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KANSAN.COM/SPORTS | THURSDAY, JAN. 26, 2017
Opposing Sidelines: KU-UK preview
Kentucky's Malik Monk is instructed by coach John Calipari during a game against Auburn on Saturday, Jan. 14, in Lexington, Kentucky.
Associated Press Kentucky.
SKYLAR ROLSTAD
@SkyRolSports
No. 2 Kansas comes off its first conference loss of the season to take on No.4 Kentucky on Saturday in one of this season's most-anticipated matchups. Kansas lost to No.18 West Virginia and Kentucky lost to unranked Tennessee, both on Tuesday.
The Kansan spoke with Chris Angolia — associate sports editor of the Kentucky Kernel, Kentucky's student newspaper — about the game on Saturday.
Kansan: What did you think about Kentucky's loss to Tennessee?
Angolia: I wasn't fully surprised. I was a little surprised. I just didn't think [Kentucky] played well. In terms of just looking at all the stats, they shot terribly and they didn't put together their customary run. There was no flow to the game. It was just out of control almost, at times. [The Wildcats] had a chance to cut it to four, and they go down and miss a wide open layup. Tennessee comes down and scores, and then [the Wildcats] turn the ball over on the next possession.
Tennessee is the most successful team against [Kentucky] in the past couple years. So this is no stranger, I just didn't expect it with this team in particular.
Kansan: Any glaring problems with Kentucky?
Angolia: I say it's a lack of depth. If you look at the team, they have [sophomore forward] Isaac Humphries coming off the bench, [senior guard Mychal] Mulder, [senior forward] Derek Willis, and [senior guard Dominique] Hawkins and all these guys. But
when you really look at it, their production is very low. They're basically there to eat minutes and [prevent] foul trouble.
unbelievable. He's absolutely ridiculous, and he's probably a contender for national player of the year."
Chris Angolia Kentucky Kernel associate sports editor
Kansan: What have you seen from Kansas this season?
Angolia: I love [Frank Mason III] and [Devonte'] Graham. I'm a big guard guy. I love watching guard play. Mason's unbelievable. He's absolutely ridiculous, and he's probably a contender for national player of the year. And I like Graham a lot just for what he does for the team.
The teams are really similar. When you look at it, the teams are basically carbon copies of each other. Even in last year's game, only two guys taller than 6-foot-4 had double figures. [Alex] Poythress and Perry Ellis had double figures. So when you look at it now, it's clearly Jackson, Mason and Graham against Megan Brady Pride.
Kansan: What have seen out of De'Aaron Fox and Malik Monk?
Angolia: Fox is the quickest guard by far. He's lightning, and ['Tuesday night] he would do little things. He'd press, the guy would beat him and he'd sprint down the court [to defend the ball-handler.] Off the dribble, he's insanely quick to the rim. He flies
all over the place, and for me, it's something. He's worked on his jump shot, it hasn't really been all there yet. To me, he hasn't really put it together shooting-wise. But he can get to the rim at will, much like your [UCLA guard] Lonzo Ball, [NC State guard] Dennis Smith, [Washington guard] Markelle Fultz, even Mason. They all just get to the rim at will, and he's one of those guys. In terms of Monk, there's nothing on the court that he can't do. He's a freak, that's the best way to describe it.
Kansan: John Calipari joked recently that Brad Calipari would replace De'Aaron Fox if Fox was injured because of pressure from his wife. Who do you think would win in a one-on-one game: Tyler Self or Brad Calipari?
Tyler. Brad just hasn't played a lot of basketball recently. He's had a lot of knee injuries. I haven't really seen Tyler play a lot.
Kansan: What are your picks for the Final Four this season?
Angolia: I'd probably say
Angolia: Final Four: I'd definitely say Kansas, North Carolina, I'm on the fence with UCLA, if Villanova gets [Phil] Booth back, that's a very good possibility that they get back to the Final Four.
I think a sleeper team in all seriousness is Louisville. It has a mark of a Louisville team that could go far. Because they can defend, they put up points. They put up over 100 points against Pitt.
- Edited by Ashley
Hocking
Defense breaks down in Morgantown loss
Associated Press Kansas forward Carlton Bragg Jr. is disappointed by a referee's call during the second half of Kansas' game against West Virginia. The Mountaineers defeated Kansas 85-69.
Associated Press
BRIAN MINI
@brianminimum
The Kansas Jayhawks were able to break the press, but weren't able to finish the job as they took their second loss of the season against No. 18 West Virginia, 85-69.
Despite West Virginia's (16-4, Big 12 5-3) press, the issue in Morgantown wasn't ball security. Kansas' 13 turnovers were far below West Virginia's average of forcing almost 24.
