8B / GAME DAY / TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2010 / THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN / KANSAN.COM
KU
TIPOFF
AT A GLANCE
Kansas is better than Emporia State. There are no debates on that one. Barring some sort of Kurt-Russell-as-Herb-Brooks-in-Miracle inspiration from the Emporia State coach, the Jayhawks should post another 30-point victory. Most, if not all, of the players on Kansas' bench could be starters at Emporia State, and that theory will be tested tonight.
PLAYER TO WATCH
Elijah Johnson
The ultra-athletic sophomore combo guard stands to bear the brunt of the load should freshman Josh Selby not be cleared by the NCAA. He's starting to get a little more reps with the first team in practice, in case Selby is eventually ruled ineligible. There was some speculation by media members that Johnson would be a redshirt candidate this year, but that possibility was burned as soon as he stepped on the floor against Washburn.
QUESTION MARK
How long will it take for Kansas to put it out of reach? Will it take a full half? More? Less?
There's not a question about whether the Jayhawks should throttle the Hornets. It's just a matter of by how much and when it will be out of reach. If the Jayhawks' off-stated commitment to defense shines through tonight, it will get ugly quick. If Kansas allows too many easy buckets, the Hornets will hang around longer than Kansas fans would like.
HEARYE, HEARYE
Taylor
"Same as everybody else. Just throw it at whoever. Either jersey, managers, coaches; it doesn't make a difference. When we say pass it they think if it gets out of their hands it's an accomplishment."
"I feel like good teams can play defense for 25 seconds. Great teams play for 35 seconds. That's where we want to be." — Tyrel Reed on the teams half-court defense
KANSAS VS. EMPORIA STATE 7 p.m., ALLEN FIELDHOUSE, Lawrence
Reed
KANSAS
0-0(1-0)
STARTERS
Tyshawn Taylor, guard
m ent
— Bill Self on Josh Selby as a ball handler and distributor
Taylor is as quick as they come in the Big 12, so it's a more-than-safe assumption that Emporia State hasn't dealt with anyone with his speed. Taylor stands to benefit more than most from the Jayhawks' more frenetic pace this year, as the offense may finally be catching up to him. His 12-point, three-assist, no-turnover performance a week ago was Exhibit A. Expect Exhibit B tonight.
Little
Tyrel Reed, guard
Morris
Tyrel Reed, guard
Reed, coach Bill Self said, has developed into far more than a spot up shooter for the Jayhawks. He's developed enough, in my book, to take the starting spot from fellow local product Brady Morningstar. The Jayhawks will need bter than 1-for-5 from three-point range from Reed, though. He's the only returning Jayhawk who hit more than 20 threes last season.
★★★☆★
Morris
Mario Little, guard
Bill Self has talked more than once about the matchup problems created by having Little and Marcus Morris on the floor together, but Little looked a little rusty last week. It's understandable that he wouldn't be in top form, though — he hadn't seen game action in over a year. If he stays cold, Brady Morningstar could easily find his way into the starting role.
Marcus Morris, forward
Don't expect Marcus to have another 28-point night. That would be crazy, right? Right? Maybe not. Marcus shined in his first look as the Jayhawks' featured scorer, albeit against an obviously inferior Washburn lineup. If he replicates his 28-point, 7-rebound night from a week ago, the Jayhawks could win by 30. Again.
★★★★
Markieff Morris, forward
Markieff will no doubt be a starter, and Self said he will match the leap that Marcus made last year. He came off the bench last game, but that was likely a side effect of his hernia surgery a couple weeks prior. Last week, Markief led the Jayhawks with eight rebounds and hit a pair of threes on his way to 12 points. If he posts that stat line every night, the Morris twins will be one of the best frontcourts in the country.
Morningstar
SIXTH MAN
The elder statesman of the Kansas team has an established role. The 6-foot-3 fifth-year senior needs to play lockdown defense, distribute and take care of the ball and hit open threes when they come to him. Last week, though, he struggled from outside, missing both of his three-point attempts and had three turnovers to two assists, a pace well off his better than 3-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio last season.
Brady Morningstar,guard
EMPORIA STATE 0-0(1-0) STARTERS
Jarvis Nichols, guard
Nichols is a transfer from Northern Illinois, where he averaged 9.9 points in 27 games for the Huskies. Nichols sat out two years because of injury and is scheduled to make his first regular-season appearance for the Hornets on Friday versus West Texas A&M.
Taylor Euler,guard
Euler is one of three underclassmen playing for the Hornets. Last season, Euler moved into tenth all-time in ESU freshman scoring with 180 points. He averaged 6.2 points per game while being the top returning assist getter, with 1.8 per game.
Nichols
Matt Boswell, guard
— Tim Dwyer
Matt Boswell, guard
Boswell is the team's top returning rebounder from a year ago as he averaged 5.2 rebounds per game. He is also the team's top returning starter with 14 games started.
Last time out, Boswell had 13 points and 13 rebounds versus Livin' the Dream.
Euler
Christian Jackson, forward
Jackson is in his first season at Emporia State after transferring from Bowie State. He averaged 10 points and four rebounds per game for the Bulldogs and led the CIAA in three point shooting percentage (.485).
Adam Holthaus, forward
Hothaus is the Hornet's top returning scorer from a year ago. He averaged 12.5 points per game. He made nine starts last season.
Boswell
★★★☆☆
Jackson
Michael Tyler, forward
SIXTH MAN
Last time out, Tyler had 16 points off the bench. This is his first season for the Hornets after he transferred from UW-Milwaukee.
★★★
Holthaus
ESU TIPOFF AT A GLANCE
Emporia State defeated Livin' the Dream 99-81 in its first exhibition game on Nov. 4. The Hornets are deep with upper-classmen: eight seniors and two juniors. This team should provide a tough, but manageable match-up with its experience. The team is very small, with Holthaus being the tallest player.
PLAYER TO WATCH
Christian Jackson
QUESTION MARK
Jackson comes to an Emporia State team that lost its five top players in games started, not to mention its leading scorer, rebounder and assist getter. Jackson is athletic and should provide a spark for the Hornet offense.
Does Emporia State have a chance?
With 10 upperclassmen there might be a small possibility, but in all honesty, the upset won't happen. Emporia State is 0-4 versus Kansas in exhibition games and lost the previous match-up 103-58 on Nov. 11, 2008.
HEARYE, HEARYE
"The game was wonderful. We did what coach asked us to do. We came out and competed"
— Emporia State forward Christian Jackson in a video by Emporia State Athletics after the Hornets victory over Livin' the Dream.
"I though we played well, but we took the easy way out of fensively some times; settled for some quick shots."
— Emporia State head coach David Moe in a video by Emporia State Athletics after the Hornets victory over Livin' the Dream.
BIG 12 SCHEDULE
Wed. Nov. 8
Game
Wed. Nov. 8 Louisiana Tech at Texas
Time (CT) 8:00 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 10
South Dakota at Nebraska
TV Channel ESPNU
James Madison at Kansas State 8:00 p.m. ESPNU
Arkansas-Little Rock at Missouri 7:00 p.m. MSN
PHOG ALLEN WILL ROLL IN HIS GRAVE IF...
ALLEN FIELDHOUSE WILL ROCK IF...
The Jayhawks show up Tuesday night. If Kansas manages to shoot better than 20 percent on their threes against Emporia state, last weeks 30-point scoring of Washburn will look like a nailbiter. Even if they don't, another big margin of victory is on the docket for Kansas.
PHOG ALLEN WILL ROLL IN HIS GRAVE IF... Kansas doesn't win the rebounding battle by 10 or more. Junior post Markieff Morris said they expect to outbound every opponent by 10, which means the Hornets should be a victim by more than that.
SCHEDULE
Prediction: Kansas 98, Emporia State 54
Date Opponent TV Channel Time
Date Opponent TV Channel Time
Nov. 12 Longview Jayhawk TV 7 p.m.
Nov. 15 Valparaiso Jayhawk TV 7 p.m.
Nov. 19 North Texas Jayhawk TV 7 p.m.
Nov. 23 Texas A&M Corpus Christi Jayhawk TV 7 p.m.
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