10B GAME DAY
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
WHAT'S AT STAKE?
OK, let's be blunt. Coach Bill Self's job is on the line Friday night. If Kansas becomes the first team ever to lose in the first round as a one seed, that won't go over well in the Jayhawk nation. That said, it's not going to happen, and the Jayhawks will start preparing for Sunday as soon as the game ends.
STAR WATCH
Junior center Sasha Kaun took a hard fall in Sunday's Big 12 Championship game, and was held on Tuesday's practice. Self said he'll be ready to go, and Kaun walked without any noticeable problems to the weight room Tues-
day afternoon. His presence becomes especially important inside if sophomore forward Julian Wright gets into foul trouble.
QUESTION MARK
WHO'S GOING TO STEP UP THIS WEEKEND?
The Jayhawks are known for having a different player step up in every game, and it's especially important this weekend. Whoever steps up will enjoy a day or two in the national spotlight, and NBA scouts will be on hand taking notes.
3 REASONS KU WINS
ONE — The very obvious reason. A No. 1 seed has never lost to a No. 16 seed, and this isn't going to be the year. Parity is sinking in throughout college basketball, but it still hasn't reached the lowest conferences.
TWO - The big eight. Not the conference, but the eight players who have been carrying Kansas all season. Aside from the current starts, freshman guard Sherron Collins, freshman forward Darrell Arthur and junior forward Darnell Jackson are all legitimate starters for just about any other team in this year's tournament.
THREE — The very obvious reason. Not to dwell on this point or anything, but No. 16 seeds have had 88 tries to pull the big upset, and still haven't done it. Betting money on a No. 16 seed is a great way to financially support your local bookie.
SECOND ROUND OR BUST
Kansas hopes to advance out of first round of NCAA tournament
KANSAS VS NIAGARA 6:10 Friday, United Center, Chicago, CBS
Kansas 30-4
OFFENSE
Expect a fast-paced game with lots of points being scored and both teams substituting frequently to keep players fresh. Niagara is coming off a play-in game on Tuesday, which may affect their energy level, but expect them to continue to play the fast-paced style of basketball they've been going with all season. For Kansas, it will be a welcome change from the low-scoring Big 12 games the Jayhawks are used to. Coach Bill Self said he isn't going to worry about letting them run, because that's what the team preferred. He added that it is easier to get a team to slow down than to speed up, if that becomes necessary.
Niagara 23-11
The Niagara big men can shoot three-pointers, which is rare to find in the Big 12. The Kansas defenders should
DEFENSE
be up for the challenge, though. Sophomore forward Julian Wright can play defense on the perimeter, and sophomore guard Brandon Rush can provide defensive help if a player gets a hot shooting touch. Think of it this way: If Kansas can find a way to stop Kevin Durant, it shouldn't have much of a problem with what-
OFFENSE
Niagara brings an unusual offense that uses its big men for shooting three-pointers. The Purple Eagles' goal is to run it up and out-score their opponent. Texas plays a similar style, and Kansas had trouble at times controlling the Longhorns' outside shooting. Against Florida A&M on Tuesday night, Niagara showed the holes in its offensive strategy. The Purple Eagles jumped out to a 13-point lead before cooling down and letting A&M back into the game. It's simple: If Niagara shoots the ball well, it can at least hang around for a half against Kansas.
ever Niagara brings.
MOMENTUM
Another reason Niagara must shoot well is because it can't stop the Jayhawks' or anybody's, offense. The Purple Eagles give up a MAAC high 73.7 points per game. Their biggest problem is the lack of aggressiveness inside. Big men who want to go outside of the arc and shoot the three don't make tough low-post defenders. Niagara's defense's saving grace is rebounding. The Purple Eagles out-rebound their opponents by more than four boards per game. Limiting Kansas to only one shot per possession would be huge for Niagara's upset bid.
DEFENSE
The Jayhawks stole the No.1 seed away from UCLA in the final weeks of the season, and now reap the benefit of getting to face the play-
Nationally, several analysts, including Bill Simmons of ESPN and Seth Davis of Sports Illustrated, have predicted the Jayhawks will take the big prize. In case that's not enough, the team also won the Big 1 2 Tournament in Oklahoma City last weekend, winning an exciting overtime game against Texas on national television.
Michael Phillips
NU TIP-OFF
WHAT'S AT STAKE?
History. We've all heard the stat a million times: A No. 16-seed has never won a tournament game. A Niagara victory would be historic. The Purple Eagles would be recognized for years to come. If they lose, it wouldn't be a big deal. Everyone expects it. Niagara has no pressure.
