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GAME DAY
AT A GLANCE
It was a good one in Manhattan when these two teams battled, and the Jayhawks came away with an epic 81-79 victory. This is a massive game for Big 12 supremacy. Kansas (27-2, 13-1) has a two game lead in the Big 12 and the only ones capable of grabbing a share of the regular season title is 24-4, 11-3 Kansas State. It is senior night, and Sherron Collins is only one senior, but he's an important one. No matter what happens during the game, it will be a night worth remembering for Collins and the fans.
PLAYER TO WATCH
Senior guard Sherron Collins
his final game in Allen Fieldhouse and the emotions are going to be high. He has been counting down the days since last month and the day has finally arrived. Coming off a game he started
Collins
0-6 and lost in the process, Collins is going to want to bounce back in a huge way. This Kansas State team is the best the Jayhawks have faced all year and he will want to bury them. Scoring 30-plus should do the trick.
QUESTION MARK
Can the Jayhawks keep one from becoming two?
That was the theme in the locker room after the loss to Oklahoma State: How do the Jayhawks prevent another slip-up? For one, they have a home game in an arena in which they have a SB-game win-streak. Second, the game is against K-State and the home crowd is going to be intense. The Wildcats are one of the top five teams in the nation, so they aren't pushovers by any means. Still, there are a bunch of signs pointing to the Jayhawks having a solid game.
HEAR YE, HEAR YE
"I will have my team ready to play. We'll be in the right mindset."
After losing to Oklahoma State, Sherron Collins was determined to come out with a better performance against Kansas State.
Kansas 27-2(13-1)
Sherron Collins, guard
This is it: the last hurrah. Championships aside, this final game in Allen Fieldhouse will be the most emotional of Collins' career. Everyone remembers last time the Jayhawks played Kansas State and he hit the essential game-winner in overtime. Collins only had 16 points that game, but chances are he will try for something astronomical in front of his home fans this time.
Collins
Tyshawn Taylor, guard
Here's a guy who needs to forget about Oklahoma State. Eight points in 23 minutes is not going to cut it. Nobody could get anything going on offense and Taylor has the ability to change the game around with his speed and penetration. If he did get
Taylor
close in Saturday's game, it was a missed lay-up.
Xavier Henry, guard
Aside from Collins, he probably had the best game for the Jayhawks at Oklahoma State with 17 points. He was a little somber after the game, but the freshman has not experienced the taste of defeat other than at Tennessee this season. On the positive side, Henry is on his sixth consecutive
solid outing, hoping to make tonight number seven.
Henry
Marcus Morris, forward
Morris was a complete nonfactor against the Cowboys, spending much of the game in foul trouble and eventually fouling out. He would have been more effective had he made more than four of his nine free throws, contributing to 10 points. The five turnovers just added to the disaster.
Morris
Cole Aldrich, center
Aldrich was pressured immensely by Oklahoma State. He had a distinct size advantage against the smaller opponents, but only played eight minutes in the second half. He wasn't in foul trouble and he wasn't exactly playing poorly, but Self didn't have a clear reason for why the big man sat on the bench for so
Aldrich
long. Maybe he's just resting Aldrich for Kansas State.
Sixth man — Brady Morningstar
Nobody took Saturday's defeat harder than Morningstar. He was not a man of many words, but one could assume why. If you watched the game, you did almost as much, seeing that he didn't have a point or a rebound in 16 minutes of actio
Morningstar
Corey Thibodeaux
JAYHAWKS ROSTER
No. Name Yr. Pos. Ht. Wt.
0 Thomas Robinson Fr. F 6-9 230
1 Xavier Henry Fr. G 6-6 220
2 Conner Teahan Jr. G 6-5 215
4 Sherron Collins Sr. G 5-11 205
5 Jeff Withey Fr. C 7-0 225
10 Tyshawn Taylor So. G 6-3 180
12 Brady Morningstar Jr. G 6-3 185
13 C.J. Henry Fr. G 6-4 205
14 Tyrel Reed Jr. G 6-3 185
15 Elijah Johnson Fr. G 6-2 183
21 Markieff Morris So. C 6-9 232
22 Marcus Morris So. F 6-8 225
23 Mario Little Sr. G 6-5 210
24 Travis Releford So. G 6-5 205
40 Jordan Juenemann So. G 6-4 195
41 Chase Buford Jr. G 6-3 210
45 Cole Aldrich Jr. C 6-11 245
Hometown
Washington, D.C.
Oklahoma City
Leawood
Chicago
San Diego
Hoboken, N.J.
Lawrence
Oklahoma City
Burlington
Las Vegas
Philadelphia
Philadelphia
Chicago
Kansas City, Mo.
Hays
San Antonio
Bloomington, Minn.
Big Jay will cheer if ...
The Jayhawks come out on fire. Bill Self's respond well to a loss, and tonight's gan exception. Expect to see Kansas bring the Kansas State right from the opening tip.
Baby Jay will weep if .
Jacob Pullen and Denis Clemente play in State's two star guards did not have good Texas earlier this season and the Wildcats the win. If Clemente and Pullen are hitty shots, the Wildcats could have a real chin the upset.
Prediction:
Kansas 87, Kansas Sta
THE WAVE MARCH 3,2010
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN