SEASON IN REVIEW
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KANSAS 68 76 TENNESSEE
9
JANUARY 10,2010
14-0 Jayhawks shocked by Volunteers
Weston White/KANSAN PHOTOS
By Corey Thibodeaux cthibodeaux@kansan.com
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Teams all across the nation strive to find an identity at some point in the season.
In Kansas coach Bill Self's eyes, his team is still searching while Tennessee's tumultuous week helped them upset the top ranked Jayhawks 76-68 Sunday.
"I don't know if Tennessee was a team until this past week," Self said. "I don't know if Kansas is a team yet."
**Above:** Freshman forward Thorne Robinson holds his hands on his head after a three-point basket by Tennessee guard Skylar McBee.
"I would say a majority of teams in America right now haven't found themselves yet."
Self explained there are circumstances, whether good or bad, that make a team united. Winning a game you aren't supposed to win for example, can help solve a team's identity crisis, he said.
The Volunteers lost four players due to an incident in Knoxville on Jan. 1 and kicked their best player, Tyler Smith, off the team. With a roster of ten players they were able to unite and defeat the top team in the nation.
Whether or not this loss is enough to do the same for Kansas will remain to be seen. Senior guard Sherron Collins said all the team can do at this point is look to win at Nebraska.
"We've pretty much got to take it out on somebody else," he said.
Once again, Collins was the bright spot of the Jayhawks, leading the game with 22 points. He did everything he could to rally his team like he did against Cornell, but came up short.
"They just wanted it more than us," Collins said. "We weren't tough enough."
Junior center Cole Aldrich, who had seven points and 18 rebounds, gave credit to his opponents for their grit.
"They kind of huddled together as a group and really fought hard," he said.
Aldrich has seen upset losses in his day. But one seemingly devastating period in 2007 turned out to be a blessing.
"We lost three of five my freshman year, he said," and I don't think we would have won a national championship if we hadn't lost three of five."
Losing, Aldrich said, makes a team aware of their vulnerabilities. When a team molds together to sew up those weaknesses, he said, that is when success can occur.
But the Jayhawks looked anything but molded. Self said his team had a "me first"
**Right:** Tennessee guard Skylar McBee hits a three-pointer just before the shot clock expired with 36 seconds on the clock. Kansas lost 76-68 to the No. 17-ranked Vols at Thompson-Boling Arena on Jan. 10.
attitude which led to their demise.
After trailing virtually past the six minute mark in the first half, the Jayhawks started unraveling in the last few minutes.
With several offensive possessions, they couldn't muster up many shots. Poor passes, turnovers, and a deafening crowd made the comeback nearly impossible.
That had one last chance that was just as quickly taken from them. Kansas got a turnover and Collins found a wide open Brady Morningstar with 1:10 left to go bringing the deficit to three, 68-71.
With 36 seconds left and the shot clock running down, Skylar McBee threw up a miracle three to essentially seal the victory for the Vols.
THE WAVE APRIL 7,2010
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN