Volume 125 Issue 87
kansan.com
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
COMMENTARY
Sprint Center is new home court
- Edited by Hayley Jozwiak
Just please remember not to call it Allen Fieldhouse East.
The Big 12 Tournament means more than just another banner to hang and trophy to add to the case this season. And that's mostly because of Kansas City and the Sprint Center.
If the jayhawks stumble early in the conference tournament, the heightened pressure to play well will only be greater.
Just don't call it Allen Fieldhouse East. Over the next two weeks, unless anything shocking happens, the Jayhawks will have a new home court of sorts at the Sprint Center in Kansas City, Mo.
And unlike previous years, the Big 12 Tournament actually means something to Kansas. It has some substance for a team that split its conference title with Kansas State.
Could the home court advantage give the Jayhawks enough confidence to win all five of their potential games in KC? Jeff Withey certainly doesn't think it will make a difference.
TAUGHT BY TYSHAWN
On Thursday, Kansas will play either West Virginia or Texas Tech in the Sprint Center's two-week basketball extravaganza that's on its way. The first round of the Big 12 Tournament will start the festivities on Wednesday, and it'll carry right on through to the first and second rounds of the NCAA Tournament the following week.
Kansas will be a favorite in every game they play in their downtown Kansas City rental home.
"I'd say we're expected to win no matter what." Withey said. "I wouldn't say we have more pressure. If anything it kind of helps us out."
But not only is it about extracting revenge and righting a wrong loss to Baylor to end its season. It's about building confidence in the Sprint Center for the two NCAA Tournament games that really matter.
That base of confidence for the Jayhawks should already be there from what feels like a long, long time ago. On Nov. 19, Kansas smoked Washington State 78-41. The following night, Kansas took care of St. Louis 73-59. And then the Jayhawks squeaked one out over Oregon State 10 days later 84-78.
So the Jayhawks are left in a situation that's oddly familiar to them — being the one seed in the Big 12 Tournament — yet fairly unique, seeing as there's added pressure from the fan base for the Jayhawks to cut the conference nets down.
If the layhawks can string even two wins together to get to the Big 12 Tournament Championship, their confidence will get a valuable boost headed into the NCAA Tournament.
However, those wins were four months ago, before the Kansas' three game losing stretch, before Elijah Johnson was resurrected, even before he needed to be resurrected.
THE KID IS ALL RIGHT
When Elijah Johnson received criticism, Tyshawn Taylor was there to help
BLAKE SCHUSTER
bschuster@kansan.com
With Kansas' senior point guard in the midst of a 39-point performance against Iowa State, his predecessor Tyshawn Taylor decided to do what he does best and took to Twitter.
"What's all this talk about Elijah Johnson you Jayhawk fans speak of?" Taylor posted.
Johnson had been the topic of discussion for quite some time. Taylor's sarcastic comment was just his way of telling fans to shut it. Enough with the criticism, enough with the "Kansas has no point guard" mentality and enough with the cries to sit Johnson on the bench.
And after the Cyclones were put away in the overtime of an instant classic, Taylor shook his head as he watched his former teammate apologize for an emphatic dunk as time expired.
"I respect the fact that he apologized," Taylor said. "But I don't think he needed to."
Of course IowaStatefans wouldn't understand that sentiment, perhaps not many Kansas fans either. After going through weeks of torture by media and poor play by his team, the need to abuse a rim with a one-handed slam was a feeling only Taylor and Johnson could share.
"Him going for the dunk was just a way to solidify a huge win," Taylor said. "I think it was more to show that he got the monkey off his back."
Johnson suffered through a three-game losing streak and a personally rough stretch in conference play. that monkey on his back felt like King Kong by the time Johnson and the Jayhawks rolled into Ames, Iowa.
In his previous seven games, Johnson hit 33 percent of his field goals, averaged 2.6 turnovers per game and barely averaged three assists per game. Every part of Johnson's game seemed to crumble.
"Any guard who plays at that school — it's going to be tough on them because coach Self demands a lot from his guards." Taylor said. "The University of Kansas fans are just so crazy about basketball that if someone isn't playing well it's going to be tough on them."
That's when Taylor stepped in.
Perhaps no one is more suited to utter those words than Tyshawn Taylor. As the beacon of Jayhawk fans' frustration for his last two seasons, from 2010 to 2012, Taylor has seen just how much hatred can be thrown at a Kansas point guard.
So when he saw Johnson getting the same treatment from Kansas fans, he made sure to walk him through the dos and don'ts of taking criticism.
"The only thing I tried to preach to him was to keep his head up," Taylor said. "The coaches know he's good and his teammates trust him. He just needed to start believing in himself."
As much as Taylor was in his ears, it was easier for Johnson to visualize the previous year.
"There's nothing for him to talk to me about that I don't already know," Johnson said. "But to see him go through it helped a lot."
Johnson remembers Taylor getting ripped in the papers and on the Internet, and walking into the locker room with a smile on his face the next day. He remembers
SEE TYSHAWN PAGE 8
Senior guard Tyshawn Taylor celebrates with junior guard Elijah Johnson at the half after coming to life and leading the team in scoring with 14 points and going 3-4 from the three point land. Taylor finished with 28 points in the Jayhawks 92-74 victory.
