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Volume 128 Issue 87
COMMENTARY Greene crucial to postseason success
From mid-january to the first week of February, the Kansas Jayhawks were playing their best basketball of the season. One of the biggest reasons was sophomore Brannen Greene playing the best basketball of his collegiate career.
From Jan. 19 to Feb. 10, it seemed like every time Greene lined up a jumper it would go in.
In those seven games, he shot a scorching 71 percent from three and averaged 11 points per game. In that stretch, the lajhawks were 6-1, with their only loss occurring at Oklahoma State, a place where they traditionally struggle under Bill Self.
I struggle under this rain.
In the last three weeks,
Kansas has lost three games
and it is not a coincidence
that Greene's play has slipped. If the Jayhawks are going to have a successful NCAA Tournament, it is crucial for Greene to find his shooting stroke once again.
Last year, when Kansas lost to Stanford in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, many fans quickly pointed to Andrew Wiggins as the reason why. He may have only had four points, but he had no room to work. Every time he caught the ball, Stanford packed into the paint to take away all driving lanes.
Greene can prevent teams from doing that with his shooting ability. If he is making shots, that creates room for guys like Frank Mason III, Perry Ellis and Kelly Oubre Jr. to operate. It doesn't take a basketball purist to figure out that if they have more room to work, it will make it easier for them get to the basket and either make a basket, get fouled or create a shot for somebody else.
In the last five games, Greene has made just two of his last 14 three-point attempts (14 percent), and averaged four points per game. In that stretch, the Jayhawks have sputtered to a 3-2 record.
It is no secret that Greene is a very up-and-down player, like most three-point marksmen often are. He has had nine games where he has scored in double figures. The Jayhawks are 8-1 in those games. But Greene has had seven games where he scored zero points. The Jayhawks have been able to overcome that on occasion, but are just 4-3 in such games.
If the Jayhawks are going to make a deep NCAA Tournament run, Mason, Oubre and Ellis need to play well. They will be the ones under the microscope, and if Greene can hit shots and stretch the floor, that will make life much easier for the Jayhawks in the tournament.
Edited by Kelsi Kirwin
Jayha
DYLAN SHERWOOD
@dmantheman2011
On Senior Night, Kara needed to make free throw down the stretch as seen forward Chelsea Gardner senior guard Natalie Knight made seven-of-eight from free-throw line in the last seconds of the game to Kansas a 68-64 win.
For the first time since 21 the lajyhawks swept the clones during the regular son.
"It was great for the sent to end it for us at the down the stretch." coach Bnie Henrickson said.
Kansas got off to a qu start as the seniors would st to contribute early in their nal game in Allen Fieldhout. Three of the four Kansas niors got the start as forw. Bunny Williams, Gardner a Knight made their final star at Allen Fieldhouse. Willia played the first four minutes of the game, recorded bucket and blocked a sh Rebounding was the key the game as the Jayhawks things started.
"Offensive rebounding w hurting us in losses this season and we got better at th in the last two games," Garner said.
Kansas outrebounded Io State 43-34, and 17-12 on offensive glass.
Kansas led 9-5 early, but Iowa State came back to the game 9-9 and 11-11. Kansas then sparked on a 10 run and led 21-13 with 7 remaining. The Jayhawks lighthought and had just one turnover in the first 20 minutes of the game, committing their first turnover with 4 seconds remaining in the first half. Freshman guard Lauren
Kansas
BEN FELDERSTEIN
@Ben_Felderstein
If you haven't heard...
An Iowa State win againsecond-place Oklahoma orMonday night gave the Jay hawks a one-and-a-half game lead with two games remaining, giving Kansas at least share of its 11th straight B12 title. Kansas can clinch the conference outright with win over West Virginia.
With at least a share of the Big 12 regular season title already in hand, No. 9 Kansas (23-6, 12-4) will play in final home game of the season against No. 20 West Virginia (22-7, 10-6) on Tuesday night.
The Mountaineers defeated the Jayhawks in Morgantown at the buzzer earlier this season, 62-61. West Virginia has won three of its past four games and have surged back into the Big 12 contention tied for third with a 10-6 record against Baylor and Iowa State.
The game will also be the last in Allen Fieldhouse for the senior Christian Garrett who has been at Kansas since 2011. The 6-3 guard from Lo Angeles has appeared in 3 games as a Jayhawk.
Senior Juwan Staten leads the Mountaineers in scoring this season with 14.5 points per game on 42.3 percent shooting from the field. Staten hit the go-ahead spinning layup in the lane against the Jayhawks to give the Mountaineers the win in their previous matchup. Staten posted 20 points with four assists
KANSAN.COM IS ALL NEW!
MISSY MINEAR/KANSAN ball Monday night against Iowa minutes in the game.
nsas (15-16) will find out'eed in the Big 12 Tournat after tonight's games in conference. Kansas will either at 6:00 p.m. or 8:30 on Friday in Dallas, Tex-
s win or go home time," nt said.
Edited by Valerie Haag
12 title
AARON GROENE/KANSAN
chup against the Longhorns.
hind to win 69-64.
a better time adjusting.
sday's final home game
night for the Jays
who have only one sewalk-on Christian Gar-
Garrett was just named
e Academic All-Big 12
for the first time in his
years at Kansas.
Saturday, Kansas will
to Norman, Okla. for
dig 12 finale. The Jay-
defeated the Sooners,
earlier this season in
Fieldhouse.
- Edited by Valerie Haag
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