THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
TUESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2013
PAGE 11
KANSAS TIPOFF
AT A GLANCE
Kansas travels to Manhattan tied with the Wildcats at 4-0 for the Big 12 lead, and the Jayhawks could just as easily be sitting at 2-2. Coach Bill Self said he judges senior Eliah Johnson by the team's win-loss record. For now, that record is sparkling, but if the senior doesn't start hitting shots soon, that record may become less appealing. To his credit, he has appeared to take it upon himself to get Ben McLemore involved in the offense.
PLAYER TO WATCH
Ben McLemore, Guard
The highflying freshman will face his first truly hostile environment in Manhattan, although he handled himself well on the road in December against Ohio
McLemore
State. The Jayhawks' other guards were stagnant for most of the game Saturday against Texas. If Elijah Johnson continues to miss shots, it'll be up to McLemore to demand the ball and look for his shot so the Wildcats can't sag on Jeff Withey down low.
Can Kansas snap out of its early conference funk?
QUESTION MARK
The Jayhawks could have a .500 record in Big 12 play if not for freshman Ben McLemore's threepointer against Iowa State and an ugly comeback against Texas. The Wildcats handled Kansas easily in Manhattan two seasons ago, but the Jayhawks normally find a way to win in Manhattan, where they are 22-2 since Bramlage Coliseum opened. Senior Elijah Johnson said his team learned a lesson after barely beating Texas on Saturday. If he's wrong, then Kansas is due for the loss it nearly had Saturday.
BY THE NUMBERS
22-2
Kansas' record in Bramlage Coliseum since it opened in 1987- 1988.
16-1
For the third time in four seasons, Kansas has dropped only one of its first 17 games.
15
The Jayhawks' current winning streak, which began after a November loss to Michigan State.
BIG JAY WILL CHEER IF...
The Jayhawks' offense finds its groove. The Wildcats don't have the offensive arsenal Kansas owns, but that doesn't matter if that arsenal is misfiring. Perhaps the most important thing for senior guard Elijah Johnson is just to play smart. As long as he facilitates the offense, he doesn't need to score every time down the court. But when he does choose to shoot it, his shots need to be high-percentage looks within the offense's framework.
The Sunflower Showdown
Jayhawks turn to the west for their in-state rivals
NO. 3 KANSAS VS. NO. 11 KANSAS STATE
7 P.M., BRAMLAGE COLISEUM, MANHATTAN
KANSAS
(16-1, 4-0)
STARTERS
Withey was Kansas' most consistent player Saturday at Texas, finishing with 14 points, nine rebounds, four assists and three blocks, two of which led to Kansas transition buckets. His 4.59 blocks per game is second in the country behind St. John's Chris Obekpa. His defense down low is especially crucial while Kansas fixes its offensive struggles.
JEFF WITHEY. CENTER
Young
One of the best glue guys in recent Kansas memory, Young hasn't proved to be a serious scoring threat game in and game out, but the Jayhawks don't need him to be. His biggest contribution during conference play has been his rebounding, especially on the offensive end. He's grabbed at least two offensive rebounds in each of the Jayhawks' last five games. Grasping extra possessions will be key against a Wildcat team that boasts the conference's second-best rebound margin.
KEVIN YOUNG. FORWARD
ELIJAH JOHNSON, GUARD
Releford
defense and hit short iumpers.
The senior turned in a miserable shooting performance against Texas, finishing one of 11 from the floor. Coach Bill Self said it's only a matter of time until his shots start falling, but Kansas would benefit from that time coming sooner rather than later. The Jayhawks have more scoring options this year than they did last year, but freshman Ben McLemore could use another threat on the perimeter who can penetrate the short armers
McLemore
TRAVIS RELEFORD, GUARD
Releford hasn't made a three-point shot since conference play began, but he's only attempted seven of them. But he's been his reliable self in transition, helping Kansas change the tempo when its half-court offense is struggling. He'll be even more important defensively against Kansas State, where his versatility could help Self create matchup problems. The Wildcats typically don't start anyone taller than 6 feet 7 inches, although 6-foot-11-inch Jordan Henriquez plays significant minutes.
BEN MCLEMORE. GUARD
About the only complaint Self has about McLemore's offense is that he doesn't shoot more. The redshirt freshman admits he must do a better job of asserting himself and creating his own offense. After attempting only three shots in the first half against Texas, McLemore made four of his seven attempts in the second half, keying the Kansas comeback. In an early battle for the Big 12 lead, McLemore could stake himself as the top candidate for Big 12 Player of the Year honors in the conference with a big performance on the road.
