2008-2009 KANSAS BASKETBALL
P 10
15
FEBRUARY 9,2009
Mizzou comeback burns sloppy Jayhawks
BY CASE KEEFER
ckeefer@kansan.com
COLUMBIA, Mo. — No matter how imminent a Jayhawk victory appeared at Mizzou Arena, Kansas coach Bill Self always had a feeling it would end like this.
Missouri's 62-60 victory was far from a surprise to him. Self didn't dream of fans clad in gold and black rushing Norm Stewart Court or predicted Missouri guard Zaire Taylor's game-winning shot, but Kansas' turnovers certainly warned Self it might be coming.
Kansas committed 27 turnovers. Self credited that for causing Kansas (19-5, 8-1) to drop its first Big 12 Conference game of the season.
"Obviously, that was a big deal," Self said.
"We did a pitiful job — pitiful job — of handling any kind of pressure."
It was extra frustrating to the Jayhawks because of how well they followed the outline of winning a conference road game.
half — Missouri went on two separate 8-0 runs without taking the lead or tying the game.
They took control early,leading by as many as 14 points in the first half. They weathered Missouri runs in the middle of the second
"We didn't play defense," junior guard Sherron Collins said. "There's not much else to say."
Sophomore center Cole Aldrich finished with 15 rebounds and five blocks, but only eight points on eight shots. Self thought Aldrich's offensive inefficiency wasn't his fault.
"Our players did a real good job guarding Cole because they didn't get him the ball." Self said. "That was frustrating."
It all came down to Missouri's final possession. Zaire Taylor had the ball on the right wing against sophomore guard Tyrel Reed.
"He shot-faked me and went around me," Reed said.
Taylor released. The shot was good with less than two seconds remaining to play.
Morningstar rocketed an in-bounds pass the length of the floor to Aldrich, who heaved a 10-foot buzzer beater. It clanked off the backboard. No good.
"It's going to be one of those games that lingers for the longest time," Aldrich said.
Jon Goerina/KANSAN
Sophomore center Cole Aldrich catches a full-court pass and gets a final shot up during the closing seconds of the game against Missouri. Aldrich's shot missed and the Jayhawks fell to the Tigers.
FEBRUARY 14,2009
Kansas matures in 16-point rally at Bramlage
Weston White/KANSAN
Junior guard Sherron Collins fights off two Kansas State defenders to maintain possession with time running out. The Jayhawks overcame a 16-point first-half deficit to defeat the Wildcats 85-74.
BY CASE KEEFER ckeefer@kansan.com
MANHATTAN — Cole Aldrich rarely shows emotion on the court.
But Aldrich, a sophomore center, couldn't help it after he made a made a shot under the basket while being fouled near the end of an 85-74 victory against Kansas State.
The only thing more surprising than Aldrich's outburst was the fact that Kansas coach Bill Self didn't have a similar reaction. Self has complained all season that Kansas didn't pass the ball to Aldrich when the game was on the line.
He flexed, yelled and turned around to greet junior guard Sherron Collins with a chest bump.
He couldn't complain Saturday at Bramlage Coliseum. The Jayhawks relied on their big man to will them to victory.
"It was a big play." Aldrich said. "It got me excited."
Aldrich's three-point play that inspired
Aldrich led the Jayhawks with 21 points, seven rebounds and a block.
"We couldn't get the ball into our offense for a while so we just said, 'Hey, we're going to bring everyone high and throw it over the top," Self said. "And he delivered."
his uncharacteristic celebration came in the middle of a two-minute stretch in which he scored seven points. Before Aldrich's takeover, K-State trailed only 67-65 with 5 minutes and 30 seconds remaining. After it, the Wildcats were never able to cut it to a one-possession game again.
At its peak, K-State led 30-14 after Denis Clemente blew past freshman guard Travis Releford for a layup.
"Amazing that we could come from 16 down to one at halftime," Self said.
Kansas went on a 17-2 run. The height of the stretch came when Collins floated a pass from half court down to Aldrich at the other end.
Aldrich felt a slight push on his back from freshman guard Tyshawn Taylor and knew he had to guard the ball. He leapt up and threw
"I knew it was the right pass," Collins said. "I even jumped after I threw it. I was just waiting for Cole to go get it." Collins finished with 19 points and six assists.
Moments after Collins' Iob, Clemente received a technical foul for intentionally elbowing Morningstar in the back.
down a crowd-silencing alley-oop.
Collins made both free throws and sophomore guard Tyrel Reed made a three-pointer on the possession awarded for the penalty.
"It turned out to be a pretty big play for us," Self said. Kansas did everything right in the second half.
Freshman forward Marcus Morris played a key role and finished with a career-high 15 points with seven rebounds. Most importantly, the Jayhawks went to Aldrich when it mattered.
Self said it was probably the best road victory in his tenure at Kansas. Aldrich put it another way.
"The best way to say it is, we're maturing as a team," Aldrich said. "We're growing together."
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
APRIL 27, 2009