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KANSAS
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 30. 2013
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
50-47197
PITT STATE
32-25157
KANSAS 97
Wiggins
KANSAS STAT LEADERS
Ellis
KANSAS
Black
PLAYER PTS FG-FGA REBS A T0's
Terrell Eaddy 1 0-4 5 0 3
Trevor Gregory 2 1-2 1 0 1
Jake Bullard 5 0-4 1 2 3
Josiah Gustafson 7 1-6 3 0 3
Devon Branch 27 9-22 4 1 2
Ethan Cordray 0 0-2 0 1 0
Jerrod Gaston 0 0-3 3 0 4
Alex Williams 15 6-10 2 1 1
TOTAL 57 15-54 26 6 19
PLAYER PTS FG-FGA REBS A TO's
Tarik Black 7 3-4 11 0 1
Naadir Tharpe 7 3-3 0 9 0
Perry Ellis 16 7-10 8 0 1
Andrew Wiggins 16 5-13 6 1 1
Andrew White III 12 4-7 4 1 2
Brannen Greene 10 3-5 3 0 0
Joel Embild 9 3-7 3 0 4
Jamari Traylor 6 3-3 5 2 0
TOTAL 97 35-65 51 18 19
PITT STATE
GAME TO REMEMBER
White backed up his coach one day after Bill Self said White will be a mainstay in the Jayhawks rotation. He was Kansas' first player off the bench Tuesday and scored 12-points for the Jayhawks in just 15 minutes. Any Jayhawk fan questioning White's improvement saw firsthand why Self is so highly of him in the preseason.
White
GAME TO FORGET
Arnrew Wiggins forward
Wiggins didn't live up to the outwardish hype, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. He has plenty of time to reach his potential.
Wiggins
QUOTE OF THE GAME
"Between the substitutions and 50 foul calls, it's hard to get any rhythm in a game like that. That was fragmented ball."
Self
BASKETBALL
Veterans impress in exhibition game
BRIAN HILLIX
bhillix@kansan.com
White III's offseason
improvements
In the preseason, Andrew White III emerged from a pack of talented freshmen guards. He will be the first guard off the bench for Kansas this season.
The jayhawks' second-highest ranked recruit from last season, sophomore White III appeared in only 25 of the games while averaging five minutes a game. After the Sweet 16 loss last season, White III headed into the offseason ready to elevate his game to a new level.
"As soon as we lost to Michigan, I recommitted myself to working, trying to emphasize on some things," White III said. "Ball handling, get my body better, faster, more lateral speed."
When all is said and done, it's a lot simpler than that.
"I try to be as poised as I can, being a junior and trying to be the leader of the team."
NAADIR THARPE Junior guard
"Just doing whatever I have to do with this team." White III said.
to help this team," White III said. Perhaps the biggest improvement from last season for White III has been his hustle.
“[It’s] something that has really improved my game,” White III said. “Making plays on defense that will help the team.”
Coach Bill Self said his hustle was apparent in the offseason.
"He'll take rebounds even from our big because he's going after the ball," Self said.
This was exhibited at the end of the first half, when White III sprinted down the court, catching a pass in stride from junior guard Naadir Tharpe to finish with a dunk with two seconds left in the half.
White III finished with 12 points and four rebounds in just 15 minutes. This marks his first time reaching double digits since scoring 15 points against Belmont last December.
In the offseason, White III could be found at the gym on nights and weekends in an effort to improve his game. It's something he has done since he was a kid.
"It's a calm atmosphere for me to go in and work on some things," White III said. "I'm a fan of the
late night workouts."
White appeared in crucial games last season as a three-point specialist but was not used much in games beyond that. Look for White III's role to be elevated this season.
Tharpe with zero turnovers
After battling freshman guard Frank Mason for the starting point guard role in much of the offseason, junior Naadir Tharpe was named the starting point guard by Self in early October. He showed why he was given the nod in tonight's game.
Tharpe had a game-high nine assists, and he didn't contribute a single turnover to the Jayhawks total of 19.
He didn't miss a field goal and chipped in seven points and a steal in 23 minutes.
"I try to be as poised as I can," Tharpe said. "Being a junior and trying to be the leader of the team."
inarpe attributed the turnovers to the team's aggressive play. He's not worried about it being a trend for the season.
Tharpe ranked third in the Big 12 last season with a 2.2 assist-to-turnover ratio and finished with a sizzling 9.0 in last night's contest.
"By the time it gets to midseason, we'll be where we need to be." Tharpe said.
Though the Jayhawks struggled to score from long range during the first half, Tharpe got them going with back-to-back jumpers late in the half.
Ellis picking up where he left off
While he will play in the exhibition game next Tuesday against Fort Hays State, Tharpe will sit out the Louisiana Monroe game, serving his one-game suspension for playing in an organized summer league game. Mason will make the start in his place.
Continuing his hot play from last season, sophomore forward Perry Ellis tied for the team lead with 16 points on 70 percent shooting, along with eight rebounds.
off
After coming on strong at the end of last season, Ellis was glad to get the season started.
"We've been practicing since summer, so it was good to get that first game out of the way," Ellis said.
Ellis led the team with two steals and also contributed three offensive rebounds.
— Edited by Emma McElhaney
GEORGE MULLINIX/KANSAN
NOTES
Freshman Andrew Wiggins dunks the ball during the Jayhawk opening exhibition game against Pittsburg State.
Kansas has now won six exhibition games by 40 points or more under Bill Self.
Kansas' 27 fouls would've been the highest mark its had during the last three seasons.
Pittsburg State did not score a field goal for the game's first five-minutes and 25 seconds.
Kansas shot 67.7 percent from the free throw line, the highest percentage in its last seven games.
KEY STATS
THE U
The amount of times Pittsburg State had the lead.
31
PIT
The number of free throw attempts Kansas took
1
Andrew Wiggins alley oop