THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN SPORTS
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VOLLEYBALL|8A
Hawks face Aggies in Texas
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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10,2010
The volleyball team won against Texas A&M earlier this season but has never beat the Aggies on their home turf. Coach Bechard said the team's efficiency needs to improve for a win.
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PLAYING IT COOL
Taylor steady in easy victory
Guard known for his erratic play has shown control in exhibition
BY TIM DWYER
tdwyer@kansan.com
twitter.com/UDKbasketba!
PAGE 10A
Monday afternoon, Coach Bill Self wished for a lead guard
Tuesday, during the Jayhawks' 90-59 scorching of the Emporia State Hornets, he may have found one in the form of junior guard Tyshawn Taylor. For the second time in the exhibition season, Taylor showed much more control than in his past two years in a Kansas uniform.
Full box scores and more photos inside
Basketball season is under way, so be sure to stay informed on this year's young and fast team.
Taylor, who was infuriating for Self and fans alike with his inconsistent play in an upand-down sophomore year, has done, so far, exactly what Self said he expected at Big 12 media days.
REWIND | 6A-7A
"He made some great plays." Self said.
A week ago, he was the Jayhawks' second-leading scorer with 12 points and had three assists to zero turnovers.
"Be up."
He was impressive Tuesday night, finishing with six assists, one shy of his career high, and 10 points on 3-of-5 shooting.
"He can also throw it out of bounds under no pressure, too, by being careless," Self said.
Of course, with the good, comes the bad — especially in the exhibition season. Taylor had three of the lajwhaws' 15 turnovers on his otherwise excellent night.
Taylor has sort of become the point guard by default since Kansas' winning player of all time, Sherron Collins, graduated last May and signed a contract with the NBA's Charlotte Bobcats. Taylor won't be the offensive force Collins was — not many players can be — but the 15.5 points per game Collins averaged last year will have to be replaced by someone. That will either be Taylor, who averaged 7.2 points per game last season, or the teammates he distributes the ball to.
"Now he doesn't have Sherron to shoot on his left and his right," Markieff Morris said, "so now he's got to make better decisions with the ball."
Travis Releford, who may have
earned
himself a greater
himself a greater role with his out-of-nowhere 12-point, three-rebound performance, said he's seen a jump from Taylor, thanks in part to the two years of playing alongside Collins. Releford was on the receiving end of one of Taylor's six assists.
"Tyshawn, I mean, he's learned a lot from Sherron," he said. "This is his time to step up, take control of the team."
Self said Taylor was stepping into the role, filled last year by Collins, in words as much as in deeds.
"He's really trying to talk and be a leader," Self said. "He's done a good job."
One thing Taylor hasn't shown the ability to replicate is Collins' outside shooting. He missed both of his threes against Emporia State and has hit fewer than 34 percent of his outside shots as a Jayhawk. Collins, for comparison's sake, hit nearly 38 percent of his threes.
Edited by Clark Gohl
Collectively, the team is just 7-for-31 from three-point range this season.
"Coach is on us about it,but we'll get better," Releford said.
COMMENTARY
Sophomore forward Thomas Robinson slams down a dunk early in the first half of Kansas' final exhibition game against Emporia State Tuesday night at Allen Fieldhouse. Robinson recorded a double-in-game, with 12 points and ten rebounds, as the Jayhawks defeated the Hornets 59-16. Kansas will open their regular season Friday against Longwood at 7 p.m. at Allen Fieldhouse.
Ryan Waggoner/KANSAN
Releford Robinson deserved their start
BY NICOLAS ROESLER
noesler@kansan.com
The Kansas basketball team could use a little "R and R." I'm not talking about
rest and relaxation; the offseason is officially over. I'm talking about Robinson and Releford.
The two sophomores got their first starts of the season last night against Emporia State. They didn't let any uncertainties about Coach Bill Self's decision to start them linger. Together, they scored the team's first eight points—two of Thomas Robinson's points came off put-back dunks, which got the crowd going.
"I would say any dunk by anybody would set a tone for a team," Robinson said. "A dunk is a game changer."
Although both players will most likely be role players coming off the bench, Robinson looks like he will contribute more than just resting time for the Morris twins.
Self has said he wants both Marcus and Markieff to be able to play 30 minutes a game, but it doesn't seem like that is possible after watching two exhibition games. Both only played 19 minutes last night. By halftime, Markieff Morris had three fouls; he then committed a needless fourth within the first two minutes of the second half.
Self also said before the game that he intended to pressure more with the defense, which would force the action into the big guys more often than in years past. In the past, Cole Aldrich was usually there as a blockade for any floaters that out-of-control guards put up. Self said after the game that he liked Robinson's ability to block shots, even though he may not be able to in the same way Aldrich
SEE ROESLER ON PAGE 7A
Offensive coordinator impressed with Mecham's play
Jerry Wang/KANSAN
Junior quarterback Quinn Mecham looks to throw in Kansas' 52-45 win against Colorado on Saturday. Offensive coordinator Chuck Long praised Mecham at Tuesday's press conference for managing the game, playing within his own abilities and making the appropriate reads.
BY KORY CARPENTER
kcarpenter@kansan.com
After a perfect second-half performance en route to his team's stunning 52-45 upset of Colorado last Saturday, junior quarterback Quinn Mecham received ample praise from offensive coordinator Chuck Long.
"He's as unflappable a quarterback as I've ever coached," Long said at Tuesday's press conference.
Long has seen some great quarterbacks in his coaching career, including Heisman Trophy winner Jason White in 2004. After Mecham's two games as the Jayhawks' starting quarterback, Long notices something different with this quarterback. Mecham will get his third start on Saturday against Nebraska.
"He's played within himself and managed the game as good as any guy I've been around," Long said.
After throwing two interceptions in the middle of a poor first half Saturday, Mecham corrected his mistakes and was a perfect 13-13 in the second half of play.
Long noted that Mecham's interceptions were physical and not
"All his reads were perfect." Long said. "His interceptions were just physical errors. I always tell guys after mistakes like that, just physical mistakes, to stay with your reads and it will come right back to you."
On both of Mecham's first half interceptions, he had a receiver open but was unable to get the ball to him, underthrowing his man both times.
mental mistakes.
Since arriving in Lawrence last winter, the biggest knock on Mecham has been his arm strength. Coaches have said that he is probably the most accurate Kansas quarterback, but he hasn't been able to make all the throws necessary, a major reason he was buried on the depth chart after spring practices.
Even in the 28-16 loss to Iowa State two weeks ago, Mecham led
During his two years at Snow Junior College in Utah, Mecham threw for 3,091 yards and 40 touchdowns, but he came to Lawrence weighing only 200 pounds. He's now at 210 pounds according to coaches, and improving his arm strength has been a focus since December and throughout the season.
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the offense on an 80-yard touchdown drive in the final minutes, and Long noticed the confidence his offense began to show. He said that carried over to the next week.
"I believe that two minute drill against Iowa State (was a turning point)," Long said. "I've seen that happen when you finish the game on a positive note and that kicks into the next week. And I believe that's where it all started for this offense."
It certainly didn't carry over to the first half against Colorado, but whatever confidence the offense gained in Ames most definitely showed up in the second half, and the fourth quarter especially.
The offensive confidence will have to show up this Saturday if the Jayhawks want to defeat Nebraska. The Cornhusker defense is ranked 21st in the nation in scoring defense, only giving up 19 points per game.
The famed Blackshirts defense won't allow Mecham to lead another epic comeback if the Jayhawk offense fails to show up for another first half.
Edited by Clark Goble
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