/ GAME DAY / FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2010 / THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN / KANSAN.COM
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KU
TIPOFF
AT A GLANCE
Kansas scheduled a perfect first game for what will be a more uptempo style than last season. Longwood was one of the fastest teams, with regards to tempo, in all of the NCAA last year. That doesn't mean they were any good, though. The independent Lancers finished the season 12-19 and missed out on any postseason play. A major reason? They allowed 1.10 points per possession, 321st in the NCAA. If the Jayhawks hit their outside shots, it will be a rout. If they don't, well, it will probably be a rout anyway.
PLAYER TO WATCH
Travis Releford
Releford has a chance to lay claim to the fifth starting spot, which is still sort of up for grabs. Self would like to get a bigger body at the three (as would most
coaches) to create some matchup problems size-wise. That would be Little (listed at 6-foot-6, 218) or Releford (6-6, 207). Releford
played an excellent 23 minutes agaisnt Emporia State Tuesday, hitting his first five shots and scoring 12 points to go along with three rebounds. He's not an excellent outside shooter by any means, but he did hit his only attempt Tuesday and spent most of his redshirt season last year working on his jump shot. If he can knock down his open looks, the spot should be his.
Who will take the outside shots?
QUESTION MARK
It probably won't be Tyshawn Taylor, who has hit less than 34 percent of his threes in his career at Kansas. The Morris twins will take their open looks, but, as Tyrel Reed said, coach Self probably doesn't want his pair of 6-foot-9 twins jacking up three all the time. The duties should fall on senior guards Brady Morningstar and Reed, who both have made well over 40 percent of their career three-point attempts. Problem is, Reed is just 2-for-7 on the exhibition season and Morningstar is even worse at 0-for-5.
HEARYE, HEARYE
"The twins have been doing a good job. That's not their forte, and I don't think coach wants it to be their forte, but when they're open, definitely they've been knocking it down, so why not shoot it?"
shootie
— Tyrel Reed on the Morris twins shooting threes
"Trust me, anybody that says they know, don't know. Because we don't have any idea yet."
— Bill Self on Selby's eligibility
LONGWOOD LOWDOWN A quick glance at the Jayhawks and the Lancers KANSAS VS. LONGWOOD 7 p.m., ALLEN FIELDHOUSE, Lawrence
Taylor
KANSAS
0-0 (0-0)
STARTERS
Reed
Tyshawn Taylor, guard
If Taylor keeps up his excellent performance from the exhibition season (nine assists, three turnovers), he'll be the team's lead guard even if/when Josh Selby is cleared. Taylor will love playing against the uptempo Lancers, as his quickness translates best to an up-and-down, lots-of-possessions-per-team style of game.
Releford
Tyrel Reed, guard
Reed is the team's best three-point threat — he alone among returning Jayhawks hit more than 20 threes last season — but he didn't show it off in the exhibition season, hitting just two of seven three-point attempts. It's a safe assumption that he'll turn it around, but if not, the Jayhawks will be in dire need of a consistent outside shooter at guard.
★★★☆☆
Morris
Travis Releford, guard
I have no idea who's starting at the three, honestly. It could be Releford, Mario Little or Brady Morningstar. Releford had the best exhibition season, though, courtesy of a 12-point breakout against Emporia State. For now, that gives him the starting nod in my book until there's concrete evidence against it. Releford is maybe the best Kansas City product since Brandon Rush.
Marcus Morris, forward
Morris
There's been a whole lot said about Morris already this season. There will be a whole lot more. Morris will carry the scoring load this season for Kansas. Expect something between his 28-point outburst in game one and his middle-of-the-pack 12 points against Emporia State to be the pace this season.
Markieff Morris, center
All Jayhawks not named Markieff Morris are shooting 4-of-28 from behind the three-point line. Morris, though, has knocked down all of his three attempts from outside. It's a dangerous facet of Morris' game, allowing him to stretch the floor against opposing bigs and use his athleticism to beat his man.
SIXTH MAN
Robinson
Robinson is the best shot-blocker on the Kansas roster, but he still can't replicate the game-altering presence of Cole Aldrich, who's taken his talents to Bricktown. Robinson's defensive abilities are a product of his insane athleticism, and if he gets a step or two in help-defense, good luck getting a shot off.
Thomas Robinson, forward
LONGWOOD 0-0(0-0) STARTERS
Aaron Mitchell, guard
Mitchell is the lone returning starter for Longwood. He averaged nine points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 28.1 minutes. He is a preseason All-Independent 2nd-Team by Lindy's College Basketball Edition. Last season was Mitchell's first at Longwood. He was at Manatee Community College in Sarasota, Fla. before that.
Mitchell
Jeremiah Bowman,guard
This is Bowman's first season at Longwood. He is transferred from Harcum College in Philadelphia. He is the Harcum career leader in assists (302), ranks second in steals (131), fifth in points (597) and sixth in rebounds (297). He averaged 11.8 points, 5.3 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game last season at Harcum.
Bowman
Durann Neil, guard
Durham Neil, guards Neil started 30 of the 31 games for the Lancers during the 2008-2009 season averaging 7.1 points and 3.9 assists in 22.5 minutes. He missed all of last season and was declared a medical redshirt after he had offseason surgery.
Jan van der Kooij, forward
Jan van der Kooij (pronounced yawn van der coy) played in 19 games last season averaging 1.6 points, 1.3 rebounds and 0.3 assists in 5 minutes. The Dutchman is most likely getting the start because of his size. He gets five stars for his name, but still has to prove it on the court.
Antwan Carter, center
Carter is a small, but physical body inside. He averaged 14.6 points and 8.5 rebounds per game a season ago in 25.1 minutes off the bench. He started 11 of the 31 games he appeared in. Carter has the ability to shoot from the outside (5-18 last season from behind the arc), but he shot 52.4 percent overall and 62 percent at the free throw line.
Kooij
SIXTH MAN
Martiz Washington, guard
Washington averaged 8.3 points per game last season in 22.3 minutes. He appeared in all 31 games while starting in 12 for the Lancers. He led the team last season in three-point field goals going 64-184 (.348). He averaged 12 points and three rebounds in the last eight games of last season going 26-55 (.473) from the three-point line.
Carter
Tim Dwyer
Washington
Mike Lavieri
LU
TIPOFF
AT A GLANCE
The Lancers were 12-19 a season ago and graduated four senior starters. This is the sixth season as a Division I program for Longwood. Like Emporia State, Longwood is a small team. Its tallest player is 6-foot-8 (freshman forward Jeff Havenstein). The Lancers have an up-tempo pace, scoring 0.95 points per possession a year ago, but they give up 1.1 points per possession on defense. This is Longwood's first time playing Kansas, but it is 0-3 all-time against Big 12 Conference schools. The Lancers are also 0-5 against nationally ranked opponents. A little fun fact about the Lancers is that they hail from Farmville, Va.
Antwan Carter
PLAYER TO WATCH
Antwari Carter Carter was named the preseason Independent Player of the Year, All Independent 1st-Team and Best Rebounder by Lindy's College Basketball Edition. He was also named preseason All-Independent Team by Sporting News
College Basketball Yearbook
Head coach Mike Gullian says that Carter has been the most important contributor since Carter arrived in Farm-
Carter
anivers in hum ville, Va. Carter will have the ability to have a larger impact and be one of, if not the main scorer, for this team, after losing last season's leading scorer, Dana Smith (18.2 points per game), to graduation.
QUESTION MARK
Will the three keep Longwood in the game?
Longwood has made at least one three-point field goal in 239 consecutive games dating back to Nov. 26, 2002 on the road at Lenoir-Rhyne (Division II). The game-high during the streak is 16 against Campbell (Jan. 15, 2008). A season ago the Lancers made 12 against Fairleigh Dickinson (Feb. 2, 2010) and James Madison (Feb. 22, 2010). While the Lancers have had success behind the arc, the Jayhawk's length should prove to be too much of a challenge. The streak should continue, but it will not provide the upset unless the Lancers shoot lights out.
HEARYE, HEARYE
"The style is one of applying defensive pressure that makes it difficult on opponents and leads to them making mistakes, on the offensive end, allows us to play together in a smooth, flowing fashion that produces good scoring opportunities a lot of the time." Longwood coach Mike Gillian on what he envisions for the team's style of play in Longwood media guide.
FRIDAY BIG 12 SCHEDULE
Teams
Time (CT) TV Channel
South Dakota at Nebraska
Alcorn State at Texas A&M
Louisana-Monroe at Texas Tech
James Madison at Kansas State
Idaho State at Colorado
9:00 p.m.
7:00 p.m. PSMW
7:00 p.m.
7:00 p.m.
8:00 p.m. ESPNU
ALLEN FIELDHOUSE WILL ROCK IF...
Somebody that does not have a twin can knock down a three pointer.The Jayhawks should roll regardless,but if they start knocking down threes it will get out of hand quickly.The Morris twins are more than welcome to if they get open looks,of course but the biggest bodies in the starting lineup need to spend a little time in the paint, at least.
BABY JAY WILL BREAK DOWN AND CRY IF...
SCHEDULE
Longwood finds a way to keep the game close. The Lancers play an uptempo game, as do the Jayhawks, so there should be plenty of points to go around. If Longwood can take advantage of the Jayhawks'sloppy defense, it just might be able to make it a ball game.
Prediction: Kansas 103, Longwood 67
Date Opponent TV Channel Time
Nov. 15 Valparaiso Jayhawk TV 7 p.m.
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.