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Kansas' win in Manhattan shows team's growth
SCOTT CHASEN
@SChasenKU
MANHATTAN, Kan. — After leading by double-figures for much of the game, the No. 2 Kansas Jayhawks found themselves in a bit of trouble against the Kansas State Wildcats, up only four after Kansas State forward Stephen Hurt drilled a three-point jumper with four minutes left to play.
Bramlage Coliseum let out the loudest roar of the night, which would only be topped moments later as a familiar sound trumpeted over the PA system.
Sophomore guard Devonte' Graham celebrates early in the game. Kansas defeated Kansas State 72-63.
The Kansas State crowd roared with chants of "F—KU," which was likely at least a partial reason as to why the song hadn't been played in the arena throughout the season.
Sandstorm.
The University had also taken further precautions in trying to keep profanity and unsportsmanlike acts to a minimum. Those acts included showing a pregame video about sportsmanship and even sending out a text message at halftime through the campus alert system.
The message asked students to refrain from participating in "embarrassing chants that contain profanity."
However, all those gestures preaching sportsmanship and appropriateness were quickly thrust aside by what was essentially an endorsement of the ravenous, anything-goes atmosphere. And the crowd ate it up.
Missy Minear/KANSAN
The volume level continued to rise, as the music blared over the speakers. It was nearly impossible to hear as the teams huddled during the timeout.
But unlike in past years — not to mention past road games this year — Kansas didn't wilt. After a turnover on what was a blown call, the team hit the shots and free throws it needed to come away with a 72-63 win.
"We're tired of people storming the court on us," senior forward Jamari Taylor said. "That's our mindset: We're not going to let that happen. We're not going to lose this game."
Even with two big men — Traylor and junior forward Landen Lucas — fouling out and senior forward Perry Ellis sidelined after taking a scratch to the eye and a couple of blows to the head, the Jayhawks were able to hold on. The team closed out the game with four- and five-guard line-ups, which Self had really only used in one other game this season.
With the makeshift lineup lineup at the end of the game, it seemed only fitting that, as the final buzzer sounded, it was three players - sophomore guard Devonte' Graham, junior guard Wayne Selden Jr. and junior guard Brannen Greene - who held the ball, rather than one.
The three went up for a rebound on the game's final shot, and all managed to grab a piece of the ball. Still hanging on, they fell to the ground laughing.
After a 40-minute dogfight, it was finally over. Kansas had won.
And they had won without relying on any one player. Graham hit what Kansas coach Bill Self called the biggest shot of the game. Junior guard Frank Mason had carried the team at points in the first half, while sophomore guard Sviatoslav Mykhaliuk knocked down crucial shots as Kansas came back from an early deficit.
It wasn't one player, but a host of players that won Kansas the game, which was only fitting, considering how much the game meant to several players on the team.
"It was very important for me and the guys," junior guard Frank Mason said. "There were a couple of us that had not had a win here, and we took that personally."
After the team's last game against Oklahoma State, Selden and Greene had mentioned up the same thing. They hadn't won in Manhattan yet, and it was on their minds.
But it isn't in the bag yet. The two-game lead presents a new challenge for Self and his team, and it's a problem that isn't necessarily as present on the court as it is inside the heads of the players.
of the Big 12 title. On the road against Baylor, the team played like a team with nothing to play for, dropping the game by 23.
After all, two seasons ago, a Ben McLemore-led Kansas squad entered its final game guaranteed at least a share
Self has experienced the letdown firsthand.And a letdown is something he said he doesn't want to see happen this year.
However, losses on the road weren't just a trend against one team for a few years. Kansas had struggled to put away road opponents earlier in the season.
As the final buzzer sounded, losses at Oklahoma State, West Virginia and Iowa State were all in the past. Winning three road games in a row for the first time in over two years, the Jayhawks held a two-game lead in the Big 12.
"I'm really proud of our guys, but we don't need to relax, at all." Self said.
A three-game road-losing streak put the Jayhawks in a bit of trouble in the middle of league play. However, after going through the early lull, the team began figuring out the right way to play, according to Kansas coach Bill Self.
This Kansas team is a different one from the team that played four weeks ago. There might be a general assumption that with a veteran-laden squad there really can't be growth, but according to Traylor, that isn't the case.
that rough stretch, we were just playing, but we had no purpose behind our play," Self said. "I feel like we're playing with more of a purpose now."
"When we went through
The Jayhawks have gone from a top-ranked squad early in the season to a struggling
team. From that, they've resurged and become one of the top-ranked teams in the country and a likely one-seed come tournament time.
"I feel like we're just there for each other," Traylor said. "I just feel like we're a better team. We jell a little bit better and guys know where to be and know what coach expects from us."
The next logical step is keeping that intensity going heading into a game against the Baylor Bears. And if the team can keep it up all the way through postseason play, there's no telling how or when the season will end. Really, the only thing that seems all-cut certain is it will likely be much later than the last two seasons
Kansas baseball prepares for home stand against Northern Colorado
▶ MATT HOFFMANN
@MattHoffmannUDK
For Kansas baseball (0-1) there has certainly
been no rest. Just one day removed from a 4-2 loss to Arkansas-Little Rock, the team heads back to
Lawrence for an unusually early home stand against the University of Northern Colorado (1-2).
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Northern Colorado's top three hitters are Tyler Yamaguchi, Ryan Jamane and Rob Cashel. The three of them are batting .333 through the first three games. Northern Colorado will be presented with an extra challenge with this series, playing five games in five days, whereas Kansas has played just once.
The Bears will enter Monday with one full series under their belt, winning one out of three games over the weekend against the Wichita State Shockers. In their lone victory, the Bears pushed four runs across in a narrow one-run victory. Wichita State won game one 11-0 and game two 17-2.
"We are definitely looking forward to getting [back] home," sophomore shortstop Matt McLaughlin said after the team's loss in Arkansas.
Kansas leads the alltime series against Northern Colorado 5-4 with all
The Jayhawks will play two games against the Bears on Monday, Feb. 22, and Tuesday, Feb. 23.
Edited by Skylar Rolstad
nine matchups played at Hoglund Ballpark. The last time these two teams met was in 2009 when the Jayhawks won 15-6. The Bears are coached by Carl Iwasaki who holds an all-time record of 110-164 at the University.
In the season opener, Kansas mustered just four hits and two runs, both coming on a single swing of the bat from McLaughlin. Kansas coach Ritch Price said the team will have to get more than the four or five quality at-bats they had in the opener to get back on track.
The biggest positive for the Jayhawks was the bullpen, which did not allow a run on Saturday. Due to the wonky schedule the projected starter for Monday's game is freshman Jackson Goddard who will be making his first career start.
Tuesday's starter is likely to be either redshirt sophomore Jon Hander, who has a career 3.14 ERA, or sophomore Blake Weiman, who earned two strikeouts against the two
First pitch for both games is scheduled for 3 p.m.
datters he faced against Little Rock.
It's odd that Kansas has such an early home series as normally they are forced to a warm weather location due to cold temperatures in Lawrence. But what makes the series even more bizarre is the layout of the early schedule.
"It's an unusual series because it's Saturday, Monday and Tuesday," Price said.
On Monday, AccuWeather calls for 52 degree temperatures with winds at 6-to-8 mph. Tuesday's weather is projected to be similar but with greater cloud cover and slightly higher winds. With the way winds swirl around Hoglund Ballpark, expect most home runs to be hit between right and center field.