4B
KANSAS 100, NEW MEXICO STATE 79
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THURSDAY. DECEMBER 4,2008
KANSAS 10042-58 New Mexico State 7931-48
JAYHAWK STAT LEADERS
Points
Tyshawn Taylor 19
Rebounds
Assists
Cole Aldrich 13
KANSAS BOX SCORE
Sherron Collins 11
<table border="1"><tr><td>Player</td><td colspan="2">FG-FGA</td><td>3FG-3FG</td><td>Rebs</td><td>A</td><td>Pts</td></tr><tr><td>Morris, Markieff</td><td>3-8</td><td>0-1</td><td>4</td><td>2</td><td>8</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Aldrich, Cole</td><td>5-9</td><td>0-0</td><td>13</td><td>1</td><td>13</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Collins, Sherron</td><td>6-11</td><td>2-4</td><td>2</td><td>11</td><td>15</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Morningstar, Brady</td><td>1-3</td><td>1-2</td><td>2</td><td>2</td><td>3</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Taylor, Tyshawn</td><td>8-14</td><td>0-3</td><td>1</td><td>3</td><td>23</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Teahan, Conner</td><td>0-0</td><td>0-0</td><td>4</td><td>0</td><td>2</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Bechard, Brennan</td><td>0-1</td><td>0-1</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Thomas, Quintrell</td><td>5-5</td><td>0-0</td><td>7</td><td>0</td><td>10</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Reed, Tyrel</td><td>4-8</td><td>4-6</td><td>2</td><td>0</td><td>12</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Morris, Marcus</td><td>3-6</td><td>0-0</td><td>4</td><td>1</td><td>6</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Releford, Travis</td><td>1-3</td><td>0-0</td><td>3</td><td>0</td><td>2</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Appleton, Tyrone</td><td>2-2</td><td>0-0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>4</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Juenemann, Jordan</td><td>0-0</td><td>0-0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Buford, Chase</td><td>0-0</td><td>0-0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Kleinmann, Matt</td><td>1-1</td><td>0-0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>2</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Team</td><td></td><td></td><td>4</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Totals</td><td>39-71</td><td>7-17</td><td>46</td><td>20</td><td>100</td><td></td></tr></table>
NEW MEXICO STATE BOX SCORE
<table><thead><tr><th>Player</th><th>FG-FGA</th><th colspan="2">3FG-3FG</th><th>A</th><th>Pts</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>McKines, Wendell</td><td>5-10</td><td>1-2</td><td>2</td><td>1</td><td>13</td></tr><tr><td>Gillenwater, Troy</td><td>4-10</td><td>2-4</td><td>4</td><td>0</td><td>15</td></tr><tr><td>Young, Jahmar</td><td>4-8</td><td>1-5</td><td>0</td><td>4</td><td>17</td></tr><tr><td>Laroche, Jernst</td><td>1-1</td><td>0-0</td><td>0</td><td>4</td><td>2</td></tr><tr><td>Gibson, Jonathan</td><td>6-13</td><td>4-9</td><td>1</td><td>4</td><td>16</td></tr><tr><td>Lumpkins, Robert</td><td>1-5</td><td>0-2</td><td>2</td><td>1</td><td>2</td></tr><tr><td>Rahman, Hamidu</td><td>4-7</td><td>0-0</td><td>5</td><td>1</td><td>8</td></tr><tr><td>Castillo, Gordo</td><td>2-4</td><td>2-4</td><td>2</td><td>2</td><td>6</td></tr><tr><td>Gabriel, Chris</td><td>0-0</td><td>0-0</td><td>1</td><td>0</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td>Team</td><td></td><td></td><td>3</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Totals</td><td>20-53</td><td>8-18</td><td>20</td><td>17</td><td>79</td></tr></tbody></table>
SCHEDULE
Date Opponent Result/Time
11/4 vs. Washburn (Ex.) W, 98-79
11/11 vs. Emporia State (Ex.) W, 103-58
11/16 vs. UMKC W, 71-56
11/18 vs. Florida Gulf Coast W, 85-45
11/24 vs. Washington (in Kansas City, Mo.) W, 73-54
11/25 vs. Syracuse (in Kansas City, Mo.) L, 89-81 (OT)
11/28 vs. Coppin State W, 85-53
12/1 vs. Kent State W, 87-60
12/3 vs. New Mexico State W, 100-79
12/6 vs. Jackson State 1 p.m.
12/13 vs. Massachusetts 1 p.m.
12/20 vs. Temple 1:30 p.m.
12/23 at Arizona 9:30 p.m.
12/30 vs. Albany NY 8 p.m.
1/03 vs. Tennessee 1 p.m.
1/6 vs. Siena 7 p.m.
1/10 at Michigan State Noon
1/13 vs. Kansas State 7 p.m.
1/17 at Colorado 2:30 p.m.
1/19 vs. Texas A&M 8 p.m.
1/24 at Iowa State 1 p.m.
1/28 at Nebraska 6:30 p.m.
1/31 vs. Colorado 3 p.m.
2/2 at Baylor 8 p.m.
2/7 vs. Oklahoma State 2:30 p.m.
2/9 at Missouri 8 p.m.
2/14 at Kansas State 2:30 p.m.
2/18 vs. Iowa State 7 p.m.
2/21 vs. Nebraska 3 p.m.
