Wednesday, October 26, 2011
kansan.com
Appetizing storylines for 2011
The 2011-12 Kansas men's basketball season may not be the
most anticipated season in Kansas basketball history, but it may be one of the most intriguing seasons yet. It will offer an array of dynamics that will attract Jawayk fans, including the non-conference schedule and the evolution of Thomas Robinson.
The Jayhawks' non-conference schedule this season is brutally difficult, especially for a young, inexperienced team that lost 71 percent of its offense from last season. At Big 12 media day, coach Bill Self acknowledged that playing against Kentucky, Ohio State and USC and competing in the Maui Invitational that includes Duke, UCLA, Georgetown, Memphis, Tennessee and Michigan will be a big challenge for his team.
"It's probably the best non-conference that we have had and probably the least experience returning that we have had," Self said. "Our guys need to get out there. We need to compare ourselves against other teams that we know are competing at a high national level. It will be a learning process for everybody."
"We could potentially play against Duke: that is a game that I have always wanted to play," Taylor said. "We want to play against the best competition."
The onus is on Robinson and Taylor to lead these young players who will be brought into the spotlight immediately when they play against elite competition early in the season.
- Edited by Jason Bennett
Expectations are incredibly high for junior forward Thomas Robinson to perform at a high level consistently. Robinson received numerous preseason honors from college basketball prognosticators. However, Robinson averaged only 14 minutes-per-game last season and has never been counted on as the go-to guy for the Jayhawks because he played behind Marcus and Markieff Morris.
Senior guard Tyshawn Taylor said that he is excited for the challenging non-conference matchups because it is the type of schedule that big-time players want to play. Taylor said that he circled Nov. 15 game against Kentucky on his calendar and acknowledged that he knew Robinson was ready for the Dec. 10 game against Ohio State because the team knew that people were already counting the Jayhawks out.
"If I want to be the best player, I want to go up against the top guys, and I get a chance to do that," Robinson said. "If you want to be mentioned as the best, you need to take out the best."
Playing against talented post players such as Terrence Jones and Anthony Davis of Kentucky, Jared Sullinger of Ohio State, Nate Lubick of Georgetown and James Blasczyk of USC, Robinson has his work cut out early this season.
"Thomas Robinson is looked at as one of our experienced players, and he has never been a guy that needed to play well for us to win." Self said. "He has been the dessert, now he has got to be the main course."
Robinson relishes the challenge of leading the Jayhawks as well as competing against guys like Davis and Sullinger. He said that the best players bring the best out of him.
TIME TO SHINE
PATIENTLY WAITING
Junior guard Travis Releford waves to the fans to thank them for coming after the scrimmage Friday, Oct. 14, during Late Night in the Phog. Releford had 16 points in the scrimmage.
CHRIS BRONSON/KANSAN
KORY CARPENTER
kcarpenter@kansan.com
There are certain risks a player takes when he comes to Lawrence to play basketball. While the perks — playing in front of 16,300 screaming fans every night, for example — are nice, the possibility of being lost in the shuffle of future NBA draft picks is real.
Some players see the writing on the wall and decide to transfer. Others, such as junior guard Travis Releford, wait patiently until their time comes.
Before the 2009 season, coach Bill Self said he thought Releford could become a 1,000-point scorer at Kansas. Releford was entering his sophomore season after averaging 2.7 points per game as a freshman. He ended up red-shirting that season, which isn't surprising considering Kansas' perimeter included Tyrel Reed, Tyshawn Taylor, Xavier Henry and Sherron Collins.
Last season, Leeford found himself getting occasional minutes once again, averaging just 3.6 points in 10.1 minutes per game. That won't happen this year.
"The past few years, there have been games where I didn't have to play good for us to win," Releford said. "Going into this season, there might be a bunch of games where I have to play good and defend well for us to win."
And his coach thinks he can do just that.
While scoring 1,000 points might be out of the question — he needs 806 during his final two seasons to accomplish the feat — Self expects good things from Releford on defense. He says Releford has the potential to be one of the Big 12's best wing defenders.
And what about that old adage that it takes talent to play offense but almost anyone can play defense with a little hard work?
"That's not necessarily true"
Self said. "Travis is one of those guys that has the talent to be a really good defender, potentially a great defender if he wants to be."
And, according to Self, this year's team will have to rely on defense more than most of his teams.
country if we want to win games," Releford said. "I'll have to step up and play a bigger role than I have in the past."
we'll have the firepower to outscore folks night in and night out."
"We have to not be good, we have to be great defensively," Self said. "If we're not, I don't see that
When a player is around the program for more than three years, the daily reminders of the importance of good defense begin to stick. For Releford, he's only halfway through his career at Kansas, and it seems he understands his responsibility going forward.
"We're going to have to be one of the best defensive teams in the
Edited by Jayson Jenks
ACADEMICS
NCAA releases graduation rates
MAX ROTHMAN
mrothman@kansan.com
The NCAA released academic statistics Tuesday that show Kansas Athletics finished with a 79 percent graduation success rate (GSR), its highest percent since the NCAA first released the statistics in 2004.
The statistics include the incoming classes of 2001-2004 and consider transfers and those who leave school with acceptable academic standing. It tracks student athletes on scholarship. The numbers are through the summer of 2010, since the athletes are given six years to graduate.
The men's basketball team led all Big 12 men's basketball programs with a 91 percent GSR, and the women's cross country and track, softball, tennis, volleyball and men's golf teams all recorded a 100 percent GSR.
The NCAA also recognized the men's basketball team and the men's and women's cross country teams in May for tallying Academic Progress Rate (APR) scores in the nation's top 10 percent. APR tracks eligibility, retention, graduation and academic achievement.
NCAA President Mark Emmert said that a stricter cutline may be raised to 930 but won't go into effect for two years.
An APR score must exceed 925 for a team to be eligible for postseason play and keep its scholarships.
A 900 APR may be required for men's basketball. Had that been in place last season, Connecticut would not have been allowed to participate.
REALIGNMENT
Big 12 on verge of adding West Virginia to the fold
ANDREW JOSEPH
ajoseph@kansan.com
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While the Big 12 awaits Missouri's decision, the conference is already prepared to move forward.
According to a report in The New York Times, West Virginia has applied for membership in the Big 12 and has already been accepted by the conference. The deal will become official once legal issues are worked out with the Big 12 and Big East.
The legal issues include the negotiation of exit penalties and the restructuring of conference schedules and television contracts. According to the report, the Big 12 intends to stay at 10 teams, only adding West Virginia.
The Big East voted last week to double its exit fee, but West Virginia will only have to pay the original $5 million penalty if the school leaves before the Big East expands. West Virginia's departure will leave the Big East with just five football members, possibly jeopardizing the conference's status as an automatic qualifier for the BCS.
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The Big 12 is operating under the assumption that Missouri is inevitably bound for the Southeastern Conference. Missouri Chancellor Brady Deaton's comments Tuesday morning to the Columbia radio station KFRU strongly support the belief that Missouri and the Big 12 have parted ways.
"We feel a great urgency to clarify (the decision) as quickly as possible," Deaton said. "It's hard to put a timeframe on it. Our hopes were days, possibly a week or two."
Deaton acknowledged that he wants to maintain the school's traditional rivalries, but he thinks
Missouri has to do what's best for the school in the changing climate of collegiate athletics.
"It's often the case where our head has to outweigh our heart in achieving some of the objectives, because the heart won't necessarily, in this case, lead to where the University is going and needs to be going." Deaton said.
Edited by Jayson Jenks