ITY DAILY KANSAN
TUESDAY, JANUARY 17.2012
BAYLOR 74
PAGE 5B
LL REWIND
Rebounding crucial to Baylor's defeat
KORY CARPENTER
kcarpenter@kansan.com
It's hard to look at this year'saylor basketball team and not thinkf just one word. Big. That's whathe bears are known for this seasonand that's what got them to a 17-0cord and a No. 3 ranking headingto a big Monday showdown insideAllen Fieldhouse. The starting lineup,onsisting of three players listed at-foot 7 or taller, creates one of theoughest match ups in the nation. OnMonday night, however, the Bayloront line was nothing more thana minor speed bump for the Kansasbigmen who had their way in the paintearly the whole game in the 92-7Kansas victory, led by junior forward
Thomas Robinson.
"He played like an All-American, he played like he was supposed to play," Baylor sophomore forward Perry Jones III said. "He's a tough dude who just delivered for his team."
Kansas out-rebounded the Bears 39-24.
"We've rebounded really well some games and we've stunk some games," Kansas coach Bill Self said. "Iowa State beats us by eight in our building and then we do that tonight, so we've got to be more consistent there."
Robinson had 27 points and 14 rebounds while the aforementioned Jones III, a 6-foot-1 Big 12 Player of the Year candidate and future NBA first round pick, grabbed just five rebounds. But Robinson wasn't
the only Jayhawk to outperform the Baylor star. Junior center Jeff Withey recorded another doubledouble which included nine offensive rebounds.
He also had three blocks.
"That's a lot," senior point guard Tyshawn Taylor said. "Not counting how many he changed or altered. He's playing really well."
Robinson called Withey the best shot-blocker in the country and Self said he finally played both halves tonight, which isn't something he believes Withey has done as of late.
"When we've got Jeff going, it really gets the rest of us going," junior guard Elijah Johnson said. "A lot of people don't know that but Jeff is a key player for our team. When he's on track at
the beginning it's going to be a long night for some people, guards and bigs."
Thanks in part to those offensive rebounds by Withey and a pair of Robinson dunks that will be shown on highlight videos sooner rather than later, the Jayhawks outscored the Bears in the paint, 48-34. Combine that with the Jayhawk rebounding performance and the Kansas blowout was suddenly less of a surprise.
"To miss 34 shots with that good of length and everything and only give up eight offensive rebounds," Self said. "I'm probably as proud of that as anything else."
Edited by Jeff Karr
CHRIS NEAL/KANSAN
senior guard Tyshawn Taylor tries to block a shot by Baylor's Pierre Jackson during the first half of last night's game at Allen Fieldhouse.
junior guard Tyshawn Taylor celebrates with junior guard Elijah Johnson at the half after coming life and leading the team in scoring with 14 points and going 3-4 from three-point range.
CHRIS BRONSON/KANSAN
CHRIS NEAL/KANSAN
Junior center Jeff Withey attempts a shot from distance during last night's game.
SCHEDULE
*all games in bold are at home*
Date Opponent Result/Time
Nov. 1 PITTSBURG STATE W, 84-55
Nov. 8 FORT HAYS STATE W, 101-52
Nov. 11 TOWSON W, 100-54
Nov. 15 KENTUCKY L, 65-75
Nov. 21 GEORGETOWN W, 67-63
Nov. 22 UCLA/CHAMINADE W, 72-56
Nov. 23 DUKE (MAUI INVITATIONAL) L, 68-61
Nov. 30 FLORDIA ATLANTIC W, 77-54
Dec. 3 USF W, 70-42
Dec. 6 LONG BEACH STATE W, 88-80
Dec. 10 OHIO STATE W, 78-67
Dec. 19 DAVIDSON L, 80-74
Dec. 22 USC W, 63-47
Dec. 29 HOWARD W, 89-34
Dec. 31 NORTH DAKOTA W, 84-58
Jan. 4 KANSAS STATE W, 67-49
Jan. 7 OKLAHOMA W, 72-61
Jan. 11 TEXAS TECH W, 81-46
Jan. 14 IOWA STATE W, 82-73
Jan. 16 BAYLOR W, 92-74
Jan. 21 TEXAS 3 p.m.
Jan. 23 TEXAS A&M 8 p.m.
Jan. 28 IOWA STATE 1 p.m.
Feb. 1 OKLAHOMA 8 p.m.
Feb. 4 MISSOURI 8 p.m.
Feb. 8 BAYLOR 6 p.m.
Feb. 11 OKLAHOMA STATE 3 p.m.
Feb. 13 KANSAS STATE 8 p.m.
Feb. 18 TEXAS TECH 7 p.m.
Feb. 22 TEXAS A&M 8 p.m.
Feb. 25 MISSOURI 3 p.m.
Feb. 27 OKLAHOMA STATE 8 p.m.
March 3 TEXAS 8 p.m.
PRIME PLAYS
FIRST HALF
(SCORE AFTER PLAY)
2:18- Tyshawn Taylor hits an open three-pointer on the wing, giving Kansas a 31-29 lead. It was its first lead since the 8:08 mark of the half.
16:48- On a 2-on-1 fast break, Tyshawn Taylor finds Thomas Robinson in mid-air who finishes the alley-oop to give Kansas a 4-2 lead.
50. 2- Travis Releford receives a pass on the wing from Tyshawn Taylor before driving to the basket. He draws contact and then the foul before making the layup. 36-29 Kansas.
SECOND HALF
14:22- After spotting up in the corner, Conner Teahan knocks down a three-pointer and extends the Kansas lead to 55-42.
9:36- Jeff Withey receives a pass at the elbow and finds a cutting Tyshwan Taylor for the backdoor pass. Taylor finishes an acrobatic layup and is fouled. 68-52 Kansas.
4:29- Tyshawn Taylor drives the lane and throws an alley-oop to Jeff Withey, who throws down the dunk, bringing Kansas fans to their feet. 79-63 Kansas.
NOTES
- Baylor is now 0-10 all-time in Allen Fieldhouse.
- Kansas has won 85 of its last 86 games at home.
- The three steals for Kansas were a season low.
- Jeff Withey's nine blocked shots were the second highest single-game total in Kansas history.
- Tyshawn Taylor's 28 points mark the first time in his career he has scored 20 or more points in back-to-back games.
- Thomas Robinson is now ninth all-time in KU history with 18 career double-doubles.
CHRIS BRONSON/KANSAN
Junior forward Thomas Robinson shares a laugh with freshman guard Naadir Tharpe after being taken out late in the second half with a significant lead against Baylor during last night's game at Allen Fieldhouse. Robinson had another double-double, scoring 27 points and snagging 14 rebounds in the Jayhawks' 92-74 victory.