THE UNIVERSITY HARY KANSAN
KU 82 - BU 56
HURSDAY, JANUARY 25, 2004
5B
Rod Aydelotte/ASSOCIATED PRESS
Wednesday's victory, by the numbers
Baylor:
Points scored by the Bears in the first 11 minutes of the game.
30 Percent shooting from the field.
Victories against Top 25 teams for Baylor under coach Scott Drew.
Kansas:
0
22 Point lead at halftime
47 Percent shooting from three-point line.
Kansas fans put Baylor to shame with game day turnout
Straight games in double figures in scoring for Sherron Collins.
With Baylor on a 7-0 run in the first half and the Jayhawks struggling to get the ball inside, Russell Robinson launched a long three-point shot not what the team was looking for. It rolled in, breaking the Baylor rally and allowing Kansas to hold its lead into halftime. It's hard to find big shots in a game like Wednesday's, but Self must have breathed a huge sigh of relief when Robinson's shot snuck in.
Coach Scott Drew has done a great job rebuilding the Baylor program, but it's obvious what he's missing: an inside presence. Kevin Rogers is a great player, but he's going to need some help when he goes against the best teams in the Big 12. It's going to be tough for the Bears to make the NIT this year, but they'll slowly mature into a national force as long as Drew is at the helm.
There was a strong turnout of Jayhawk fans at the Ferrell Center on Wednesday. The same could not be said of Baylor fans. In an arena that only holds 10,284, there is no excuse for fans to leave a third of the tickets unsold for a marquee game like Kansas. Before the game, the "Let's go Jayhawks" chant overpowered the Baylor fans' cheering.
Michael Phillips
The theme among conference officials this year has been to let the players play, which favors Kansas when the Jayhawks can get the ball inside. Sasha Kaun, Julian Wright and Darrell Arthur are all playing so well they are interchangeable - meaning Kansas can play a little faster and bump a little harder than teams without that depth.
At the beginning of the year, Darrell Arthur looked like the freshman that would have the biggest impact on this year's team. Now five games into conference play, Sherron Collins has emerged into an offensive force and one of the best clutch shooters around. Arthur is still playing at the same consistent level – he gets a free pass from this game for extenuating circumstances – but Collins gets better every time he takes the court.
Rod Avdelotte/ASSOCIATED PRESS
Kansas forward Darrell Arthur grabs a rebound in front of Baylor's Josh Lomers during the second half of a basketball game Wednesday in Waco, Texas. Kansas won 82-56.
Rod Aydelotte/ASSOCIATED PRESS
Rod Aydelotte/ASSOCIATED PRESS
Kansas defenders Julian Wright and Sasha Kaun leap above Baylor's Mamadou Diene as he looks for a shot.
Michael Phillips/XANSAN
After missing 11 laysups on Saturday, the Jayhaws went a perfect 11-for-11 on Wednesday against Baylor. In the first half, the Jayhawks emphasized getting the ball down low, but in the second half the guards began to take over the game. For Baylor, it was a rough shooting night all-around. Most interesting, though, is how poorly the Bears did from behind the three-point line. They went for 22 in the one area of the game they have consistently excelled in this year. Shot chart information was compiled by Baylor Athletics.
VICTORY (CONTINUED FROM 1B)
said.
Self kept on his players to maintain their intensity throughout the first half and into the second half. Baylor relies heavily on its guards, and the coach didn't want them to get off a couple quick three-pointers and make the game close.
He had nothing to worry about, as the layhawks came out in the start of the second half with just as much offensive finesse as the first half. Baylor started making its shots as well, but Self said it only created the illusion of a faster-moving game.
"Both teams were scoring, and from a fan's standpoint, that prettier to watch." Self said. "But from a coach's standpoint, I didn't think the pace was picked up much."
The scoring slowed down again in the final minutes as the Kansas bench emptied and the starters left to an ovation from the Jayhawk fans in the crowd.
The layhawks return home on Saturday for an afternoon game against Colorado, where they'll look to dominate as a team once again.
Kansan sportswriter Michael Phillips can be contacted at mphilips@kansan.com.
- Edited by Lisa Tilson
Rod Avdelotte/ASSOCIATED PRESS
Sophomore forward Julian Wright reacts to his slam dunk over Baylor's Mamadou Diene. Wright finished with 16 points and six rebounds.