Volume 128 Issue 82
kansan.com
Monday, February 23, 2015
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
COMMENTARY Graham provides spark off the bench
When the Kansas basketball starters only account for 19 points in the first half, there needs to be someone on the bench that can give the Jayhawks a spark.
The surprise of the game was the bench responding well to the struggling starters, scoring 37 points — 31 more points than the bench scored against West Virginia.
In the past, Kansas coach Bill Self said he would rely on junior Jamari Traylor for an uplift in energy. But in the Kansas win of 81-72 against TCU, freshman Devonte' Graham provided the well-needed spark off the bench.
Before Graham checked in with 15 minutes left in the first half, the Jayhawks were down 8-4 to the Horned Frogs. Graham scored 11 points and gave Kansas an early 35-29 lead going into halftime.
"We had some starters that really didn't produce," Self said. "We needed our bench to be good, but we [couldn't have won] the game without [Graham]."
Graham was the key. He scored a career-high 20 points off the bench, and went perfect from the field (7-0) and from three (2-0). Graham said the 100 percent shooting percentage was luck.
"The last time I checked, you don't come to Kansas unless you can play" Johnson said.
"There are definitely some things that I still need to fix; I haven't been shooting the ball well," Graham said. "I am just glad that I made shots and was able to help the team."
And that's exactly what Graham did. He played with higher intensity and listened to Self to take the ball to the rim. Along with shooting perfect from behind the arc and in the field, Graham didn't miss a contested layup in the paint. TCU coach Trent Johnson said he knew Graham would get to the rim and play well.
The Jayhawks will need Graham to stay consistent through the remainder of the season in order for Kansas to stay under control. Self can't push Mason to play over 33 minutes anymore without getting fatigued.
Since the TCU game in Fort Worth, Texas, six games ago, Graham had a combined total of eight points. He surpassed that total in the first half against TCU in Allen Fieldhouse.
"It was all about the mindset for me," Graham said. "I just tried to get in the paint and make plays for my teammates. I was more aggressive than I have been."
- Edited by Mitch Raznick
Self said he needed Graham to play more to help sophomore Frank Mason III out, because Mason plays so many minutes. Mason is third in the Big 12, averaging 33 minutes per game. Mason played 32 minutes against TCU. even though Graham had a productive game.
Sophomore guard Wayne Selden Jr. drives past TCU defender Brandon Parrish on Saturday in Allen Fieldhouse. Up next, Kansas visits Kansas State on the road.
Kansas prepares for Sunflower Showdown
BEN FELDERSTEIN
@Ben_Felderstein
BEN LIPOWITZ/KANSAN
After completing its season sweep of TCU Saturday, Kansas will travel to Manhattan to take on Kansas State for the second time this season.
The Jayhawks defeated the Wildcats 68-57 in their previous matchup. The Jayhawks will enter the game with a 22-5 record overall and an 11-3 conference record, good for the top spot in the Big 12. The Wildcats are 13-15 on the season with a 6-9 showing in the Big 12.
Kansas State has lost seven of its past eight games, with its only win coming in a Valentine's Day victory against theno.17 Oklahoma. Marcus Foster leads the Wildcats in scoring with 13.4 points per contest.
Foster is having a solid season for K-State after returning for one more season in Manhattan. Foster shoots 40.4 percent from the field and records 2.3 rebounds per game. Nino Williams leads Kansas State with 5.2 rebounds per game.
Foster led the way against Kansas in the matchup in Lawrence, with 19 points on 7-of-18 shooting. Thomas Gipson had 19 points of his own on 7-of-13 shooting and added seven rebounds.
toward its 11th straight Big 12 title and should fair well against struggling Kansas State. K-State has been eliminated from Big 12 title contention with nine conference losses this season.
Junior Perry Ellis had a team-high 16 points on 7-of-9 shooting against the Wildcats along with 12 rebounds and three assists. Sophomore Wayne Selden Jr. had 14 of his own points and a career-high four blocks.
it traveled to Manhattan in a grueling three-point overtime loss. Ellis led Kansas with 19 points in that effort. Former Jayhawk Andrew Wiggins scored 16 points, but fouled out, as did Ellis.
Kansas is still pushing
Foster recorded 20 points
on 5-of-10 shooting from the field. He knocked down four threes and was 6-of-7 from the free-throw line. Kansas has struggled in Bramlage Coliseum as it is a hostile environment for visiting teams.
Kansas lost the last time
Kansas will host Texas
this Saturday when College GameDay comes to Lawrence. The Jayhawks defeated the Longhorns the last time the two faced off during GameDay at the Fieldhouse.
— Edited by Kayla Schartz
Beavers defeat Jayhawks into two-game skid
JOEY ANGUIANO
Despite starting the game quick to action in the first innning, the Kansas Jayhawks (2-4) were unable to overcome a first-inning deficit that the Oregon State Beavers (5-3) just kept adding to. Oregon State won the game 15-5 Sunday.
@joey_anguiano
Right away in the first, the Jayhawks came out looking to play. Sophomore Joven Afenir singled to get the first
hit of the game. After junior Colby Wright was walked, sophomore Michael Tinsley stepped into the batter's box. Tinsley hit an RBI double, scoring Afenir, followed by senior Dakota Smith hitting in Wright to put Kansas up 2-0. Everything seemed to be going well, until Oregon State came up to bat.
Coach Ritch Price stressed this weekend that one of the key things the Jayhawks need to be successful is an effective starting pitcher,
who is able to stay in the game for six to seven innings. But Sunday, the first inning saw seven Beavers cross home plate inspiring a first-inning pitching change for the Jayhawks.
In the second inning, Afenir hit an RBI single, showing that the Jayhawks were not just going to lay down and accept defeat after a treacherous first inning. On the defensive side of the second, freshman Blake
Weiman and the Jayhawks were able to make it through the second inning without allowing the Beavers to add onto their lead of 3-7 over Kansas.
The third inning saw a missed opportunity after senior Connor McKay hit a two-out triple, but he was left stranded on third.
Oregon State proceeded to take advantage of every opportunity. The Beavers brought home two runs in the third: One came via
Senior pitcher Drew Morovick delivers a strikeout in the Kansas home opener last season. Kansas lost to Oregon State 15-5 on Saturday. ASSOCIATED PRESS
ASSOCIATED PRESS
sacrifice fly, while the other was scored after a ball was overthrown to third base.
The fourth inning saw yet another pitching change for Kansas, and not much else; but the fifth inning was the microcosm of the game.
Things started looking up again for Kansas after Tinsley crushed a solo shot deep over the centerfield fence, but that was all the Jayhawks could muster. Oregon State showed up again, starting with a single run. Then, the Beavers loaded up the bases, and freshman KJ Harrison stepped up to the plate. Harrison hit his fourth career home run — a grand slam that catapulted the Beavers' lead to 10.
Kansas added two more runs in the eighth and ninth innings, but it was too little too late. The eighth inning also saw a run added to the board by Oregon State.
The Jayhawks came away from the long weekend in Arizona, with two wins, added confidence in their ability to come back late in games and knowledge that if the pitching staff can start strong, the offense can win more games. The Jayhawks will be back in action again Thursday at the Snowbird Classic in Port Charlotte, Fla. The first matchup will be at 1 p.m. against Chicago State University (0-4).
- Edited by Mitch Raznick
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