THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2013
PAGE 9
Tough schedule, young team disadvantage Jayhawks
The ceiling for this Kansas team is undoubtedly high for a variety of reasons. However, with five new starters and a handful of freshmen receiving substantial minutes, the Jayhawks could struggle at times this season. Coach Bill Self looked at the program's recent success to address the issue.
"We have had some pretty good teams," Self said. "You stop and think about the last seven years, I think our teams have averaged 33 wins a year."
But this season is different from previous years. Typically, Kansas relies heavily on veterans and plays a non-conference schedule that is by no means easy, but isn't the most difficult either.
Taking a glance at this year's team and schedule, you will discover that an extremely young squad is taking on one of the toughest — if not the toughest — schedules in the country.
"If this team got to 33 wins, it would be an unbelievable year considering how difficult the
schedule is," Self said.
For comparison, the team that won the national championship in 2008 won 37 games, while last year's senior-led squad won 31 games.
Growing pains will surely show for this young team, but how obvious they are will tell a lot. Here's a look at what you can expect its season if the team reaches its ceiling, and what to expect if it plays to its floor. Of course, the actual results will likely fall in the middle, but anything is possible.
BEST CASE SCENARIO
Non-conference:
The team gains chemistry right away and the freshmen adjust to the college game quickly as the Jayhawks head into the conference schedule with just one loss — probably against Duke or Florida. Heading in as the favorite, the team sweeps the Battle 4 Atlantis and pulls off a huge road win against Colorado. The Jayhawks either defeat Duke in a battle of the top two incoming recruits: Andrew Wiggins and Jabari Parker, or squeak by a ranked Florida team in Gainesville.
Conference:
Kansas wins 16 conference games and drops only two. The lajayhaws restore order and win every game at Allen Fieldhouse. They beat the Oklahoma State Cowboys by 20 at home to get revenge for last season. The team wins every shootout it plays.
Big 12 Tournament:
Isaiah Austin form the league's top post du. Hilton Magic returns to Iowa State as returners Melvin Ejim and Georges Niang lead the way, along with Division I transfer DeAndre Kane. Kansas loses to each team on the road.
Kansas is certainly capable of beating any team at home or away, but a couple slip-ups are inevitable. They will occur against either Oklahoma State, Baylor, Iowa State, Kansas State or Oklahoma.
The Jayhawks win the Big 12 Tournament for the second consecutive year and back up their regular season conference championship in impressive fashion, beating the Cowboys in the championship game.
NCAA Tournament:
Marcus Smart, voted the preseason Blue Ribbon National Player of the Year, shows why he earned the distinction. Markel Brown and Le'Bryan Nash each average more than 12 points per game. The Cowboys sweep the series as they beat the Jayhawks on their home floor a second consecutive year.
throw in a road loss in which the team struggles while the other team thrives off its home crowd and plays its best game of the season - see the Baylor game last season. Kansas loses five conference games for the first time in the Bill Self era.
The layhawks win the NCAA National Championship because of their depth. Nine players score in double digits in a game during the tournament. A top seed or two lose early on and help ease the road to the final game.
WORST CASE SCENARIO
Non-conference:
As some predicted in the preseason, the Oklahoma State Cowboys dethrone the Jayhawks.
Florida and Colorado give the Jayhawks a lot of trouble on the road and they fall behind early and can't recover. Duke wins the matchup in Chicago and leaves Kansas winless in the Champion's Classic. The Tennessee Volunteers, ranked just outside the Top 25, defeat the Jayhawkes in the championship of the Battle 4 Atlantis.
NCAA Tournament
Kansas loses in the early rounds to a team catching fire late in the season. The other team sinks 15 three-pointers while the Jayhawks make just three.
New Mexico, ranked 23 in the preseason Associated Press Poll, gives the Jayhawks their second mid season loss at the Sprint Center in the last three years. Georgetown finds a way to edge the Jayhawks at home. Kansas will head into Big 12 play with six losses.
Conference:
The Jayhawks' streak of nine consecutive regular season titles will be snapped.
Kansas takes second place, but gets a strong push from Baylor and Iowa State. Cory Jefferson and
As the two seed, Kansas loses in the semifinals to either Iowa State or Baylor.
Big 12 Tournament:
Edited by Duncan McHenry
SEASON PREDICTIONS
10 FOR 10?
High-scoring Perry Ellis and an undefeated home game season on the horizon
Kansas earns a one-seed in the NCAA tournament.
he Jayhawks capture their 10th straight Big 2 regular season title.
3. No backflips this year as Kansas goes undefeated in Allen Fieldhouse for the second time in four years.
Embiid averaged 8 points and 10 rebounds by conference play, challenging Tarik Black for the starting role.
Andrew Wiggins becomes Kansas second-leading scorer behind Perry Ellis, but still leads in highlight-worthy plays.
Scoring isn't all Ellis does as he'll go on to register at least 20 double-doubles this season, proving himself as the elite leader Bill Self needs him to be.
Kansas falls three times on the road in Big 12 play, including once to an unranked team.
Five times during the season, Kansas' bench players will outscore its starters.
Once the scoring starts, it won't stop. The Jayhawks will register triple digits at least three times this season with offense stemming from every player on the roster.
Even with the spotlight on Andrew Wiggins and Marcus Smart, Perry Ellis battles his way to being named Big 12 Player Of The Year before entering the NBA Draft.
FILE PHOTO/KANSAS Kansas holds up the Big 12 trophy after winning the championship game of the Big 12 Tournament at the Sprint Center in Kansas City, Mo. on Saturday, March 16, where the Jayhawks defeated the Kansas State Wildcats 70-54. This is Kansas' ninth title.
FILE PHOTO/KANSAN
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