues after enjoying dominant success in the minors last year.
"I liked the curveballs. When he missed, he missed
down with them," Milwaukee manager Ron Roenicke said. "I think it's going to be a nice pitch for him."
Jason Vargas gave up an RBI triple to Martin Maldonado in his first start for the Royals. Maldonado has four hits in seven spring at-bats with regular catcher Jonathan Lucroy still sidelined by an injury.
STARTING TIME
Royals: Coming off a career-best 3.71 ERA last year and a start in the AL pennant-clinching game against Baltimore, Vargas struck out three in two innings.
Brewers: Nelson went 2-9 in 12 starts with Milwaukee last year, but sparkled (10-2, 1.46 ERA) in 16 starts at Triple-A Nashville.
"I threw three curveballs and a couple of changeups and they were good pitches," Nelson said. "The curve is something I've been playing around with since Double-A. I have worked on it enough off a mound to put it into games. But this offseason, I put my mind to working on it and the speed difference will be big for me."
TRAINER'S ROOM
Brewers: Roenicke said Lucroy, who has been out with a right hamstring injury suffered during a running drill in mid-February, could see his first game action by this weekend. Lucroy, who had hamstring problems much of last season but was able to play through it, will get some at-bats — but not run the bases — in some minor league intrasquad games in the middle of the week. ... LHP Dontrelle Willis, who has had
a stiff neck since Saturday, could throw in a minor league game on Thursday. ... 1B Adam Lind is still a few days away with a back issue.
WHO'S ON FIRST?
With still Lind sidelined, Gerardo Parra, who won two Gold Gloves in Arizona but is the fourth outfielder in Milwaukee, has been taking groundballs at first. Roenicke said he might put him there in a game there soon.
"He played over there before and he messes around there all the time so we've been talking about it," Roenicke said. "It's impressive when you watch him in workouts. So we'll see."
UP NEXT
Royals: Kansas City is back in Surprise to face the Chicago White Sox. Starter Jeremy Guthrie will make his first Cactus League appearance.
CHARLIE RIEDEL/ASSOCIATED PRESS
Kansas City Royals' Mike Moustakas fields a ball during spring training practice Feb. 20 in Surprise, Ariz. The Royals snagged an early season victory against the Milwaukee Brewers Monday, winning 5-4.
CHARLIE RIEDEL/ASSOCIATED PRESS
Kansas City Royals' Mike Moustakas bats during spring training practice Feb. 25 in Surprise, Ariz. Moustakas had two hits Monday night against the Brewers.
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