SPORTS
MONDAY, MARCH 27. 2006
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN 5B
file photo
y, Feb.
s 59-58.
SOCIATED PRESS
e Sunday,
It was the WORST of times
Lowest 5 moments of the Kansas men's basketball season
BY DANIEL BERK
dberk@kansan.com
KANSAN SENIOR SPORTWRITER
The 2005-2006 season for the Kansas Jayhawks ended in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Losing to Bradley was not the only disappointing moment of the season. Here are the top five most disappointing moments of the season:
1. Kansas' 77-73 loss to Bradley. A year after losing to Bucknell in the first round of the tournament, Kansas did it again, this time to Bradley. The Jayhawks struggled to take care of the ball, committing 18 turnovers. Big 12 Freshman of the Year Brandon Rush was held to just nine points on 4-for-14 from the field. Freshman guard Mario Chalmers and sophomore guard Russell Robinson each turned the ball over five times. Bradley led Kansas by as many as 14 points in the second half. Kansas cut the lead to as few as two points but could not get over the hump. Bradley was led by senior Marcellus Summerville who had 21 points.
2. Kansas' 59-55 loss to Kansas State in Allen Fieldhouse. Coming in the game, Kansas had a 21-game winning streak against Kansas State, but fell apart late and Kansas State came away with a victory. Kansas led by as many as 12 points in the second half, but Kansas State continued to chip away at the lead. Kansas State's comeback came because the team was able to take care of the ball. After turning the ball over 15 times in the first half, Kansas State had just four turnovers in the second half. Kansas State shot 9-for-18 from three-point distance and was led by Clent Stewart, who had 15 points. Chalmers led Kansas with 20 points.
3. Kansas' 89-86 overtime loss at Missouri. This loss came just two days after the Kansas State loss. Again, Kansas held a second half lead but could not hold on. The story of this game was Missouri junior guard Thomas Gardner, who had 40 points. Gardner hit a number of off-balanced three-point shots in the second half to keep Missouri in the game. In all, he was 7-for-14 from three-point range and 13-for-22 overall. Kansas had an opportunity to win the game when senior forward Christian Moody stepped to the line for two free throws at the end of regulation, but missed them both. Missouri took the game to overtime and eventually came away victorious.
4. Kansas' 72-70 loss to Nevada in Allen Fieldhouse. This game came a week after Kansas' disappointing showing in the Maui Invitational, in which it lost two of three games. Nevada was in control for the majority of the game and rode the hot hand of forward Nick Fazekas. Fazekas had 35 points and eight rebounds and hit two clutch three-point shots in the second half to keep Nevada out in front. Former freshman forward Micah Downs hit a three-point shot with 17 seconds left to pull Kansas within a point, but Kansas could not catch Nevada. It was just the ninth home loss in the past 11 seasons for Kansas.
5. Kansas' 80-55 loss at Texas. Kansas came into this game as one of the hottest teams in the country and Texas came into it struggling. No one told Texas that, as it rode the hot three-point shooting of freshman guard A.J. Abrams and the superior inside play of sophomore LaMarcus Aldridge. Abrams was 4-for-5 from three-point range in the first half and Aldridge was 9-for-10 from the field and scored 18 points. ESPN's College Gameday was there for the game, creating some extra hype for the game. Kansas coach Bill Self admitted later in the season that some of the extra hype got to the young team before the game. Rush was held to just three points.
Honorable mention: Kansas' 70-67 loss to St. Josephs, Kansas' disappointing 1-2 mark at the Maui Invitational and freshman forward Micah Downs transferal from the University in the middle of the season.
Rylan Howe/KANSAN
Sophomore guard Russell Robinson goes for a shot at Bradley defender Daniel Ruffin tries to block him during the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday, March 17. The Jayhawks lost 77-73 and were knocked out of the tournament in the first round for the second year in a row.
Senior guard Stephen Vinson sits on the sideline locking frustrated with the first-round game against No. 13 seed Bradley on Friday, March 17, in Auburn Hills, Mich. Kansas lost 77-73 to Bradley and was knocked out of the NCAA tournament during the previous year's first round by Bucknell.
Rvlan Howe/KANSAN
Kansan file photo
A Kansas
State fan
cheers for her
team while
Kansas fans
grow nervous
in silence on
Saturday, Jan.
14, in Allen
Fieldhouse.
Kansas fell
59-55 to
Kansas State,
losing for the first time in 31 games to the
Wildcats.