KANSAN.COM / THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN / MONDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2010 / GAME DAY
7B
KANSAS 113, LONGWOOD 75
MEN'S BASKETBALL REWIND Taylor, Jayhawks showcase their speed in season opener
BY MIKE LAVIERI
mlavieri@kansan.com
the layhawks are a fast team, even without two of their quickest players — sophomore guard Elijah Johnson and freshman guard Josh Selby.
Kansas (1-0) scored 19 points on the fast break in its 113-75 victory over Longwood (0-1). Kansas also caused 24 Longwood turnovers, leading to 36 lajahawk points.
Junior guard Tyshawn Taylor
led Kansas in transition, scoring
six of his 17 points on dunks.
Taylor opened the game scoring with a fastbreak dunk on an assist from junior forward Markieff Morris.
"We just envisioned us being a fast team," Taylor said. "I think tonight we got an opportunity to play fast."
Taylor himself got off to a quick start, scoring 13 points in the first half.
"I got a lot of easy shots and fast break points," Taylor said. "I was just in the right place at the
right time."
Taylor said the team needed to keep playing fast and be less careless, especially himself. Taylor had six of the team's 12 turnovers, compared with his three total during exhibition play.
Coach Bill Self said that Taylor didn't need to make careless mistakes in the backcourt that led to easy points for the opposition.
"He's made some plays that you go. 'Wow,' and he's made some plays and you go. 'Ugh, wow.' Self said. "He's a 'wow guy,' both good
Self also said that Taylor and the team as a whole was fast, with a speed comparable to that of the 2007-2008 National Championship team.
The Jayhawks might be speedy, but Self said the other team's play would also dictate the overall tempo of the game.
If a team only has three players on defense, then the transition game will be there for Kansas. If a team quickly gets back on defense, however, Kansas will have to set
up its half-court offense.
The tempo of the Longwood game helped Kansas' speed. A year ago, Longwood scored 0.95 points on average per possession, but gave up 1.1 points per possession on defense.
Longwood junior center Antwan Carter said that the Jayhawks uptempo pace was difficult to guard.
"It's real tough because they love to push in transition, make or miss." Carter said.
Edited by Dana Meredith
MARKIEFF (CONTINUED FROM 1B)
ward. Marcus said Friday that he was doing the dirty work on his brother's big night, but the jayhawks need him to help Markieff more than that.
"I told him before the game started that he's gotta be a monster on the boards," Marcus said. "I'm going to help him, but I just box out. I just make sure I box out and he can go get it. As you can see, I only had two rebound's."
Self didn't buy that explanation for Marcus' rebounding, or lack thereof.
"They'll talk tonight," he joked after the game Friday. "Get their stories straight."
But Marcus said the on-floor relationship between the two has always been that way. As Marcus said, Markieff is "bigger." No matter that Markieff is roughly an inch taller and has seven pounds on his brother (hardly a huge difference maker at 6-9 and 225 pounds) the stats don't lie. Marcus said that in high school, the last time the two started together, Markieff averaged about 17 boards to Marcus 11. That may sound like brotherly exaggeration, but Rivals.com recruiting analyst Shay Wildeboor backed up the statement.
Marcus offered an additional explanation of his twins rebounding prowess.
"He's like a veteran. Like a young veteran, that just knows the game," Marcus said. "Even if he doesn't jump, he always boxes and makes sure the ball falls in a pocket. He has great hands, but everybody on the team calls him a veteran."
Of course, there's always room for improvement, and even though Markieff said he was happy with his career performance, he's got some ideas as to how to make his game better
"Wish I could've got some threes up."
He'll have the chance to rectify that tonight. Valparaiso was the worst defensive team in the Horizon League last year, on a points per possession basis.
Jerry Wang/KANSAN
—Edited by Kelsey Nill
Left: Kansas coach Bill Self expresses his discontent at a foul call during the first half. Kansas defeated longwood 113-75 and extends its home-court winning streak to 60. Below: Sophomore forward Thomas Robinson battles for an offensive rebound during the second half. Robinson finished with 16 points and seven rebounds.
Jerry Wang/KANSAN
Mike Gunnoe/KANSAN
Above: Senior guard Tyrel Reed pulls down a defensive rebound during the first half. Reed posted 11 points and pulled down three boards in the 113-7 victory at Allen Fieldhouse Friday night. Left: Junior forward Markie Morris lays the ball up for a basket in the Jayhawks season opener Friday at Allen Fieldhouse. Morris had a double with 14 points and 15 rebounds.
Jerry Wang/KANSAN
I missed some bunnies, so I think I need to dunk more. I missed some layups."
Junior forward Markieff Morris
"He's made some plays that you go 'wow' and he's made some plays an you go 'ugh, wow."
-Bill Self on junior guard Tyshawn Taylor
Prime Plays
FIRST HALF
Quotes of the Night
14:51: Tyrel Reed hits the teams first three pointer of the season. The Jayhawks went 7-31 in during exhibition. (18-8)
19:26: Tyshawn Taylor opens the season with a one-handed fastbreak dunk on an assist from Markieff Morris. (2-0)
10:40: tyshawn Taylor makes a nice crossover on Martiz Washington in the paint, which leaves him an open lane to the basket. He finishes the play with an easy finger roll. (24-14)
9:00: Marcus Morris tips in a missed Tyrel Reel three-pointer. He does a nice job keeping his balance and holding the defender off with his left hand as he puts the ball in with his right. Kansas is 1-6 from behind the arc at this point. (26-18)
3:27: Jeff Withey gets his first points on a put back dunk on a missed Thomas Robinson layup. This crowd really loves Withey. (44-23)
1:32: Tyshawn Taylor takes it coast-to-coast and puts down and authoritative dunk. He almost jumped from the free-throw line. Sends Allen Fieldhouse fans to its feet. (52-26)
SECOND HALF
8:26: Royce Woolridge gets his first regular-season action as a Jayhawk. Self decided not to redshirt Woolridge this season. (85-50)
14:55: Rock Chalk chant starts to echo throughout Allen Fieldhouse. (105-73)
0:04: Kansas surpasses its season high from a year ago of 112. (11-35)7
Notes
Sophomore guard Elijah Johnson did not dress because of off-the-court issues. His status for Monday is doubtful.
The Jayhawks extended the nation's longest home court winning streak to 60 games.
The 113 points were the most during the Bill Self era, and its top total since tallying 113 against Emporia State on Dec. 14, 2002.
Royce Woolridge scored six points off the bench in eight minutes.
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