KANSAN
9.2009
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2009
KU 78, OSU 67
ET
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Releford said on Thursday that he was getting sort of a bogus deal. The first of seven players to sign in Self's latest class, Releford is bummed about playing just 7.3 minutes per game.
"I thought I was going to get more than I'm getting." Releford said.
It boils down to a trust issue. Self has called Morningstar the Jayhawks' anchor and Self needs to know that his replacement is at least a life preserver.
"I just need to stay mentally strong and do everything he wants me to do off the court and during practice," Releford said.
Sherron Collins' pass was ontarget and Relefond finished the alley-oop with an emphatic slam to give the Jayhawks their biggest lead of the game at 64-44.
Obviously he did enough to get another chance on Saturday, Right before his turnover, Releford snuck behind defenders and soared toward the basket.
Allen Fieldhouse erupted while Releford jogged back to the other end with a big grin slapped on his face.
Those are the types of cheers that brought him to Lawrence.
- Edited by Sam Speer
Ryan McGeeney/KANSAN
Freshman Travis Releford goes for two points under the net during Saturday afternoon's game against the Oklahoma State University Cowboys in Allen Fieldhouse. The Jayhawks defeated the Cowboys 78-67.
the OSU Cowboys in Allen Fieldhouse. The Jayhawks defeated the Cowboys 78-67.
Ryan McGeeney/KANSAN
to his 18 rebounds, was exceptional from the beginning. He scored the game's first points after posting up Oklahoma State's Marshall Moses. At halftime, Aldrich had already grabbed 12 rebounds.
Before the second half, the
"They come up with the littlest things to tease me," Aldrich said.
scoreboard showed a pre-recorded video of Aldrich prompting the fans to make some noise. Teamsmates like Collins and freshman forward Marcus Morris laughed at Aldrich's motivation attempt. Freshman guard Tyshawn
Taylor even walked over to Aldrich and made fun of him.
He powered the Jayhawks to their 20-point lead in the second half with more rebounds, a dunk and a hook shot.
No one, however, joked about Aldrich's performance.
Little, who finished with five rebounds and three assists to go with his 13 points, was his primary companion. Self
spoke highly of one play Little and Aldrich combined to create with 13 minutes remaining.
Little dove on the floor between two Cowboys for a loose ball rebound after sophomore guard Brady Morningstar missed a three-pointer. He jostled the ball away and tossed it to Aldrich, who converted an easy dunk that made the crowd scream louder than a video ever could.
Contributing To Student Success
Little, who has still played limited time while recovering from a stress fracture in his lower left leg, logged 26 minutes and said he felt better than ever after the game. Self concured.
"It was an efficient win," Self said. "Until the last seven minutes or so."
Self planned to watch game film of Missouri for the rest of the weekend to prepare for tonight's game. And to get his mind off of the Jayhawks finish against the Cowboys.
"He's getting better," Self said. "He's getting more comfortable."
Edited by Jesse Trimble
VIEW FROM PRESS ROW
IT WAS OVER WHEN ...
Sophomore guard Tyrel Reed fought for a loose ball and turned it into a three-point play with 14 minutes remaining. Reed never fears contact and the shot he took from Oklahoma State's Obi Muonelo during the layup illustrated it. Unshaken, Reed sank a free throw to make the score 54-35. It capped off a 9-0 run that decided the game. Oklahoma State at least hung before that stretch. Reed ended any realistic comeback chances for the Cowboys.
GAME TO REMEMBER ...
Aldrich
Sophomore center Cole Aldrich
Sophomore center Cole Aldrich
Aldrich said he had recorded 18 rebounds before. It's true. But he did it in an exhibition game in Canada before the season began. Not quite on the same scale as a Big 12 Conference game in the middle of the season. If Aldrich sticks around for another year, he'll have a lot of chances to grab more than 18. But for now, it seems safe as his career-high. And therefore, something to remember.
GAME TO FORGET ...
Junior guard Tyrone Appleton
Appleton
Appleton, who hadn't played in the last five games, checked in less than 10 minutes into the game. This was his shot to show he belonged at Kansas. This was his chance to earn more playing time. It didn't work out. Although Appleton grabbed a rebound and an assist, he committed two turnovers trying to penetrate the lane. He also committed a foul. Not surprisingly, he didn't re-appear in the game after his three-minute stint.
STAT OF THE NIGHT ...
16. The number of defensive rebounds Aldrich gathered. That's the most a Jayhawk has compiled in a regular season conference game in 20 years.
Case Keefer
PRIME PLAYS
FIRST HALF
11:51 — Tyrone Appleton enters the game. It's his first appearance at home since the Big 12 opener against Kansas State. The junior doesn't make the most of it, though, coughing up two turnovers in three minutes.
19:43 — Cole Aldrich started the game with an easy turnaround jumper in the lane. It put Kansas up 2-0 and the Jayhawks would never trail in the game.
0:45 — The Cowboys' Marshall Moses corralled a missed layup and stuffed it in for a one-handed slam. Moses' tip slam was a punctuation mark on an otherwise awful first half for Oklahoma State.
2:10 — Following James Anderson's missed three-pointer, Aldrich grabbed his 10th rebound of the first half. Aldrich finished with a career-high 18 boards with 16 of those coming on the defensive end.
SECOND HALF
14:01 — After making a steal at midcourt, Tyrel Reed chased down the loose ball and made a layup while drawing a foul. The play juiced up the crowd and Reed's free throw put Kansas up 54-35.
3:01 — Kansas is tremendous when the clock is winding down. This time it was Tyshawn Taylor who beat the shot clock with an off-balance three-pointer as the crowd counted down to one. Taylor just shrugged as he ran down the court.
12:55 — Three possessions after Reed's hustle play, Mario Little dove to the ground and wrestled the ball away from two Cowboys. Little then dished it to Aldrich who threw down a monster slam.
8:40 — Travis Releford flashed some of his skills with a nifty alley-oop dunk from Sherron Collins. Releford's slam gave Kansas a 20-point lead, its largest of the game.
— Taylor Bern
GAME NOTES
COLLINS NAMED
WOODEN CANDIDATE
The awards committees loved Sherron Collins last week.
Two other Big 12 players — Oklahoma's Blake Griffin and Texas' A.J. Abrams — made the list. Last year, Kansas' Mario Chalmers and Brandon Rush were both included on the list.
A day after being named a finalist for the Bob Cousy Award, Collins was named to the John R. Wooden Award list as one of its top 30 candidates for the award given annually to college basketball's best player Friday.
OKLAHOMA STATE LED BY FORMER KANSAS TARGETS
Oklahoma State's two leading scorers this season — Obi Muonelo and James Anderson — were both recruited by Kansas coach Bill Self. . .
Draft after the 2005-2006 season. Rush stayed at Kansas and both Muonelo and Anderson wound up at Oklahoma State.
Self said neither became Jayhawks in part because of the uncertainty surrounding whether or not Brandon Rush would declare for the NBA
Self is impressed with the players both Anderson and Muonelo have turned into. Self said he saw it coming.
"I'd say they're both where I thought they'd he" Self said
"They're both really good players."
MISSOURI ON THE MIND
Asked if he's prepped his team for the environment that awaits them Monday at Missouri, Kansas coach Bill Self looked puzzled.
"Why, they don't like us or something." Self asked jokingly. "We'll get into it. But they don't care for us much and the feeling is very mutual."
Self said he had already received a prank phone call from a Missouri fan and described the perpetrator as "friendly."
O
Case Keefer