2/23 at Oklahoma 8 p.m.
3/1 vs. Missouri 1 p.m.
3/4 at Texas Tech 8:30 p.m.
3/7 vs. Texas 3 p.m.
Thomas breaks out of his season's funk
MEN'S BASKET
BY MARK DENT
mdent@kansan.com
Quintrell Thomas is not a talkative guy. His roommate, freshman guard Tyshawn Taylor, usually initiates their conversations.
But recently, Taylor was even having trouble with that. Thomas, a freshman forward, had stayed to himself more than normal. Hed sit in the room and shut the door, not wanting anyone to bother him.
Basketball had caused the silence. Thomas wasn't happy with his play.
"You could really notice a difference," Taylor said.
But after Wednesday's 100-79 victory against New Mexico State, Thomas had the smile back on his face that his teammates had grown accustomed to seeing. He scored 10 points on five-for-five shooting and grabbed seven rebounds. It was his best game since exhibition play.
"He needed that," Kansas coach Bill said.
A month ago, the other players were calling Thomas the team's biggest surprise. He was the one most of them filled out for that question in a survey from Self.
And early on, Thomas seemed like a surprise. He was the leasheraled recruit but starred in
the first exhibition game. That night, he had 10 points and six rebounds in 14 minutes. Kansas coach Bill Self rewarded him with a start in the first regular season game.
Thomas was behind the Morris twins and sophomore center Cole Aldrich in Self's seven-man rotation.
In the four games before Wednesday, Thomas didn't once log more than nine minutes. He grabbed just five rebounds.
Thomas didn't make a field goal that night against UMKC. The next game he didn't start. His minutes dwindled.
And Taylor could tell his teammate was upset. Self noticed, too.
Then reality set in.
So after watching film of the Coppin State game on Saturday morning, Self pulled Thomas aside in the locker room. He told him he wasn't going after rebounds. He wasn't putting himself in position to score.
Lastly, Self left him with this message: If he didn't start doing those things better, he couldn't give him significant minutes.
Something finally clicked for Thomas on Wednesday. Aldrich had picked up his second foul early, Freshman forwards Marcus and Markieff Morris had two as well. The jayhawks needed Thomas,
and he produced.
He came into the game with about 13 minutes to go in the first half and immediately made a jump shot. When the Aggies pulled within six, he was part of a group that stretched the Jayhawks' lead to 11 by halftime.
Then in the second half, Self was really pleased with Thomas' play.
The Aggies were close again. Down seven with about 12 minutes left. Thomas came in and dunked within 30 seconds. The basket sparked an 8-0 run, stretching the Jayhawks lead to 66-51.
Thomas had plenty to say after the game, joking about how fresh his legs felt on that dunk. It's a good sign for Taylor and the rest of the team. They say Thomas is ready to contribute consistently.
Ideally, Thomas will do this throughout the season when the big guys get in foul trouble. It could happen again soon. Markieff leads the team in fouls with 21. Aldrich and Marcus are just behind with 18 and 16.
"Players go through that everywhere," Taylor said. "He got his chance tonight, and he's showing coach he got his playing times and deserves it."
— Edited by Jennifer Torline
Sophomore center Cole Aldrich battles for a rebound during the first half of the game. Aldrich only played 22 minutes because of foul trouble, but scored 13 points and grabbed 13 rebounds.
Jon Goering/KANSAN
Junior guard Sherron Collins takes the ball to the game with a double, recording 15 points
BASKETBALL (CONTINUED FROM 1B)
Freshman forward Marcus Morris missed a couple shots right underneath the basket. Kansas
underneath the committed 11 turnovers. Sophomore center Cole Aldrich played only five minutes before recording two fouls and being relegated to the bench.
4
Despite a spectator
"Coach kept pounding it in our heads to play hard. We did in stretches."
game."
"I think we're
I think were so much better, obviously, when he's on the floor," Kansas coach Billy Self said. "You need him in the
TYSHAWN TAYLOR Freshman guard
Aldrich becoming the Jayhawks never
and it was for only
And it was no joy.
An inevitable loomed.
trailed in the game. But the outcome was far from decided for most of the night.
For the first 28 minutes, New Mexico State only trailed by more than 11 once- 20 seconds.
It seemed to have arrived when Aggie guard Gordo Castillo hit three-pointers on consecutive possessions with 12 and a half minutes left to cut the score to 58-51.
Aggie surge
But they couldn't keep it up. New Mexico State's exhaustion began to show in the final 12 minutes.
Kansas' big men's shots weren't being contested by New Mexico State center Hamidu Rahman anymore. He gasped for breath.
Meanwhile, Kansas ran away. It put together a 15-4 run during the
Aggie guards Jonathan Gibson and Jahmar Young weren't flying down the floor on every Kansas fast break anymore. They larged behind
basket dur
nd 11 assi
next four minutes.
"Coach just kept pounding it in our heads to play hard," Taylor said. "We did in stretches."
Kansas received invaluable contributions from two bench players during its game-defining stretch. Freshman forward Quintrell Thomas, who finished with 10 points and seven rebounds, dunked the ball twice.
Sophomore guard Tyrel Reed, who recorded 12 points and shot four-for-six from three-point range, had two three-pointers to ensure New Mexico State had no chance at a comeback.
"He hit some big shots and it
1