CHRIS BRONSON/KANSAN FILE PHOTO
BASEBALL
Jayhawks to host Jackson State
FARZIN VOUSOUGHIAN
fvousoughian@kansan.com
After earning a sweep this past weekend against Niagara, Kansas prepares to host a one-game series against Jackson State at 3 p.m. The Jayhawks, are 10-5 on the season, are familiar with Jackson State after a previous match this season in Conway, Ark.
The Jayhawks defeated the Tigers in their Feb. 23 meeting 10-6. Despite picking up a victory, it didn't come easy. Kansas senior pitcher Thomas Taylor threw for only 4 2/3 innings and allowed six runs off nine hits against the Tigers.
Kansas wants to limit Jackson State, which holds a 9-7 record, in getting hits or getting on base.
Kansas will likely start senior pitcher Tanner Poppe, who missed his last two starts due to a back injury. Poppe and the rest of the pitchers have heard from Graves about the importance of pitching well against Jackson State.
"They like to run the bases and they're not an easy test," Kansas pitching coach Ryan Graves said. "We're going to have to play well to beat them."
As good as the pitchers have been, Graves sees some room for improvement and hopes the Jayhawks can get better in those areas against the Tigers before moving forward.
"Offensively, they can really swing the bat," Graves said. "We're
going to have to do a better job of throwing strikes and getting ahead of the pitch count."
Along with the starting pitching, Kansas has had a strong bullpen with Jordan Piche' and Robert Kahana coming in during games to help the defense. With Poppe expected to be limited due to his return, Kansas coach Ritch Price said the bulldog must be ready.
Graves also wants the pitchers to do a better job of putting batters away with strikes and finish innings with two outs.
"They're really a good fastball-hitting team," Price said. "It's really important that Tanner and the rest of the guys who are out there make some really good pitches."
Kansas sophomore outfielder Michael Suiter, who won Big 12 Baseball Player of the Week, thinks the familiarity with Jackson State in an earlier matchup will help going into the one-game series.
Kansas is already looking toward the future and is excited to get conference games underway
"We've got to take another step," Graves said. "With conference play coming up this weekend, we need to make sure we keep improving and keep getting better."
Following Wednesday, the jayhawks will face conference newcomers TCU Friday night in Fort Worth, Texas.
- Edited by Brian Sisk
MEN'S BASKETBALL
Johnson's current play 'too strong'
RYAN MCCARTHY
rmccarthy@kansan.com
It's been a battle of wits with coach Bill Self and senior guard Elijah Johnson.
Their relationship has played out like a "Survivor" episode, except it's not shown on Wednesday night at 7 p.m.
It's shown on a basketball court, in front of microphones and behind the practice doors of Allen Fieldhouse.
There have been some difficult times, like this year when Johnson received a visceral hatred from the fan base and his coach challenged him publicly as he worked through injury and mental hurdles.
"We don't have a point guard," Self said on Feb. 2.
The Jayhawks have a point guard now, as Johnson has evolved to the level where he was at last March when the team made a run for the national championship.
Although Johnson continued to struggle for part of the season, he never let much of the criticism bother him.
"We all catch flak," Self said on March 7. "But if anybody's going to catch it, it probably deserves to be a senior starting point guard and the head coach."
It's nothing new for Self and Johnson. Even with the appearance of problems, Self has never taken issue with their relationship.
"The thing about Elijah is he knows I like him, and he knows I really want him to be successful."
Self said on March 7. "I think he enjoys that freedom."
He's also shared great moments with Self, such as after his masterful 39-point performance when he was mobbled by his teammates in the locker or when Johnson presented Self with his 500t game ball at Saturday's game.
"I think it's a distance relationship," Johnson said on March 7. "He usually rides players and he kind of lets me be and lets me go on my lonesome. Sometimes we'll go a whole practice and he'll say nothing to me, whether I'm messing up or not. I feel like that's the best way for him to get to me."
By freedom, Self means allowing Johnson to direct traffic in games and in practice.
"The thing about Elijah is he knows I like him, and he knows I really want him to be successful."
BILL SELF
Kansas Coach
The two seem to have figured each other out enough to help the team succeed.
"I love coach Self, man," Johnson said. "He always a step ahead. He knows what's best for you before you even know sometimes. He don't make it easy on you, so I get a kick out of that from him."
Forself, it has been a lot of give and take with Elijah. He's seen his potential throughout the years, but has not always executed at the level that was expected of the 24th ranked high school player
coming out of Las Vegas in 2009.
"Elijah is a guy that for, whatever reason – and I'm not saying anything negative – can get in his own way." Self said in a Topica Capitol-Journal article on Feb. 22, 2011. "When things are going well, he can get in his own way a little bit, and that's kind of been the story since he's been here. I'm not saying anything negatively or disciplinary wise, but he's playing well and commits three bad fouls and you have to take him out or whatever."
"He was unbelievable. He was the best player in the country tonight," Self said after the Iowa State game last Monday. "I've had some guys get 30 before, but never get 30 in a half. He deserved a night like tonight."
From that point, Johnson went onto to have another beautiful performance on Saturday with 12 points and 10 assists against West Virginia. Johnson showed off his ability to facilitate and score — the same athleticism he was recruited for four years ago.
In the game against West Virginia, Johnson blocked a shot in the first half, and jammed a one-handed slam on a lob pass from sophomore guard Nadir Tharpe with just under four minutes left in the game.
That has not been the case recently, as Johnson has elevated his game the past week to a level not seen in his time at Kansas.
That dunk led to Johnson flexing his muscles, which has become his signature celebration.
SEE STRONG PAGE 8
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