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2008 KANSAS BASKETBALL
KANSAS 76 A72 ARIZONA
NOVEMBER 25, 2008
Hawks thrill in overtime
KU slips by Arizona
BY MARK DENT
rndent@kansan.com
The football Border War Nov. 24 had been hyped as the showdown of the century between two bitter rivals. It was as if basketball, and Kansas' game against Arizona, didn't exist.
A day after the Kansas and Missouri football madness, the Jayhawks and Wildcats, who have their own little rivalry, put on a show that should help remind fans that basketball season is here and that it might be pretty exciting. Kansas won 76-72 in overtime.
The thriller included a 27-point performance from Arizona's Chase Budinger, a half-court buzzer beater that almost fell and plenty of highlights from junior guard Brandon Rush and senior guard Rodrick Stewart. The Jayhawks earned their first major victory of the season, after defeating lowerlevel Division-I opponents in their first four games.
"It felt good," Rush said about the victory. "The energy was there."
It was Rush who gave the Jayhawks a boost when they badly needed it. Doctors told Kansas coach Bill Self before the game that Rush could play 20 minutes. Whoops. Rush played 36 minutes because of foul trouble for Stewart and for senior guard Russell Robinson and an injury to freshman guard Tyrel Reed. Rush scored 17 points and grabbed eight rebounds.
Rush said that he didn't feel tired or sore during the game or after it but that he wished he had played better defense. The game's outcome easily could have been different if he had played fewer
minutes.
After baskets by Stewart and sophomore forward Darrell Arthur broke a 62-62 tie in overtime, Rush swiped a pass at midcourt and dribbed in for an easy dunk that gave Kansas a 71-65 lead. He received an alley-oop pass from Robinson on the next play to all but seal the victory.
"We needed Brandon tonight," junior guard Mario Chalmers said. "He was big for us. He came in and gave us some great minutes, great points and great production. We really needed that from him, and I think he needed that for himself."
Self said Kansas didn't shoot well from the outside (it only scored 16 points that weren't free throws or scored in the paint), but the rebounding problem really bothered him. Arizona outrebounded Kansas 38-29.
KANSAN FILE PHOTO
Russell Robinson struggled to score in Kansas' Nov. 25 game against Arizona, managing only two points, but his three steals and defense helped secure the 76-72 victory.
NOVEMBER 28,2007
Jackson's shot stands out
Senior forward Darnell Jackson takes a jump shot against Florida Atlantic on Nov. 28. Jackson scored 13 points in the 87-49 Kansas victory.
KANSAN FILE PHOTO
Darnell Jackson starred against the Florida Atlantic Owls, draining his second career three-pointer after starting in place of senior center Sasha Kaun. Jackson, a senior forward, scored 13 points, and the Jayhawks ran away with an 87-49 victory.
Coach Bill Self said Jackson had the best shot of any Kansas big man since former All-American Wayne Simien.
"I've said all along he's a good shooter," Self said. "He doesn't need to fall in love with that shot, but he's certainly a good shooter. I trust his shot."
Coming off the bench, Kaun pulled down seven rebounds and added seven points in 16 minutes.
A 13-0 run in the first half and a 23-3 run in the second half put the game away for Kansas, but Self said there was always room for improvement, particularly on the boards, where Kansas outrebounded Florida Atlantic 37-32.
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Tara Smith