OPPONENT
(15-2,4-0)
STARTERS
SHANE SOUTHWELL, GUARD
Coach Bruce Weber gives 11 players at least 10 minutes of playing time per game, so Southwell has received only eight starts and averages 21.5 minutes per game. His shooting sample is only about half as large as most of the Wildcats' other starters, but he shoots 52 percent from the field, including a 49 percent mark from three-point range.
Southwell
ANGEL RODRIGUEZ, GUARD
Rodriguez is second in the Big 12 with a 2.16 assist-to-turnover ratio, behind only his teammate Will Spradling. He was one of four Wildcats that scored in double figures Saturday against Oklahoma, but his nine assists were even more important. He also recorded eight assists in the Wildcats' first conference game, a narrow 73-67 victory against then-No. 22 Oklahoma State.
The only Wildcat to average in double figures scoring, McGruder is third in the Big 12 with 15.5 points per game. He has to carry the offensive load if Kansas State is to knock of the Jayhawks. He scored only four points in the Wildcat's loss to Gonzaga in mid-December. He scored 16 points in the Wildcats' other loss against Michigan, but he didn't heat up until the second half.
RODNEY MCGRUDER, GUARD
★★★★
Mcgruder
WILL SPRADLING. GUARD
A product of Shawne Mission South High School, Spradling has been regarded as one of Kansas State's most reliable three-point threats during his past two years in Manhattan. However, his consistency has always been his problem. He's made less than 35 percent of his three-point attempts this year, which is actually a slight improvement from his sophomore campaign. He is the conference's best protector of the ball, as he sports a healthy 3.0 assist-to-turnover ratio.
★★★★
THOMAS GIPSON, FORWARD
The tallest Wildcat starter at 6 feet 7 inches, Gipson leads Kansas State with 5.9 rebounds per game. His 48 offensive rebounds are 16 more than Jeff Withey has on the season, and 11 more than Kevin Young's tallied. Although he's undersized at 6 feet 7 inches, he weighs a bruising 270 pounds. He could struggle against Withey's length and Young's motor. Gipson has turned the ball over 29 times and has recorded only four assists.
Spradling
★★★☆☆
Gipson
PREDICTION Kansas 63, K-State 57
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K-STATE TIPOFF
AT A GLANCE
Mcgruder
Rodney McGruder, Guard
Under first-year coach Bruce Weber, the Wildcats are a serious threat to grab a top-four seed in the NCAA Tournament. Kansas State enters on an eight-game winning streak, including a victory over then-No. 8 Florida. This is the same Gators team that just shellacked Missouri by 31 points. Kansas State is led offensively by Rodney McGruder, the only Wildcat who seems capable of producing big offensive numbers every night.
PLAYER TO WATCH
The senior has posted five games of at least 20 points this season and is third in the conference in scoring with 15.5 points per game. The reigning Big 12 Player of
the Week is averaging 19.5 points per game during the Wildcats' eight-game winning streak and has earned the conference's Player of the Week award four times this season.
What role will turnovers play?
QUESTION MARK
The Wildcats value the basketball more than any other team in the Big 12, as they lead the conference with a +2.5 turnover margin. Will Spradling and Angel Rodriguez are the only players in the conference with an assist-to-turnover ratio above two. Kansas State turns the ball over 12.4 times per game, but turned it over only eight times in its past two games, while Kansas has committed at least 14 turnovers in four of its past five games. If the Jayhawks' half-court offense struggles again like it did against Texas, the Wildcats would put them in position to earn the upset by holding onto the ball and eliminating Kansas' transition opportunities.
BY THE NUMBERS
1
The number of Wildcats who average double figures in scoring.
11
Coach Bruce Weber gives 11 players at least 10 minutes of playing time per game.
14.94
Kansas State is second in the Big 12 on the offensive glass with just under 15 offensive rebounds per game. Kansas is dead last with 10.24 offensive boards per game.
BABY JAY WILL WEEP IF..
The veteran Kansas team gets rattled. Three Jayhawk starters are fifth-year seniors, and Elijah Johnson came to Lawrence four years ago with Xavier Henry and Thomas Robinson. The seniors must stay composed for 40 minutes, but they also must help Ben McLemore play in what will likely be the most hostile environment he'll ever face in college. The Jayhawks' pace seems to follow McLemore's pace. If the Kansas State crowd gets him rattled, 40 minutes in Manhattan may feel like forever.