STAR WATCH
Charon Fisher is the Purple Eagles' top scorer, but cliff Brown played like a star Tuesday night.
Each Cinderella team needs s o m e n e o to step up. Sometimes it's the star and sometimes it isn't. Brown is capable of
Brown
scoring 30 or more points, he had 32 against Florida A&M. He might give his team a much needed boost.
QUESTION MARK
CAN NIAGARA STOP THE HOTTEST TEAM?
Nobody is playing better than Kansas right now. The Jayhawks have had a few close calls in the last three weeks, but no team could hold on to beat them. The Purple Eagles are faced with a near impossible task. They must force a fast tempo early and then hold on for dear life because the Jayhawks will come back.
3 REASONS NOWINS
ONE — First Round Flame-outs — The Jayhawks have choked two years in a row in the first round game. Last year Bradley was a good team and on to beat Pittsburgh too. But Niagara is at least as good as Bucknell was two years ago. If the Bisons could spring an upset against the Jayhawks, why not the Purple Eagles?
**TWO** — The Texas Rule — Three-point defense has been one of the only holes for the Kansas defense. The Purple Eagles will shoot more threes than the Longhorns and that could cause trouble. Texas got off to big leads because of its shooting and Niagara is capable of doing the same.
**THREE** — Color blind — Anybody remember the Jayhawks' first three losses? They were to the Golden Eagles, the Blue Demons and the Red Raiders. Notice the similarity: Kansas can't beat a team whose mascot is identified by color. The Purple Eagles just might have the Jayhawks' number.
JAYHAWK STATS
Player Min. FG-FGA 3FG-3FGA FT-FTA Pts.
Brandon Rush 32.5 163-383 66-163 76-111 13.8
Mario Chalmers 29.3 143-293 53-134 79-101 12.3
Julian Wright 27.4 171-309 3-12 65-104 12.1
Darrell Arthur 19.2 143-268 0-5 58-91 10.1
Sherron Collins 22.5 120-243 45-109 44-57 9.7
Sasha Kaun 17.7 82-152 0-0 29-56 6.2
Darnell Jackson 15.4 62-116 0-0 61-91 5.4
Brady Morningstar 5.9 11-22 0-0 4-5 2.1
Jeremy Case 5.2 10-26 7-22 1-1 1.6
Matt Kleinmann 4.6 5-9 0-0 3-4 0.9
Rodrick Stewart 5.8 8-26 5-11 1-8 0.8
Brennan Bechard 2.0 1-2 1-2 0-0 0.3
Brad Witherspoon 1.6 1-6 0-2 0-0 0.2
KEY MATCH-UP
Wright
Clif Brown VS. Julian Wright
Brown
Wright looked unstoppable against Texas when he was in the game. Unfortunately for Kansas, he fouled too often and had to sit on the bench for too long. Wright should match-up well against Brown. Brown is an athletic forward like Wright who often steps outside to shoot. Against Florida A&M, he had six three-pointers. Brandon Rush may also guard Brown some of the time because he is quicker than Wright and will be able to prevent Brown from getting his shot off.
PURPLE EAGLE STATS
| Player | Min. | FG-FGA | 3FG-3FGA | FT-FTA. | Pts. |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| Charron Fisher | 33.5 | 183-396 | 37-97 | 135-177 | 20.7 |
| Clif Brown | 33.8 | 191-470 | 54-152 | 91-120 | 16.5 |
| Lorenzo Miles | 34.5 | 134-344 | 61-174 | 97-136 | 12.9 |
| Tyrone Lewis | 29.1 | 116-270 | 39-116 | 60-91 | 12.3 |
| J.R. Duffey | 32.4 | 119-287 | 57-161 | 59-84 | 10.4 |
| Stanley Hodge | 25.8 | 37-84 | 15-42 | 69-81 | 4.9 |
| Rydell Brooks | 18.3 | 54-134 | 2-14 | 54-71 | 4.8 |
| Andrew Patterson | 6.0 | 13-33 | 6-21 | 8-12 | 2.0 |
| Benson Egemonye | 7.5 | 14-23 | 0-0 | 5-14 | 1.5 |
| Javonte Clanton | 15.3 | 1-4 | 1-3 | 0-0 | 0.8 |
| Greg Noel | 4.9 | 6-14 | 0-0 | 1-4 | 0.7 |
| Kamau Gordon | 6.0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0.0 |