2008 KANSAS BASKETBALL
13
JANUARY 12,2008
Self's speech motivates Rush
BY MARK DENT mdent@kansan.com
LINCOLN, Neb. - Coach Bill Self stressed that his words about Brandon Rush's lack of aggression meant nothing. He told the media it blew his speech out of proportion.
But the message had to have meant something, right?
Well, it sure appears that way. Kansas won 79-59 at Nebraska Jan. 12 behind Rush's hot hand. Rush, a junior guard, scored 19 points as the Jayhawks won their Big 12 opener with relative ease. And although Self downplayed the speech, Rush took it to heart.
early 14-5 lead. Self was pleased.
"He was aggressive," Self said. "I thought he looked like the old Brandon, to be honest with you."
"I was dying to get out there," he said.
It showed. Rush made it apparent from the beginning that he was ready to be a focal point of the offense. He made two three-pointers in the first three minutes then added two free throws to give his team an
Self's speech to Rush came on the heels of a month of sub-par offensive performances. Sure, Rush is still recovering from ACL surgery, but he played even more tentatively on offense than he did in his first two years.
All that changed in the game against Nebraska because Rush did a better job of putting himself in position to score, said Self. .
"Anytime Brandon has that many assists," Self said, "it's a good thing."
Self's speech worked — for one game. Will Rush remember his words down the road?
"That's going to be the last time he ever says something to me," Rush said. "I think I'm back."
Jon Goering/KANSAN
Senior forward Darnell Jackson celebrates Kansas' 79-58 victory against Nebraska Jan. 12. Junior guard Brandon Rush scored 19 points in the game after coach Bill Self expressed his disapproval of Rush's aggressiveness.
JANUARY 14,2008
Jayhawks to 'just get better'
Jon Goering/KANSAN
The Oklahoma Sooners suffered a stunning 85-55 defeat at the hands of Kansas Jan. 14, prompting Oklahoma coach Jeff Capel to say about Kansas, "They are the best team we have played, and we have played some really good teams."
BY MARK DENT mdent@kansan.com
It all came down to a play.
Yep, just one — the very first one. Darnell Jackson took the tipoff from Darrell Arthur, slammed the ball in the face of Oklahoma's David Godbold and let out a scream. Over.
"That set the tone for the whole game," junior guard Brandon Rush said. "He was outhustling everybody and cramming the ball on someone's head — started the whole game off right."
A game did take place after that play, but nothing the Sooners tried really mattered in an 85-55 Kansas victory. The Jayhawks were on their way and couldn't be stopped. Each passing minute brought more examples of Kansas' continuing dominance and balance in the victory, the team's 17th straight to start the season and one that further cemented its
reputation as one of the nation's best.
The Jayhawks followed Jackson's opening jam with a systematic, routine slapping of Oklahoma. Brandon Rush hit a threepointer, and Mario Chalmers and Jackson followed with a basket each to make it 9-0 early. It was 20-4 later and 40-20 at half.
The display was as dominant as anything Oklahoma coach Jeff Capel had seen this season: "They are the best team that we have played, and we have played some really good teams."
The Jan. 14 crisp display came just two days after the Jan. 12 Nebraska thumping No.1 North Carolina and Memphis are considered the top teams in the country, and there is no reason Kansas shouldn't be in the discussion. Capel certainly agreed.
The praise, the rankings, the record - all of them meant nothing to Kansas, though.
"Let's just get better," coach Bill Self said.
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN