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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THE MORNING BREW
BIG PLAYMAKERS OF THE BIG 12
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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2008
COMMENTARY
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KANSAS 87, KENT STATE 60
PAGE10A
Self molds newer team with defense
It was just past 10:30 on Monday night. Kansas' 87-60 victory against Kent State had turned into an ugly foul-plagued hack-fest. And Bill Self sat in front of the microphone with one more question to answer. He could have ducked the question. He could have given a bland coach-speak answer and headed for the locker room. Instead, Self cracked a ioke. Then he smiled.
It's still early in this basketball season. It's still December. And of course, December basketball is sloppy. December basketball is what happened in the first half of Monday's game when Kansas' gifted freshman guard Tyshawn Taylor botched a breakaway dunk, and then moments later, proceeded to steal the ball and give Kansas another possession.
It's Dec. 2, and the jayhawks won't play a conference game for 43 days.
So for now, the story is about the man, behind the smile. The story is about Self. How will he mold this team? Can he teach this team to play defense? Can he teach them to box out? Can he teach them to do all the little things that win basketball games?
Bill Self has obviously been in this situation before. In fact, he's been in a lot of situations. He's coached fast teams, young teams and teams with NBA talent. He's coached tough teams, rough teams and teams with no talent. People don't realize this, but Self has been around a while. Did you know he'll coach his 500th college basketball game this season?
He's had quite a run. In 2000, he coached a fast-breaking Tulsa队 to a 32-5 season and the Elite Eight. The next season, he took over for Lon Kruger at Illinois and molded a team loaded with physical bangers into a tough and efficient squad that advanced all the way to the Elite Eight — beating Kansas along the way. And then, after three years at Illinois, Self left Champaign for Lawrence. And now he's in his sixth year at Kansas. That's hard to believe, isn't it? Self coached his 180th Kansas basketball game on Monday. He's won 147 of them. He's 81-6 at Allen Fieldhouse. You could argue — if you wanted to — that Self is the best coach in America.
"You know coach self," junior guard Sherron Collins said. "His motto is defense first, offense second."
And there's really only one thing to teach.
But now he's starting over. He has one stud in the backcourt, one center who still doesn't know how good he can be, and five young freshmen who are still learning.
"We love to get it out of the basket and go" they said.
There's an old story about Self's first few meetings with his new players when he took over at Kansas in 2003. Wayne Simien, Keith Langford, Aaron Miles and the rest of Roy Williams' leftovers were fresh off a loss in the National Championship game. Those Williams teams played fast — real fast — and those players had a message for their new coach.
Self was a little confused and probably a little concerned. Wait a minute, Self said to his new players. How about we stop them from scoring in the first place?
Edited by Jennifer Torline
And with that, Self walked out of the room. The smile started to fade. It was back to work. His team is 5-1. But in Self's world, you can always play better defense.
"I thought we defended them pretty well." Self said.
And that the man behind the smile, Sure, Self's teams score points, but that's mostly because Self recruits blue-chip talents with offensive skill and athleticism. He gives his players freedom on offense. He demands discipline on defense.
So on Monday night, the Jawhaws played defense the Bill Self way. They held Kent State to 60 points and 37.7 percent from the field. They also forced 20 turnovers. Those are all positive signs.
Jayhawks fight back
BY CASE KEEFER ckeefer@kansan.com
Freshman forward Marcus Morris tried to explain Kansas' 87-60 victory against Kent State.
Marcus Morris, who finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds, attempted to make sense of a game where 46 fouls were called on the two teams combined. The words weren't coming to him.
He wanted to tell everyone exactly what happened in the scrum under the basket four minutes into the second half that resulted in a flagrant foul and ejection of his twin brother, Markieff. But he didn't have a clear view of the altercation while it happened.
On this night, the scratch above Marcus' right eye told the story of the game better than he — or anyone else — could.
That's probably an understatement. The battle between the Jayhawks and the Golden Flashes turned nasty. It turned into a game devoid of any pace on the floor in the second half. The Jayhawks spent most of their time at the free-throw line.
It proved to be a friendly home for them. Kansas shot 32-for-36 from the charity stripe. Marcus, who went 8-for-12 on free throws, was the only Jayhawk who missed any.
"I got scratched" Marcus said. "They were playing very physical, and I think we were playing very physical, too."
He said he felt bad that he kept Kansas four away from a perfect percentage. Kansas coach Bill Self, on the other hand, wasn't disappointed at all. He said it was the perfect victory for the lahawks.
The game lost its rhythm right after Markieff was ejected. Markieff retaliated when a Golden Flash player hit him while fighting for a lose ball after a rebound.
Junior guard Sherron Collins said a Kent State player punched Markieff, which prompted his response. Marcus thought Markieff might have caught an elbow, not a fist. Either way, Collins thought Markieff should have shrugged it off.
"He's got to do a better job of keeping his head out there," Collins said. "He's young. It happens."
Although the incident changed the nature of the game, the outcome was never in doubt. Kansas led 43-31 at the time and never let Kent State get closer than that for the rest of the game. With six minutes remaining, the Golden Flashes once again cut their deficit to 12 with the score 67-55
But Collins pulled the Jayhawks away.
Sophomore guard Brady Morningstar draws a foul on Kent State forward Anthony Simpson during Monday's game at Allen Fieldhouse. Kent State committed 28 personal fouls in the game, which resulted in 32 points in made free throws for the Jawhaws.
Jon Goering/KANSAN
SEE BASKETBALL ON PAGE 6A
Forward known for threes expands game
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
BY JAYSON JENKS
jjenks@kansan.com
The day sophomore forward Nicollette Smith became a three-point shooter is still stuck in her head, although some of the details have faded over time.
With her team trailing in the second half of an Amateur Athletic Union basketball game in sixth grade — she doesn't remember the date or opponent — Smith took aim from beyond the arc.
"I just started shooting it from that day on," Smith said. "I fell in love with the three-point line."
Smith's affection for three-pointers became apparent last year as a freshman. Smith, who, at 6-foot-2, offers a unique combination of size and shooting ability, launched 132 three-pointers during her first season. She made 34 percent of those attempts.
During the offseason, though, coach Bonnie Henrickson asked Smith to add a new element to her game: the ability to attack the basket with the dribble.
The concept is simple. If Smith can make opponents chase her around the three-point line, then she'll be able to dribble past out-of-position and over-aggressive defenders.
"In our league, she's not going to get uncontested threes in set plays," Henrickson said. "We could run 20 offenses just for her to get a three but most defenses are going to be able to take that stuff away from her."
If Kansas' 64-42 victory against New Orleans on Sunday proved anything, it's that Smith can do both. Starting her second game in place of injured sophomore center Krysten Boogaard, Smith scored 13 points and collected 10 rebounds.
"When I got subbed out the first time, it was because of rebounding," Smith said. "I went to go sub back in, and she said 'Nic, we really need you on the boards."
Making Smith's performance Sunday even more impressive is the fact that she didn't participate in drills until the final 30 minutes of Saturday's practice. In Kansas' first game of the season, Smith suffered a deviated septum, requiring her to wear a protective mask.
But more impressive is the manner in which she did see. Smith hit three three-pointers, drove into the lane on several occasions and, perhaps most importantly, grabbed four offensive rebounds.
Both delivered on Sunday, combining for 17 rebounds.
In the days following the lajayhawks' 75-56 victory against St. Louis on Nov. 23, Henrickson said Smith's and junior forward Porscha Weddington's rebounding needed significant improvement.
On Monday, Smith had corrective surgery, but bleeding on Tuesday and Wednesday kept her out of practice.
"Everybody told me that I shouldn't practice more often," Smith said. "Maybe she'll let me off more."
With 13 minutes, eight seconds left in the first half, Smith pulled up for a 25-foot three-pointer from the tip of the Jayhawk's beak. Not that any of the Jayhawks were shocked.
"She'll shoot it from dang near half-court," junior guard Sade Morte said. "If
Sophomore forward Nicollette Smith tries to drive past defenders during Sunday afternoon's game against New Orleans. Smith wore a protective mask because she suffered a deviated septum during Kansas' first game of the season.
someone is in her face, she'll still knock from past halfcourt” it down
"I wouldn't be surprised if she shot it
Edited by Becka Cremer
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