4B THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
KU 66 - KSU 52
MONDAY. MARCH 6, 2006
Key Plays:
Freshman guard Mario Chalmers stole the ball near midcourt and began to drive to the basket when Kansas State's Akeem Wright grabbed his jersey, it resulted in an intentional foul. Chalmers hit both free throws and drilled a three-point shot on the ensuing possession to give Kansas a 7-6 lead, which it would never give up.
Freshman guard Brandon Rush banked in a deseration three-point shot at the first-half buzzer to give Kansas a 15-point lead at halftime.
Sophomore center CJ Giles was called for a moving screen with less than five minutes to play in the first half. Giles joined sophomore center Sasha Kaun on the bench with two fouls. Giles picked up his fourth foul early in the second half.
Kansas State coach Jim Wooldridge was called for a technical foul in the first half for arguing with an official.
- With Kansas up only three, Rush rattled in a three-point shot with less than 10 minutes to go. That ignited a 10-1 run for the Jayhawks to put the game out of reach.
Basketball Notes:
The victory was Kansas' 23rd straight in Manhattan and its 18th straight victory in Bramlage Coliseum.
The victory was Kansas' 19th in its past 22 games.
- The 49th conference title ties Kentucky for the most conference titles by a program.
With freshman guard Brandon Rush's 24 points, he is now in a tie for fourth place on the KU freshman scoring list with Kerry Boagni.
Freshman guard Mario Chalmers had three steals, and his total of 81 broke the KU freshman steals record.
- Kansas improved to 10-1 when the trio of Rush, Chalmers and forward Julian Wright start.
Kansas coach Bill Self has won six conference titles in the past eight years.
Jared Gab/KANSAN
Freshman forward Julian Wright tips in a missed shot by teammate CJ Giles. After a slow start, Wright added two points, three rebounds and four steals in the second half of Saturday's 66-52 victory against K-State.
Sephmore guard Russell Robinson shoots over Kansas State's sophomore guard Clent Stewart late in the second half of Saturday's game in Bramlage Coliseum. Robinson was two for two in the 66-52 Kansas victory.
Amanda Sellers/KANSAN
'Hawks cause the fur to fly
By CJ MOORE
cjmoore@kansan.com
KANSAN SPORTWRITER
3:07 — Mario Chalmers with the poke away and then Akeem Wright tries to strip his uniform off of him. After Chalmers knocks down two free throws after the intentional foul, he hits a three to give the Jayhawks' their first lead.
3:02 p.m. — Kansas State coach Jim Wooldridge is already crying to the officials. Wooldridge needs a box of tissues attached to his stylish neck brace.
3:13 — K-State timeout. Kansas on a 9-0 run.
K-State might as well forfeit because they're just delaying the inevitable. This is going to get ugly.
3:16 — Olathe North grad Tyler Hughes enters the ballgame, which screams desperation by Wooldridge.
3:22 - The camera guy took a nap and left the camera pointed toward half court. ESPN Plus probably asked some hungover hick in Manhattan to handle the equipment today.
3:26 — Wooldridge with a technical during the TV timeout. He's tossed the jacket, and he'll probably chuck the neck brace next.
3:38 — Sophomore center CJ Giles with the left-handed swat. K-State better stick to shooting threes.
3:50 — Brandon Rush with the three-point banker to send the Jayhawks into halftime with a 15-point lead. Did anyone hear him call glass?
4:29 - It's a three-point game and K-State's zone is hurting Kansas again. Trying... not to hit.. the panic... button! (Sigh of relief) Kansas comes back down the floor, and all five Jayhawks touch the ball as Rush calmly strokes a three.
4:45 — Julian Wright pickpockets Akeem Wright and gets the assist from his backside to Rush for the dunk. He's our best passer even when he's on the ground.
4:36 - Self and the bald ref shower each other with words after two straight terrible calls. Ref is going Bill 'the spit talker' Cowher on Self, and Self isn't taking it.
4:58 — Russell Robinson hits a jumper from the wing with two minutes left to make it a 12-point game. The stats don't show it, but he's been the player of the game. The kid is just gritty.
4:10 — Two minutes in K-State has cut the lead to nine. Bill Self calls a time-out.
4:59 — Rush throws a shot/pass to himself for a tip in — 24 points for Rush. Yeah, I'd say he's out of his slump.
4:17 — Rush finally scores the Jayhawks' first basket of the half.The game is starting to look earily similar to — I'm not going to go there.
5:00 — ESPN Plus shows a graphic of what was going on in the world the last time K-State beat Kansas at home (1983). And somewhere a K-State fan is contemplating jumping off a tall building — or toll barn.
K-State didn't score a field goal in the final 10:57 of the game. I guess defense really does win championships - Big 12 Championships that is.
- Edited by Lindsey Gold