THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2008
KANSAS 75, IOWA STATE 64
5B
Jon Goerina/KANSAN
Senior forward Darnell Jackson takes a shot over the arms of Iowa State forward Jiri Hubelek. Kansas improved to 25-3 overall and 10-3 in the conference with the victory.
Arthur spurs road victory
Jump shot revitalized team
Ames, Iowa - It was the shot Iowa State coach Greg McDermott wanted.
Iowa State started the second half with a 7-0 run, cutting the Kansas lead to 36-30. Bill Self called timeout. The Jayhawks seemed to be melting down again on the road again.
Enter sophomore forward Darrell Arthur. Arthur just played his worst game of the season – an ugly six point, five foul effort against Oklahoma State on Saturday. It didn't seem to bother him. Arthur calmly stepped up and made a 15-foot jump shot.
"To me that was the play of the game," McDermott said. "If he misses that, we go down and score, the momentum stays with us and it's a different game."
Instead, Arthur's shot started an 8-0 run, and the Jayhawks grabbed a therapeutic road victory, after losing their last two conference games away from Allen Fieldhouse.
The road was rocky for the Jayhawks all season long. They struggled in non-conference road victories against USC and Georgia, and were a pedestrian 3-3 on the road in the Big 12 before Wednesday.
The surprise loss at Oklahoma State was the tipping point.
Kansas had to endure a week of questions, as doubters and disbelievers emerged. Anybody wearing a Jayhawk uniform became a target for criticism.
Don't count McDermott as one of those doubters.
"I think they're the most complete team in the country," McDermott said, after Kansas defeated his Cyclones 75-64.
The Jayhawks improved their conference road record to 4-3, and they did something else that they haven't done on the road; they made shots.
"When they're shooting the ball, like they took 11 threes and they made seven of them, they're tough to beat," McDermott said.
And when Kansas doesn't shoot the ball well on the road, they usually do get beat. In Kansas' road losses against Kansas State, Texas and Oklahoma State, the Jayhawks shot a combined 12 of 45 from the three-point line.
"Had they shot the basketball the last couple of games on the road that they lost, like they did tonight," McDermott said, "I don't think they would have lost those games."
Jon Goering/KANSAN
Mario Chalmers and Brandon Rush led the Jayhawks' outside shooting barrage.
Rush and Chalmers were each 3-of-4 from behind the three-point line.
HE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY KUHISTORY.COM
Senior center Sasha Kaun prepares to take the ball to the basket during the first half. Kaun came off the bench and scored 8 points on 4-of-5 shooting and blocked three Cyclone shots. "I think they are the most complete team in the country," Iowa State coach Greg McDermott said after the game. "A lot of that has to do with Sasha Kaun and Sherron Collins coming off the bench."
More importantly, the Jayhawks came out hot from the start, and not just from the outside. Arthur made 6 of 10 shots and scored 12 first-half points.
Jon Goerina/KANSAN
"We don't talk about it being a calming force," Kansas coach Bill Self said. "But certainly the team has more confidence when you have one of the best players in the game play big minutes."
Junior guard Mario Chalmers dunks the ball on a breakaway basket during the first half. Kansas outsured Iowa State by 13 in the first half and led by as many as 22 during the second half.
Self said, "It's very important to get off to a big start when you're playing on the road in the conference."
—Edited by Samuel Lamb
game notes
WEIGHT LIFTING 101
Sasha Kaun injured his back bending over to pick up a weight earlier this week. Kaun played 16 minutes and scored eight points Wednesday. Self said Kaun wasn't at 10 percent.
The injury was bad news for Kaun, but he still received some good news this week. After Saturday's game, Kaun is now tied with Paul Moleski for 10th on the all-time blocks list.
SHERRON'S KNEE
Collins played minutes Wednesday night and scored seven points. Self said that Collins was still a shell of what he could be, but that he looked better than he has since hurting his knee.
MCDERMOTT'S TAKE
Kansas' depth, McDermott said, is a luxury he wouldn't mind having.
Iowa State coach Greg McDermott's in his second season at Iowa State, and he's scrapped together these Cyclones with transfers, freshman and players from the old regime.
Kansas coach Bill Self illustrated McDermott's point early in the second half. Frustrated Chalmers, Self sent Chalmers to the bench early in the second half. McDermott noticed
"He wasn't happy with Mario Chalmers for whatever reason," McDermott said.
Heck, I'd have liked him to play for us, if he wasn't happy with him."
Player FG-FGA 3FG-3FGA Rebounds Points
Darrell Arthur 9-18 0-0 10 18
Mario Chalmers 5-8 3-4 4 15
Brandon Rush 4-10 3-4 3 15
Russell Robinson 0-4 0-1 10 5
Darnell Jackson 3-7 0-0 8 7
Sasha Kaun 4-5 0-0 2 8
Sherron Collins 2-5 1-2 2 7
Cole Aldrich 0-1 0-0 2 0
Kansas 75, Iowa State 64
KANSAS
IOWA STATE
Player FG-FGA 3FG-3FGA Rebounds Points
Rashon Clark 0-4 0-1 9 3
Craig Brackins 2-5 0-0 0 6
Bryan Peterson 2-5 1-4 2 5
Jiri Hubalek 6-13 1-1 8 14
Wesley Johnson 7-16 5-11 3 20
Diante Garrett 2-5 0-0 3 6
Alex Thompson 0-3 0-1 1 0
Sean Haluska 3-7 1-5 1 10
Cory Johnson 0-1 0-0 1 0
HIGHS
HIGH low
Kansas'shootina
Russell's Rebounding
Finally, the Jayhawks gave the rims a break. After hoisting up bricks by the wheelbarrow against Oklahoma State, Kansas shot a scorching 63.6 percent from the three-point line.
Senior guard Russell Robinson didn't contribute much offense - just five points. But the little man hit the glass with the ferocity of Darnell Jackson, and pulled down a career-high 10 rebounds.
Sean Haluska
The High/Low's choice for scrapiest player in the Big 12 is Iowa State's Sean Haluska. Seriously, the guy started the season 0-for-26 from the three-point line, so you know he needs some love. Can you imagine what missing 26 consecutive three-pointers would do to somebody's confidence?
LOWS
Iowa State students
Poor showing at Hilton Colseum. The Cyclone students proved to be the least creative hecklers in the Big 12 Conference. Wit must be looked down upon in Ames, Iowa. The closest the students came to a clever heckle was "Hey Mario, you're from Alaska."
The rest of the fans
Not to pile on here, but Iowa State's notoriously boo-happy fans were more - well - boo-ier than ever. They disputed every call - right or wrong - vehemently, and even more disgracefully, they didn't even fill up Hilton Coliseum.
Iowa State's Mascot
We know you're thinking the High/Low hates Iowa State, but it's not like that. It's just curious how they are the Iowa State Cyclones and they have some peculiar looking red-bird. Can you imagine how great it would be to have a person in a Cycle outfit? It'd be right up there with Stanford's "Tree Mascot"