Volume 124 Issue 88
kansan.com
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Offense depends on posts
In the Iowa State game, Royce White and Melvin Ejim dominated Robinson and Withey down low and forced them into foul trouble, which made it difficult for Kansas to establish a front-court offense.
Starting big men at the University of Kansas are expected to make big contributions, and it's not an option, it's a requirement.
The Jayhawks' loss against the Iowa State Cyclones last Saturday showed that integrating Robinson and Withey in the paint is critical to the team's offensive success.
Against the Oklahoma Sooners, Withey and Robinson limited their fouls and were able to attack Romero Osby and Andrew Fitzgerald, who each had four fouls
For Kansas, the establishment of an efficient and productive front-court offense equates to better decision making.
"We are a better team when we play inside out," coach Bill Self said. "In the first half, we were stale, to me, against the zone, we end up casting up too many three's because we really didn't get the ball inside the first half."
Wilt Chamberlain, Clyde Lovellette, Danny Manning, Wayne Simien, Nick Collison and a host of other Kansas big men set a standard of excellence in the front court that players like Thomas Robinson and Jeff Withey must meet.
Withey takes advantage of his 7-foot frame by using the hook shot, which was effective against the Sooners. At his height, Withey should be able to make the most efficient shot in the game: the dunk
As for Robinson, his brawn gets opponents to foul him because he is physically tough inside and when they choose not to foul him, they're watching him throw down tomahawk dunks. Robinson has the raw strength and athleticism to power his way through opponents.
Saturday's game against rival Missouri is one that must be won in the paint and on the boards. Because Missouri is a guard-oriented team that counts on one big man, Ricardo Ratliffe, Kansas cannot abandon its front-court offense. The Jayhawks have the height advantage against the Tigers. Ratliffe will pose problems, but Withey and Robinson have no excuse to get into foul trouble. They must be the aggressors like they were against Oklahoma and attack Missouri's big men, especially Ratliffe, and get Missouri into foul trouble.
When two guys like Robinson and Withey can fuel the front-court attack, that attracts multiple defenders, which leaves guards like Tyshawn Taylor, Elijah Johnson and Travis Releford open on the perimeter. Drawing more defenders to guard the paint allows a slash to the basket.
Withey and Robinson are unique and possess different physiques.
Both Robinson and Withey cannot have off nights because the front-court bench players, Justin Wesley and Kevin Young, are unreliable. The Jayhawks will go as far as where their front-court offense takes them. Kansas has no business launching ill-advised three-pointers when they can work their offense through a 7-footer and an All-American candidate.
Edited by Amanda Gage
KANSAS 84, OKLAHOMA 62
MISSOURI'S UP NEXT
MAX ROTHMAN
mrothman@kansan.com
The Jayhawks couldn't help themselves.
They took the Sooners seriously, especially after Oklahoma won 63-60 at Kansas State on Saturday. The Jayhawks knew that focus was mandatory, especially after they stumbled at Iowa State on the same day. But at times on Wednesday night, Kansas had another game in mind.
Can you blame them? Missouri's up on Saturday.
Keyed up by high-pressure defense, Taylor sped his team and ran right at Oklahoma's interior. With six and a half minutes left in the game, he took an inbounds pass on one end of the floor, sprinted with the ball to the other end, shedding would-be defenders, and converted a lay-up before the Sooners were even close to ready for him. The possession transpired in no more than three seconds.
Though coach Bill Self refuted it, perhaps the Border Showdown clouded his players' minds in the first half.
"In the back of our heads," senior guard Tyshawn Taylor said, "somewhere we were thinking about that game."
Kansas led 34-31 at halftime, so Self told his team to stop settling for three-pointers, which are easier to shoot than convert, and start attacking the meat of Oklahoma's zone defense.
With Taylor drawing so much attention.
"We weren't, by no means, dominant in the first half." Self said. "I just thought we needed to play with more energy."
