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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 5. 2012
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
KANSAS VS. Washburn 7 p.m., Lawrence, Kan.
KU
TIPOFF
AT A GLANCE
The Jayhawks enter tonight's exhibition game trying to sort out what their rotation will look like this season. Last week, 11 players logged double-digit minutes. This game should be more of the same, as Kansas Coach Bill Self tries to offer playing experience to the large crop of freshmen while simultaneously building the chemistry between the younger and older players.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Can senior center Jeff Withey find his offensive flow?
Freshman guard Andrew White III
White has showed his scoring ability — notching 10 points in the first exhibition game — but has also struggled. He is leading the team with five turnovers, a third of the Jayhawks' total turnovers if he continues to turn the ball over, expect Self to place White on a very short leash.
QUESTION MARK
Withey can no longer rely on Thomas Robinson to open him up for easy baskets, so he will now be counted on to use his height and arm length to knock down his shots in the post early, which in turn will open up the rest of the offense.
HEAR YE. HEAR YE
"They look like freshmen. They look like freshmen that can run and jump though, but they look like freshmen. They don't know what they're doing."
— Kansas Coach Bill Self on the play of Jamari Traylor and Ben McLemore against Emporia State
KANSAS 0-0,(0-O BIG 12) STARTERS
BIG JAY WILL CHEER IF..
Releford
The Jayhawks find their rhythm early and use their defense to create turnovers, which would lead to fast break opportunities and easy points.
Travis Releford, Senior Guard
Releford had an unspectacular day against Emporia State, with seven points and two rebounds in 22 minutes of play. However, Releford's most important contribution — his tenacious approach to defense — kept reflections in the box score.
McLemore
Ben McLemore, Freshman Guard
McLemore showed off his athletic ability on a monster put-back slam in the first exhibition game against Emporia State. He claims to have felt no nerves entering the first game, but Self thinks he did. Either way, it wasn't a problem; he found his groove, scoring four for seven baskets for a total of 11 points.
Elijah Johnson, Senior Guard
Johnson
Johnson's effect was instantly felt when he entered the game. He jump-started an offense that looked sluggish while he sat out for being significantly late to one of his classes. The Jayhawks won't be able to afford him arriving late to class when the tougher opponents of the regular season roll around.
Jamari Traylor, Freshman Forward
Traylor
Traylor is one of the players auditioning for the starting role in the front court, opposite Jeff Withey. He jacks the offensive punch of freshman forward Perry Ellis, but can make his mark with aggressive play on the defensive end of the floor.
Jeff Withey, Senior Center
Withey
Withey didn't effect the Jayhawks last game as much he was expected to. He missed badly on a few low post moves before finally finding the net and scoring seven points in 18 minutes of play. His role could be expanded against a Washburn team that played two other Big 12 schools — Kansas State and Oklahoma — within 20 points.
Ethan Padway
Will McNeil, Senior Guard
McNeil enters his senior season at Washburn 12th altime on the Iahoul scoring list with 1,168 career points. In the 2011-12 season, he earned first team NABC All-American honors. Against Oklahoma, McNeil scored 19 points with one assist and one turnover in 33 minutes. McNeil has started 50 of his 92 career games and has averaged 12.9 points per game.
Martin Mitchell, Senior Guard
Mitchell transferred to Washburn offer two season at Southwest Tennessee Community College where he averaged 8 points per game and 3 assists per game in his sophomore year. Last season, his first at Washburn, Mitchell averaged 10 points per game in 33 appearances. Against Oklahoma, Mitchell turned the ball over six times, scoring nine points in 24 minutes.
★☆☆☆
Alex North, Junior Guard
A Topeka native and Topeka West High School graduate. North started 24 of 56 games in his career. He averages 5.1 points and 3.4 blocks per game. As a sophomore, he averaged 6.3 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game. Against Oklahoma, North fouled out with three points, two rebounds, one steel and one turnover in 18 innings of play.
Robby Chinman, Senior Forward
topke native and Westborn Ronal High School alumn. Bobby Chagman earned honorable mention All-MIAA honors last season after starting all 33 games and averaging 7.3 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. Against Oklahoma, Columbian scores three points with two steals, one block and one assist in 26 minutes.
Zach Riggins, Senior Forward
Riggins has made 30 starts as an incharged averag- log 5.5 points per game. He joined the Ichabads after transferring from the University of North Florida, where he averaged 5.3 points per game in 13 starts as a true thirdman. He appeared in six games in his sophomore season at Washburn before taking a medical redshirt after suffering a seven concussion.
WASHBURN TIPOFF
Prediction:
AT A GLANCE
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Washburn enters the 2012 season as the coaches pick to win the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association and is ranked fourth in the NABC preseason coaches poll. Coach Bob Chipman enters his 34th season at Washburn after a 25-8 2011 campaign that ended in the second round of the NCAA Division II tournament. The Ichabods shot 46 percent from the field last year, and averaged 72.5 points per game. Washburn was tough on defense forcing 518 turnovers while turning it over 386 times themselves. In last week's 83-66 loss against the Oklahoma Sooners, senior guard Will McNeill led the way with 19 points. The Ichabods shot 41 percent from the field, but turned the ball over 23 times.
Senior guard Will McNeill
An NABC All-American last season. McNeill returns for his senior campaign attempting to build on a second round tournament run last season. McNeill missed the entire 2010-11 season with a broken bone in his foot before returning for his All-American campaign. McNeill is a slasher. Against Oklahoma, he went a perfect 12 of 12 from the free throw line, leading the Ichabods with 19 points.
QUESTION MARK
Kansas 90, Washburn 52
Washburn's starting forwards are undersized. Against Oklahoma, senior Bobby Chipper pulled down eight boards, but Zack Riggins only grabbed two rebounds. For Washburn to keep the game close, these two will have to be a defensive presence in the post against the young, athletic frontcourt of Kansas.
Can Washburn's forwards handle the athleticism of Kansas' frontcourt?
HEAR YE, HEAR YE
— Bob Chipman after Kansas State beat the Ichabods on the boards earlier in the exhibition season.
"They put a body on us on the boards. We looked a little weak. They had a little sting to their defense, and we were a little casual."
BABY JAY WILL CRY IF.
The young lajhawks commit careless turnovers, leading to easy Washburn buckets that enable the ichabbs to keep the game close into the second half.
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