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GAME DAY / MONDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2010 / THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN / KANSAN.COM
KU
TIPOFF
AT A GLANCE
The scouting report on Valparaiso is pretty simple right now. They can score on anyone ... and anyone can score on them. Homer Drew's squad posted 111 points in a season opening win, so it's safe to assume that there will be another high-octane offensive battle in Allen Fieldhouse tonight. The Crusaders were second in the Horizon League last year in points per possession, behind the eventual national runner-up Butler Bulldogs, so it's no secret that they can score. The question is whether or not the Jayhawks can hold the Crusaders offense enough to pull out a win.
Tyshawn Taylor
He's got plenty of eyes on him at all times, and for good reason. If you're in Allen Fieldhouse, look up when Taylor gets the ball with
room to run. If you're watching from home, keep those eyes on the TV set. Taylor has always been an incredible athlete, and he can absolutely
fly with the ball in his hands. Now that the Jayhawks offense is taking on more of his uptempo personality with the departure of Sherron Collins and Cole Aldrich, Taylor is primed to shine. He had six turnovers Friday night, but as coach Bill Self said Friday night after the game, you take the bad with the good with Taylor.
PLAYER TO WATCH
VALPO NOTES The Jayhawks open the Las Vegas Invitational tonight
QUESTION MARK
Who will help Markieff Morris carry the rebounding load?
Thomas Robinson was excellent with seven rebounds in 19 minutes off the bench, but Markieff Morris cannot be expected to have 15 rebounds every night. Unlike undersized Longwood, Valparaiso has six players listed at 6-foot-6 or taller, including 7-foot-1 Croatian center Hrvje Vucic. Marcus Morris' two-rebound performance isn't even close to cutting it for the Jayhawks, who need him to average around seven or eight with Cole Aldrich's absence looming in the paint. Marcus said he was doing the boxing out for his twin's 15-rebound night, but Bill Self wasn't buying that post-game, and neither am I.
HEARYE, HEARYE
"Making shots will become a premium. Their big guys can all shoot threes. This is not coach speak; they are very good. They are picked second in their league behind Butler and everyone knows what a great league that is."
KANSAS VS. VALPARAISO 7 p.m., ALLEN FIELDHOUSE, Lawrence
Bill Self
Taylor
KANSAS
1-0 (0-0)
STARTERS
Reed
Tyshawn Taylor, junior guard
Releford
Taylor responded to offseason questions about his ability to be the lead guard to the tune of a 17-point, 10-assist season debut. The 10 assists were the most for a Jayhawk since Sherron Collins had 11 in December 2008. Taylor showed that he's one of the best guards in the country in the open floor, helping the Jayhawks to 19 fast break points. After that performance, he gets a fifth star for the first time.
Tyrel Reed, senior guard
Reed does do more for the Jayhawks than hit threes, but it would be wrong to say that's not his primary purpose when he's in the game. The Jayhawks' sniper has knocked down more than 40 percent of his career three point attempts, but struggled through the exhibition season and hit just 2-of-7 in the opener.
Morris
Travis Releford, sophomore guard
Morris
Until there's a decision on Josh Selby, this spot is Releford's. Brady Morningstar and Mario Little haven't done near enough to claim a starting job, and Releford demonstrated a surprising athleticism in running the fast break. When he and Taylor hit their stride in transition, chances are something exciting is about to happen.
Marcus Morris, junior forward
Marcus is still the best player on the Jay-hawks; one game won't change that. But he does need to improve on the boards, and quick. Twin brother Markieff carried the load with 15 rebounds, but there is no way a 6-foot-9 forward with Marcus' athleticism should have only two rebounds against Longwood, which had no player taller than 6-8.
Robinson
Markieff was the better twin Friday night for perhaps the first time since the UCLA game in December of last year. His numbers were expected to go up with a starting role and increased minutes, but only a blind optimist would have predicted the stat-stuffing performance Markieff put on Longwood. All of a sudden, Markieff averaging a double-double seems like a legitimate possibility.
Markieff Morris, junior forward
SIXTH MAN
James Robinson, sophomore forlorn. He was lost in the shuffle a bit Friday. Markieff Morris and Jeff Withey played so far above their levels from last year that Robinson's 16-point, seven-rebound went quietly by without much notice. It was a huge step forward for him, though, as was turning the ball over just twice in 19 minutes. It would have been possible to set a watch by Robinson's consistent turnover problems last year and he looked much more comfortable Friday.
VALPARAISO
1-0(0-0)
STARTERS
SKITH BARKER
Thomas Robinson, sophomore forward
for New York Giants for fifth Friday.
Brandon Wood, junior guard
Wood led the Crusaders with 20 points in Friday's victory. He went 7-16 from the field as well as 3-7 from behind the arc in only 20 minutes of play. Not only can Wood score, but he can distribute. He added six assists as well.
Erik Buggs, sophomore guard
Wood
Buggs did not score in the Crusaders victory on Friday, but he did have six assists. Buggs did not even attempt a shot or free throw. Buggs has the ability to score, but he moves the ball around well for Valparaiso. He started 23 of 29 games his freshman year. He appeared in six games last season before he was shut down because of an injury.
