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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2012
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
KANSAS TIPOFF
AT A GLANCI
With their first Big 12 loss in the past, the Jayhawks hope to get back on track against the Sooners, whom they beat 72-61 on Jan. 7 in Norman, Okla. In that game, like most of their close games this season, the Jayhawks' offense started off slowly. Junior guard Travis Releford saved the team, scoring 28 points. Junior forward Thomas Robinson, who posted 13 points and 7 rebounds on Saturday against Iowa State, will aim to establish himself early and forget about his below-average performance in this weekend's loss.
PLAYER TO WATCH
Thomas Robinson, forward
Many have robbed Robinson the best player in the nation, but on Saturday, against Iowa State's sophomore forward Royce White, Robison wasn't even the
Robinson
best player on the floor. At the post-game press conference, Robinson said he wasn't playing his game. He traveled on pivots near the basket and wasn't able to dictate with his size and strength. Against a less-intimidating Oklahoma front-court, Robinson will have a better chance to achieve a double-double.
Will Kansas stay focused with Missouri awaiting on Saturday?
QUESTION MARK
Kansas can't afford to look past Oklahoma, who beat Kansas State 63-60 on Saturday. With this weekend's Border Showdown game in Columbia, Mo., looming, it could be easy to overlook the Sooners. However, if the Jayhawks do so, they could be facing the Missouri Tigers after two-straight losses. In past struggles, Self has said that his team lacks focus and energy. The Jayhawks' home-court advantage might provide that much-needed focus and energy in tonight's game.
HEAR YE HEAR YE
"The way to make it a big game on Saturday is to take care of business on Wednesday."
Bill Self, on not overlooking Oklahoma before Saturday's game at Missouri
BIG JAY WILL CHEER IF...
Kansas holds their ground at home. A handful of losses on the road won't derail any dreams of an eighth-consecutive Big 12 championship as long as the Jayhawks take care of business at home. And with a tough stretch of road games against Missouri, Baylor and Kansas State coming up, beating teams like Oklahoma at home are a must.
COUNTDOWN TO TIPOFF
Taylor
Johnson
Releford
Robinson
KANSAS (15-4, 5-1) STARTERS
Withey
TYSHAWN TAYLOR. GUARD
Taylor has been the team's most-consistent player recently, and, yes, you read that correctly. The once-erratic Taylor has become one of the most reliable guards in the nation. He's surrendered two or fewer turnovers in each of the past three games, which is certainly an upgrade from his 11 turnovers against Duke and eight against Kansas State. If his teammates start out slowly again, Taylor won't be afraid to attack the hoop and take shots from deep.
ELUAH JOHNSON, GUARD
After a hiccup against Texas A&M, Johnson returned to his role as a do-it-all player. He tallied 10 points, three assists, two steals and one rebound against Iowa State. That one rebound wasn't enough for coach Bill Self, who blamed his guards for the rebounding deficit on Saturday. Johnson also recorded four fouls and four turnovers, so it wasn't a squeaky-clean outing. A few three-pointers would aid his team and help them rely on defense to win.
TRAVIS RELEFORD, GUARD
Releford played his typically rugged defense on Saturday, but he only grabbed two rebounds. While Releford is listed as a guard, he plays more like a forward and does much of his work near the basket. He'll never approach the bench in key situations, not with the way he hassles his opponents. But if Releford isn't cleaning up rebounds and scrambling for loose balls against Oklahoma, Kansas will become average fast, as Self often says.
THOMAS ROBINSON, FORWARD
Teams improve for rematch Kansas hopes to focus after Iowa State loss NO.8 KANSAS VS.OKLAHOMA 8 P.M., ALLEN FIELDHOUSE, LAWRENCE
In Kansas' first three losses of the season — against Kentucky, Duke and Davidson, — Robinson still posted a double-double in each game. During the loss against Iowa State, he couldn't reach the mark, and Royce White completely dominated him. Against a weaker Oklahoma frontcourt, Robinson should return to form. He posted 18 points and 9 rebounds in the Jan. 7 game at Oklahoma. Fans should expect similar numbers tonight.
★★★★
It's hard to blame Withey for White's monstrous performance on Saturday. Withey can block with the best of them, and he's progressing as a rebounder. However, Withey's defense on the perimeter isn't his strong suit just yet. He got into foul trouble against Iowa State, because White has a knack for getting to the free-throw line. But if Withey gets into foul trouble against the Sooners, Kansas fans might have an unpleasant trend to monitor.
JEFF WITHEY. CENTER
OKLAHOMA (13-7,3-5) STARTERS
CAMERON CLARK, GUARD
Clark
Max Rothman
Self seemed impressed with Clark's play as of late. He was an efficient 5 for 9 with 11 points in the victory against Kansas State on Monday and has had double-digit points in three of his last five games. In the first meeting with Kansas, Clark finished with nine points.
SAM GROOMS, GUARD
Much more of a passer than scorer, Grooms is averaging nearly six assists per game this season. He leads his team in that category and is third in the Big 12 since conference play started. In the first showdown with Kansas, he did much of what he's known for: playing 32 minutes but taking just four shots while adding five assists.
STEVEN PLEDGER, GUARD
Pledger
Pledger is the one player on the Sooners roster who can explode for a huge offensive performance on any night. He's had more than 17 points in half of his Big 12 games, including a 30-point performance against Kansas State on Monday.
ROMERO OSBY,
FORWARD
Osby is averaging nearly a double-double with 12 points and 8 rebounds this season. His last four games
Osby
have picked up, though, averaging 17.8 points. He's now a legitimate threat down low for the Sooners, who struggled to find post production to begin Big 12 play.
★★★☆☆
ANDREW FITZGERALD, FORWARD
Fitzgerald had 21 points in the victory over Kansas State on an impressive 9-for-10 shooting. He's had double figures in each of his last four games and
Fitzgerald
is part of the reason Self thinks that the Sooners are more consistent offensively now than earlier in the season.
Prediction:
Kory Carpenter
Kansas 76, Oklahoma 63
OKLAHOMA
TIPOFF
AT A GLANCE
PLAYER TO WATCH
The Sooners held a one-point lead over the Jayhawks in their first meeting on Jan. 7 but eventually fell, 72-61. Since that loss, they're 3-3, but two of those wins came against a ranked Kansas State team. Coach Bill Self thinks that Oklahoma is a much-better basketball team right now. The Sooners are 13-7 on the year, and their 3-5 mark in Big 12 play has them in sixth place heading into Wednesday night's game. Monday night's victory against Kansas State was just Oklahoma's second on the road in the Big 12 in their last 21 tries. It was also their first road victory over a ranked opponent since Jan. 26, 2008, against Baylor.
Steven Pledger, guard
Pledger
Pledger is averaging 17.8 points per game this season and is getting 16.5 points per game in conference play, good enough for sixth. Kansas
held him to 14 points in the teams' first meeting on Jan. 7, and he shot just 33.3 percent in the loss. He's shooting a respectable 40.7 percent from the floor, but coach Lon Kruger would probably like to see him get to the free-throw line more often. In Big 12 play, Pledger is a perfect 24-of-24 from the line.
Are the Sooners as good as Self believes?
QUESTION MARK
Self had nothing but praise on Tuesday for Oklahoma's play as of late. He said the Sooners are scoring much easier and with more consistency than earlier in the conference season. In the last five games, the Sooners are averaging 69.8 points, just four points more than their season average. They've surpassed the 75-point mark just once in that stretch, however, including three games with 65 points or less. While the offense is better as of late, it's been extremely average in conference play, and when Oklahoma loses, offense is the reason more often than not.
HEAR YE HEAR YE
"Not only did we turn it over, but we turned it over with them shooting lay-ups, which is the worst of both worlds."
— Oklahoma coach Lon Kruger after his team's 72-61 loss to Kansas on Jan. 7
BABY JAY WILL WEEP IF...
Kansas overestimates Oklahoma. With the loss to Iowa State and the Big 12 lead now at just one game, this doesn't look to be a problem for the Jayhawks. Self said Saturday's game against Missouri won't be as hyped if Kansas drops another game heading to Columbia, and the Sooners will have the Jayhawks' full attention.