"I don't think it really bothered us much at all," coach Bill Self said of the press on the Jayhawk Radio Network. "I thought we really attacked it pretty good."
The issue for Kansas (18-2, Big 12 7-1) this time was stopping West Virginia's offense.
Mountainers sophomore forward Esa Ahmad took over the game and had no problem setting a career-high in points against freshman forward Josh Jackson.
Ahmad lead the game with 27 points against a foulplagued Kansas frontcourt. Ahmad shot 10-for-17 and
led the way at the free-throw line with nine attempts.
"I think we played tired," Self said of the defense. "Our bench was extra short tonight."
Kansas' defense faltered late in part because of foul trouble. Jackson fouled out while senior center Landen Lucas and sophomore forward Carlton Bragg Jr. both finished the game with
four fouls.
"I think guys let officiating bother them, although I don't think that had anything to do with the outcome of the game," Self said.
For Kansas, the offense came from the usual suspects and that was about it. The bench scored just seven points compared to West Virginia's bench, which contributed 21 points.
After going 2-for-
5 from deep against
Texas, Jackson's three-
point shooting needed
improvement in Tuesday's
game.
Jackson hit a season-high four three-pointers on his way to tying a season-high 22 points. He also provided a highlight reel play late in the second half, throwing down a one-handed dunk through
Junior guard Devonte' Graham shot 60 percent and added 17 points while senior guard Frank Mason III struggled offensively, shooting just 6-of-16 for 15 points.
a pair of West Virginia defenders.
Kansas had a one-point lead with just under 10 minutes to go thanks to a three-pointer from junior guard Svi Mykhaliuk, who scored six points on of-8 shooting from three-point range.
Kansas was outrebounded, but Lucas had his fifth double-digit rebounding game in the last six games. The senior finished with 10 rebounds.
Another struggle came from the free-throw line as Kansas shot just 40 percent from the line. After the game, Self pointed out that Mason didn't shoot a free throw, which is the second time this season that the senior hasn't made it to the line.
Kansas won't have much time to rest with its next game coming up on Saturday at No. 4 Kentucky.
Rolstad:
Lack of depth shows in WVU loss
SKYLAR ROLSTAD
@SkyRolSports
A problem the Kansas Jayhawks managed to mask all season finally rose above the surface in a devastating fashion in Morgantown, West Virginia.
In an 85-69 loss to the West Virginia Mountainers (16-4, Big 12 5-3), there was no longer any cure for Kansas' (18-2, Big 12 7-1) restricting lack of depth. While West Virginia's highest scorer, Esa Ahmad, finished with 27 points and only one foul, Kansas stayed sloppy and undisciplined in the loss.
Somehow, the only player to foul out was freshman guard Josh Jackson. A couple more minutes to build on his 22 points would have been nice, however, it was too much to ask. Rather, it was the frontcourt that Jackson and the rest of Kansas' nation-leading backcourt needed to lean on.
And lean on it would not. Senior forward Landen Lucas came away with a respectable two points and 10 rebounds, but was shoehorned into 24 minutes of game time due to foul trouble. His partner-turned-second string down low, sophomore forward Carlton Bragg Jr., had similar foul problems. Luens and Bragg finished the game with four fouls each. Freshman forward Mitch Lightfoot was thrown in the game for eight minutes.
One instance where Kansas couldn't hack it with Lightfoot on the floor came with 7:56 remaining in the second half. Lightfoot remained planted under the basket while junior guard Svi Mykhailiuk rushed to defend West Virginia's Lamont West, who made a three. Mykhailiuk turned an annoyed eye to Lightfoot, who failed to shift over and defend West.
It's not a freshman who averages 4.3 minutes' fault. It would be ridiculous to pin a loss on a freshman who hardly plays, but it serves as an example of what Kansas faces when top players fail to control their game and avoid unnecessary fouls.
When Kansas was steam-rolling nonconference opponents or earning inevitable victories over Oklahoma or Texas, Lightfoot and junior forward Dwight Coleby were fine. Lucas and Bragg should have been dependable against an 18th-ranked West Virginia, and that's concerning for Kansas fans who expect this team to go deep in the tournament.
Kansas couldn't have suffered its first loss in months on a better night. The bench's shortcomings don't look nearly as painful when you compare the problems No. 1 Villanova had in a 74-72 loss to unranked Marquette. Nor do Kansas' issues look quite as dire when compared to upcoming opponent No. 4 Kentucky and its struggles in an 84-82 loss to Tennessee.
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- Edited by Frank Weirich
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