—Tim Dwyer
Howard Little, senior guard
Little scored 17 points and went 6-8 from the field on Friday. Little is a force inside. He shot better than 60 percent from inside the three-point line. Little, the cousin of Jayhawk Mario Little is one of the few players who has a mid-range jumper with basketball today being about dunks and three pointers.
Buggs
Ryan Broekhoff, sophomore guard
Broekhoff is new to the starting lineup. He played in all 32 games last season while start ing six of them.The Australian-native is guard who can post like the Jayhawk's Mario Little or Travis Releford.Broekhoff had 18 points on 7-1 shooting in 21 minutes on Friday.
Little
Cory Johnson, senior forward
Cory Johnson, senior for first time. This is not Johnson's first time seeing the Jayhawks. He played for Iowa State from 2006- 2008. Last season was his first with Valparaiso. He averaged 15.6 and 5.8 rebounds per game, which were fourth and eight in the league, respectively. He was a member of the All-Newcomer team and was named a Second Team All-Horizon League Selection. He scored 17 points in 14 minutes on Friday. Johnson is a consistent shooter, who was ranked 20th in the nation in field goal percentage (.556).
Broekhoff
SIXTH MAN
Jay Harris, freshman guard
Not to be confused with ESPN's Jay Harris, this Jay Harris was the fifth-best recruit out of Illinois according to Scouts Inc. He averaged 28 points, 3.6 reboundss, 3.4 assists per game while shooting 44 percent from behind the arc and 87 percent from the free throw line for Oswego East High School, Oswego III. In the Crusaders first game, Harris scored nine points and had six assists in 25 minutes.
Johnson
Harris
—Mike Lavieri
VALPO TIPOFF
AT A GLANCE
The Crusaders can score. They put up 111 points in their opening game victory against Indiana Northwest. Not only can their guards shoot, but their big men can as well. They are a very balanced team. They had four players in double figures, but they spread the ball around well. They are not a selfish team; they had 29 assists on Friday. Only Brandon Wood took more than 11 shots in their victory. Kansas coach Bill Self said that they are a good team that plays a zone that is similar to Baylor. Valparaiso was selected to finish second in the Horizon League behind Butler, last season's National Championship runner-up. They are a very well coached team, led by Homer Drew in his 22nd season. He is the father of Baylor coach Scott Drew
PLAYER TO WATCH
Junior guard Brandon Wood
guard Brandon Wood Johnson was named Horizon League Newcomer of the Year a season ago. He was a Second Team All-Horizon League selection as well. He was named a preseason First Team All-Horizon League honoree. Wood is the team's go-to scorer. He led the Horizon League
in scoring with 17.7 points per game. Johnson is a threat from inside and out.
He averaged 1.8 three pointers per game, which was sixth in the Horizon
Wood
QUESTION MARK
League a season ago. Wood also has an ability to get the free throw line .(813). Wood is Valporaiso's most complete player who will keep Jayhawk defenders occupied.
Can Valparaiso stay with Kansas for 40 minutes?
Valparaiso should provide Kansas with one of its toughest tests of the nonconference schedule. Valparaiso can score with anybody. The Crusaders have a deep bench. They used 12 players on Friday. Freshman center Hrvoje Vucic provides length inside off the bench with his 7-foot-1, 240-pound frame. He will give sophomores center Jeff Withey and forward Thomas Robinson fits when he is in the game at the same time as them. Kansas will want to run and play fast in transition; Valparaiso can do that, but they will want to slow the ball down and play in the half-court.
HEARYE, HEARYE
"We really have to improve our rebounding. We gave up 20 offensive rebounds tonight, which is a major concern for us heading into Kansas. But I thought our shooting, our defense and the way we shared the ball were all very superb tonight."
— Valporaiso coach Homer Drew about his team's season-opening win in a news release
MONDAY BIG 12 SCHEDULE
Time (CT) TV Channel
Teams Time (CT) TV Channel
Texas A&M at Texas A&M Corpus Christi 7:00 p.m. Southland TV
North Carolina Central at Oklahoma 7:00 p.m. SSN
Arkansas Pine Bluff at Nebraska 7:00 p.m.
Valparaiso at Kansas 7:00 p.m. Jayhawk TV
ALLEN FIELDHOUSE WILL ROCK IF.
Kansas can get into transition early and often. The Jayhawks are at their best — and their most exciting — when they can run. Markieff Morris is excellent with outlet passes Friday, recording a career-high five assists. His ability to start the break, and Tyshawn Taylor and Travis Releford's abilities to finish it, lead to plenty of roar-inducing highlight reel plays.
BABY JAY WILL BREAK DOWN AND CRY IF...
Valparaiso comes out gunning from behind the arc. They struggled in their regular season opener, shooting only a little over 30 percent from three-point range, but hit better than 39 percent from long in their exhibition season. If the Crusaders start getting three points on their trips down the floor, Kansas hasn't shown that it has an answer.
SCHEDULE
Prediction:
Kansas 103, Valparaiso 79
Opponent TV Channel Time
Nov. 19 North Texas Jayhawk TV 7 p.m.
Nov. 23 Texas A&M-CC Jayhawk TV 7 p.m.
Nov. 26 Ohio Jayhawk TV 7 p.m.
Nov. 27 Arizona Jayhawk TV 9:30
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