Still. No. 8 Kansas (18-4, 8-1) romped Oklahoma 84-62 at Allen Fieldhouse with a tireless fast fast break that sprouted in the opening
junior forward Thomas Robinson was able to return to his usual state.
"To me, Thomas hasn't been himself for three games maybe," Self said. "But he was tonight."
Robinson, who scored 19 points and corralled 17 rebounds, cleaned up missed shots by using his strength and size to displace the opposition. After all three of his dunks, he repeatedly beat his chest and raised his hands to the fieldhouse crowd.
minutes of the second half.
"We took a lot of three-pointers in the first half," Taylor said. "Kind of playing into their hands."
JUMP TO BASKETBALL ON PAGE 6
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Team hopes for tournament bid
KATHLEEN GIER
kgier@kansan.com
twitter.com/ukd_wball
The Jajhawks are unpredictable. They've defeated two ranked teams in Big 12 play and started with three straight conference road wins, but on the other hand they have lost three games at home to Kansas State, Texas A&M and Oklahoma.
"You look at all three of them and it has been gut-wrenching" coach Bonnie Henrickson said. "In this league you have got to be able to take care of your home court and we have not done that."
Halfway through league play, Kansas is fighting to defend a .500 record. Going into Wednesday's game, Kansas was ranked No. 25 by the ESPN/ USA Today Coaches poll, but that excitement was lost in the overtime loss.
Kansas looked like it had the game decided midway through the second half with a series of stunning offense and stifling defense. Up seven, the Jayhawks started to slide again and needed a three-pointer to send it into overtime. Junior guard Angel Goodrich and junior guard Monica Engelman hit clutch shots to keep the Jayhawks in the game and turnovers and defensive breakdowns helped lead to the swift demise of No. 25.
Three of the 10 Big. 12 teams are currently ranked in the Associated Press poll and another three are receiving votes including Kansas. But as the jayhawks reach for their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2000, they are left with no guaranteed victories in this talented league.
"We made mistakes and for us to do that, we let each other down," Goodrich said.
Now, the Kansas women basketball team sits at 16-5 overall and 5-4 in conference play riding a two game losing streak into College Station to face defending national champions Texas A&M on Saturday.
Two short weeks ago when Kansas hosted Texas A&M it was in a completely different position coming off three road wins and in sole possession of second place in the conference.
"I really believe if Kansas would have won this ball game it would have punched their ticket even this early to the tournament," Texas A&M coach Gary Blair said.
To reach that goal the layhawks need at least 20 wins and around nine or 10 in expanded conference play. The layhawks start the second wind of their round robin conference schedule this weekend. They will face three of the four teams they lost to on the road and host No. 1 Baylor
Statistically, the Jayhawks have some of the best play makers in the country with junior guard Angel Goodrich who leads the nation in assists and junior forward Carolyn Davis who leads in shooting percentage. The team as a whole ranks sixth in the nation in overall shooting percentage, but in the last two games that hasn't translated. The Jayhawks shot just 38.2 percent from the field, well under their average of 47.9.
"We've talked about how this is a one possession league and then the flip side is it has got to be a bounce back league and you have to be able to get yourself together," Henrickson said.
at home. This also includes Iowa State in Ames, after a double overtime victory in Lawrence.
Personnel wise, the Jayhawks have struggled. Sophomore guard Keena Mays and freshman guard Donielle Breaux left the team earlier in the season leaving Kansas with 10 women on the roster. Even with the downsizing, freshman guard Asia Boyd who entered the program as the No. 37 recruit is playing minimal minutes.
After Texas A&M this weekend. Kansas will return home to host Texas before hitting the road again with stops at Kansas State and Iowa State.
Edited by Amanda Gage
CHRIS BROWN/KANSAN
Coach Bonnie Hennickson looks concerned down the court during Tuesday's game against Oklahoma where Kansas was defeated in overtime 68-72. Kansas is now 16-5 for the season and 4-2 in 12 play.
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