PAGE 12
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2014
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
WHY KANSAS WINS
BRIAN HILLIX
@DoubleHillix
Looking at Kentucky's roster and its nine McDonald's All-Americans, you'll see why the Wildcats are the preseason No. 1 and whispers of Kentucky going undefeated are surfacing. But even with a team full of future NBA players, that doesn't guarantee a win, especially against No. 5 Kansas on a neutral court at the beginning of the season.
It's something every college basketball coach will preach, and it's that talent isn't as important as factors like team chemistry and work ethic. Playing Kentucky at the beginning of the season, when the talent and chemistry haven't fully fused yet, is when teams like the Wildcats are likely to experience some speed bumps. They experienced a minor one already, trailing after the first half against Buffalo at home on Sunday. Kansas will be able to capitalize on any Kentucky lapses.
At the beginning of the season last year, Kentucky was similarly hyped to this year's team, with some saying the Wildcats
could go undefeated. The talent didn't quite mesh as Kentucky would lose six of seven games against ranked teams in the regular season. The team did advance to the NCAA Tournament national championship game, but it went through a lot of strugles to get there.
On the offensive side for Kansas, returners Perry Ellis and Wayne Selden — McDonald's All-Americans themselves — have the ability to break through offensively. Ellis should be able to attack the Kentucky post with his mid-range jumper and Selden is an athletic guard who can score by driving or shooting from long-range. Each broke through in the Champions Classic last season, combining for 39 points on 14-for-23 shooting to go along with 15 rebounds against No. 4 Duke.
Defensively, the Jayhawks don't have a 7-footer this year to alter shots in the paint. However, their frontcourt is one of the most athletic groups Bill Self has coached while at Kansas. Containing Kentucky's big men is a tall task for any team, but the duo of
freshman Cliff Alexander and junior Jamari Traylor, in particular, should be able to disrupt them with their intangibles. Though each is only 6-foot-8, their athleticism and energy should be able to make up for the height difference.
Like Kentucky, Kansas can also bring up to five players off the bench, although Self doesn't do so in the form of a platoon. Whether Kansas needs energy, length, experience or long-range shooting, Self can turn to someone on the bench to give the team the spark it needs.
Self will also look to even his head-to-head record against nemesis John Calipari, and should draft a game plan that minimizes Kansas' weaknesses. Calipari is the better recruiter, but I give Self the slight edge as the better game manager.
Kentucky is the more talented team, but especially this early in the season, that doesn't always translate to wins. Behind big games from Ellis and Selden, the Jayhawks squeak by the Wildcats and win, 84-79.
Edited by Ben Carroll
WHY KENTUCKY WINS
NICK GRAY
@KYKernelGray
Depth.
Not many teams have it the way UK does. The Cats can play — and will play — 10 guys in a rotation. The platoon system is real and it can be dangerous to opponents. UK coach John Calipari can bring five blue-chip recruits off the bench to replace the five blue-chip players on the floor, it's an astounding luxury to have, and Calipari is trying something a little different to use it.
Want a big point guard who can get to the basket? The Cats have him in Andrew Harrison. Want a small point guard who can distribute the basketball? UK has it in Tyler Ulis. Need shooters with NBA size? Calipari has Aaron Harrison and Devin Booker. Need guys who are 6-foot-10 or taller? UK has five such guys and multiples on each platoon lineup.
its faults. Sometimes, shots don't fall. And its easy to ease into an early-aftermonte into against a less-talented teams when people around you tell you how good you are.
Maybe luxury is not the correct word for what Calipari gets to coach this season. An extravagance of wealth is more appropriate. This team is not without
UK is young too. The Harrison twins, center Dakari Johnson and forward Marcus Lee are all sophomores. They only have two upperclassmen, and those two — forwards Alex Poythress and Willie Cauley-Stein — are junior.
So they can be rattled, theoretically.
Kansas is an ideal team when considering who can rattle the Cats. The Jayhawks are very athletic and have a quick backcourt. The Harrison twins struggled against a quick backcourt in their freshman years, never beating Mike Anderson and Arkansas' full-court pressure or Billy Donovan and Florida's hectic style. Re-watch the National Championship game last season and look at UConn guards Shabazz Napier and Ryan Boatright wear down UK's backcourt. Andrew and Aaron Harrison had trouble keeping up with small, quicker guys as
freshmen.
But they've slimmed their bodies, adding quickness and retaining their physical nature.
The Jayhawks are not an ideal team to play UK due to the bizarre lack of size on Bill Self's roster. My first thought when watching Kansas' opener against South Dakota State was to look around Allen Fieldhouse for the likes of Jeff Withey and Cole Aldrich.
Even if Kansas had both Withey and Aldrich, it may not be enough to match the waves of UK big men that will orate in and out in four-minute stretches. Kansas should wear down and UK will outmuscle the Jayhawks with two teams worth of talent.
But the good thing is, Kansas always surprises with its resilience. Somehow, I don't think it will be as simple as just outmuscling the jayhawks. But I'll take the team that has everything over the team that has a lot of things.
Editor's note: Nick Gray is a sports writer for the Kentucky Kernel, UK's student newspaper.
Taking a look back at Champions Classic Round 1
BEN FELDERSTEIN
@Ben_Felderstein
For the past three years, four of the top college basketball programs in the country have met in the Champions Classic. This tournament was started in 2011 and the four participants were meant to exemplify what it means to be a champion.
Kansas, Kentucky, Duke and Michigan State signed on for a three-year rotation in 2011, and signed another three-year extension for the tournament through 2016. The inaugural Champions Classic took place in Madison Square Garden where Kansas played Kentucky and Duke played Michigan State. This year, the same teams will face off again in Indianapolis.
KANSAS VS. KENTUCKY NOV.15,2011 Facing one of the best college basketball teams in recent memory — including the number one and two overall picks in the NBA draft in Anthony Davis and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist — Kansas struggled to compete early. Juniors Thomas Robinson and Jeff Withey led Kansas' surge down low. This game wound up being a preview of the upcoming national championship game in the NCAA Tournament. In both games, Kentucky got off to hot starts, and Kansas played catch-up often. In both cases, Kansas started their surge a tad late and ran out of time. Kansas fell 75-65 in the inaugural version of the Champions Classic.
KANSAS VS. MICHIGAN STATE
NOV. 13, 2012
Kansas played sloppy in the second installment of the Champions Classic. With the departure of lottery pick Thomas Robinson, freshman Perry Ellis had large shoes to
fill in one of his first games in a Jayhawk uniform. Ellis seemed to be overwhelmed at times throughout and did not have an effective game. Senior guard Elijah Johnson led Kansas with 16 points, but did not shoot the ball well, as he needed 15 shots to score his 16. Freshman Ben McLemore had an impressive game, scoring 14 points on 5-for-7 shooting from the field. As Kansas trailed by three at the end of regulation, Bill Self ran his famous "chop" play to senior Travis Releford. He got a good look, but missed the shot as Michigan State went on to win, 67-64.
KANSAS VS. DUKE
NOV. 12, 2013
The Jayhawks finally got their first Champions Classic victory in one of the most highly anticipated regular season college basketball games in recent memory. Andrew Wiggins and Jabari Parker were the top two ranked recruits of their class and were facing off for the first time in Chicago. Wiggins finished the contest with 22 points and 8 rebounds, while Parker put up 27 points and nine rebounds. This game truly lived up to the hype, as Kansas held off Duke for the 94-83 victory — which is the highest scoring game in the tournament's history. This game had a March-like atmosphere in early November, as both teams were playing like well-led machines who had been playing together for months. Sophomore Perry Ellis had a strong offensive game with 24 points on 9-for-13 shooting.
Sophomore guard Frank Mason drives past Duke's Andre Dawkins on Nov. 12, 2013. Kansas beat Duke in the 2013 Champions Classic, 94-83.
FILE PHOTO
— Edited by Brian Hillix
FILE PHOTO
Kansas guard Elijah Johnson goes for a steal against Kentucky guard Doron Lamb during the Champions Classic game on Nov. 15, 2011. In a preview of the eventual national championship game, the Wildcats won, 75-65.
BE A PART
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THE NATION'S TOP COLLEGE NEWSPAPER ADVERTISING STAFF
HIRING SOON FOR SPRING '15
+
OPEN POSITIONS INCLUDE
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES * MANAGE CLIENTELE ACCOUNTS
MARKETING * PROMOTE THE KANSAN AND PLAN EVENTS
CREATIVES * DESIGN ADS FOR PRINT AND DIGITAL MEDIA
TO APPLY, **YOU MUST** ATTEND ONE INFO-SESSION
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
11/20 * 5 PM TO 6 PM * DOLE 2094
11/21 * 5 PM TO 6 PM * DOLE 2092
MONDAY
11/24 * 5 PM TO 6 PM * DOLE 2094
.
CONTACT SHARLENE XU FOR QUESTIONS:
SXU@KANSAN.COM
.
↑