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TWICE AS NICE
PAGE 12A
Postgame from the Kansan couch
8:08 p.m. — Greetings, we're live from the KAK for Kansas' Big Monday matchup with Baylor. We're making history here. It's the first ever University Daily Kansan game diary, bloggy, column thing. Or something like that. Let me set the scene. We got a room full of dudes, two couches, a Kansas basketball media guide and a bag of pretzels. So let's get this thing started...
Twins play a breakout game
8:14 Brady Morningstar hits a three-pointer and Kansas is on the board. And somewhere, the legions of people who inexplicably loathe Brady Morningstar just let out a collective groan.
8:20 — OK, are you listening, Baylor fan with the "Not In Kansas Anymore" sign? Are you? Here's the deal. I know you think you're funny. Yeah, yeah, we get it. Wizard of Oz, Judy Garland, yellow brick road, and all that. But you live in Waco, Texas. WACO! That is all.
8:23 — With Kansas trailing 9-5, Cole Aldrich goes to the free throw line and we get the obligatory highlight of
SEE DODD ON PAGE 7A
Freshman forward Marcus Morris struggles to execute a layup during Monday night's game in Waco. Kansas managed its second narrow victory in a row, beating the Bears 75-65.
Ryan McGeeney/KANSAN
Marcus and Markieff provide strong effort for Kansas on offense, defense
BY CASE KEEF ER ckeefer@kansan.com
WACO, Texas — They do everything together.
Freshman forwards Marcus and Markieff Morris wear the same clothes, eat at the same places and take the same classes. So it's only appropriate that the Morris twins both compiled breakout games in a 75-65 Kansas victory against Baylor at the Ferrell Center.
"Coach always groups us together and says if one of us plays good, the other plays good and if one of us plays bad that means we both played bad," Marcus said. "Today, he told us we played awesome."
Marcus scored 13 points and had six rebounds. Markieff added nine points, nine rebounds and two blocks. More importantly, they combined for 11 points during a 16-7 run at the beginning of the second half that separated the Jayhaws from the Bears.
Markieff made the third three-pointer of his career from the top of the key to cap off the run and put Kansas ahead 43-33. When Baylor coach Scott Drew called a timeout immediately afterward, Marcus ran out on the court to congratulate his brother with a chest bump.
"When they're getting hyped," junior guard Sherron Collins said, "there isn't any limit to what we can do."
At least, there wasn't Monday. The game was never the same after the twins' energetic start to the second half. Although Baylor went on a 9-0 run over the next three minutes to cut the lead to three, it never got any closer than that to beating Kansas for only the second time in 15 all-time games.
The victory improved Kansas to 7-0 in the Big 12 Conference and 18-4 overall, but this was about
MEN'S BASKETBALL
REWIND PAGE 6A
Forfull coverage of the Kansas vs. Baylor men's basketball game, check out the Rewind on page 6A.
more than that. This was about the jayhawks playing their best game of the season.
And it all started the way Kansas coach Bill Self wanted it to – with defense. The Jayawhacks Baylor's leading scorer, senior guard Curtis Jerrells, to four points on 0-for-7 shooting from the field.
"We challenged all of our guys to give up yourself and guard first," Self said. "When you focus in on that, other things happen more naturally."
While jerrells wont scoreless for the first 32 minutes of the game and never took control, Kansas leader did the opposite. Collins meant everything to the layawhacks.
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
He scored 17 points with six assists in 39 minutes. He defended jerrells for most of the night. With Baylor rallying and attempting to cut it to a two-possession game with three minutes remaining. Collins stole the ball from Baylor guard Henry Dugat.
The Collins steel translated into two points for the jayhawks and
SEE MEN'S ON PAGE 6A
Jayhawks look for good in four-game losing streak
Junior forward Danielle McCray battles to put up a shot during a series of misses against Kansas State last month. McCray had been experiencing a slump since the start of Big 12 play, but has recently gotten back into her groove.
Weston White/KANSAN
Kansas' turnovers, lack of bench points contribute to string of losses
BY JAYSON JENKS
jjenks@kansan.com
1
Stuck in a four-game losing streak, and with multiple chances to grab victories having slipped away, the Jayhawks wanted little to do with the positives after a disappointing 73-60 loss at Texas A&M on Saturday.
After losses this season, coach Bonnie Henrickson and her players often engage in talks about their missteps, but also quickly pointed to the positive trends to build on.
Still, to be fair, The Kansan looks at both the ups and downs during the jayhawks' recent skid.
RE-EMERGENCE OF DANIELLE MCCRAY
At one point three weeks ago, much of Kansas' postgame attention focused on the slump and struggles of junior forward Danielle McCray.
McCray has scored at least 20 points in four consecutive games while making 44 percent of her shots. And, most importantly, McCray is scoring when the Jayhawks need it most.
"Her poise and composure has been really good," Henrickson said. "She's played tough."
Not anymore.
NO BENCH CONSISTENCY
Before conference play began. Henrickson noted the improvement of Kansas' bench from a year ago.
"We need some other kids to step up and make some plays too," Henrickson said.
So far, that hasn't been apparent on the court. In the first six games of the Big 12 season, Kansas has had only one game in which a bench player has scored in double figures. And, against Nebraska on Jan. 21, Kansas' bench produced zero points.
THE APPEARANCE OF KRYSTEN BOOGAARD
For the simple sake of creating balance, sophomore center Krysten Boogaard is a vital piece of Kansas' offensive strategy.
At times, Boogaard has played the part of inside scorer perfectly. Against Nebraska, Boogaard scored 12 points. Then, facing a quick and tall Texas A&M team on Saturday, Boogaard added eight first-half points.
THE DISAPPEARANCE OF KRYSTEN BOOGAARD
HardertoeexplainthanBoogaard's successes are her abrupt stretches of little production. On Saturday,
True, defenses seem to make a mission to take away Boogaard inside. But without her, the Jayhawks become one-dimensional and easier for other teams to defend.
In the past two games, Jacobs has flashed a unique ability to drive and score in the lane against talented defenses.
DRIVING OF
ACHELDA JACOBS
Jacobs has averaged 10.5 points in the last two games and has given Kansas another much-needed threat on offense.
Boogaard followed a solid first half against Texas A&M with just one point after the break.
TURNOVERS
"I think she's capable of doing that every game," McCray said. "It's not surprising to me she's played that well. She just needs to bring that all the time."
Few Jayhawks have handled the ball thoroughly throughout Kansas' four-game losing streak. While Kansas had only 10 turnovers in a loss to Kansas State on Jan. 24, turnovers cost the Jayhawks victories against Nebraska and Texas A&M.
"She has to sit down, demand the ball and call for a pass," Henrickson said.
In junior guard Sade Morris' absence, Henrickson made little attempt to hide Morris' importance to Kansas. And it's no surprise: She drives, she makes three pointers and she's the Jayhawks' best one-on-one defender. Morris suffered a Grade 2 concussion on Jan. 17. In her first game back on Saturday, Morris played 40 minutes and scored 11 points.
And it's a problem that has repeatedly resulted in Kansas losses this season.
THE SLUMPOF NICOLLETTESMITH
"You can't pinpoint one team that has just killed us," McCray said. "We've just been beating ourselves and throwing the ball away."
RETURN OF SADE
MORRIS
"I'ts just great to have her back," McCray said. "And she gives us another defensive presence."
In Kansas' 75-38 victory against Missouri on Jan. 14, sophomore forward Nicollette Smith's four three-pointers sparked the Jayhaws' offense.
Since then, however, Smith has made just two threes, while averaging 3.3 points in her last four games.
Edited by Grant Treaster