6A
TT 69 - KU 64
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN MONDAY, JANUARY 22, 2007
Anytime Kansas threatened to pull the game back, the team was unable to get the basket that would kill Texas Tech's momentum.
BASKEBALL (CONTINUED FROM 12A)
"We just weren't getting things we usually get, like fast breaks and transition points", sophomore guard Brandon Rush said.
With the clock ticking off the final minutes, the Jayhawks finally strung together a rally and tied the game. Self called his final timeout with 25 seconds remaining and the team down three.
He wanted to score a quick twopoint basket and then foul Texas Tech. The play called for freshman forward Darrrell Arthur to get the ball inside, or for Rush to take the pass and feed Arthur. Both were covered, so the inbounds pass went to freshman guard Sherron Collins.
"I tried to drive it at first," Collins said. "They cut off the drive, so I just made a step-back move and took the three."
"We didn't anticipate him shooting a three, but we weren't going to get a better look than that." Self said.
"I thought he had a lot of guts taking it." Robinson said.
Self agreed.
Collins missed the shot, but Rush and Arthur were waiting under the basket.
"It rolled down my hand," Rush said, adding that he was unable to
"I thought he was going to tip it in," Arthur said. "But then I went up and it just rolled out, and they got the long rebound."
control the tip.
"That pretty much summed up the game for us," Robinson said.
It was the first conference loss for the layhawks, who will likely fall from their No. 5 ranking when the new Associated Press Top 25 poll is released this afternoon.
"We definitely have to get a win" Robinson said.
The team will have the opportunity to redeem itself on the road Wednesday when it heats to Waco, Texas, to face Baylor. Baylor comes into the game with an 11-7 record after losing to Oklahoma on Saturday.
It will be an issue of getting the offense to keep up with the defense, which carried the team Saturday. Self was asked after the game if he was baffled by sophomore forward Julian Wright's shot selection. He had launched a three-pointer early in the game. Self said it wasn't just about Wright.
"I thought our whole team offensively was baffling," he said.
Kansan sportswriter Michael Phillips can be contacted at mphillips@kansan.com.
Edited by Carissa Pedigo
Arthur, Collins start to take the reins
BY MICHAEL PHILLIPS
LUBBOCK, Texas — Forward Darrell Arthur and guard Sherron Collins may not have starting spots, but the two freshmen have become regular contributors to the team in their first seasons at the University of Kansas.
Collinss had a huge night against Missouri, scoring 23 points to lead the team. He and Arthur combined to score 14 of the game's final 16 points.
"When he was recruiting us, Coach told us we were going to be a big part of the team," Arthur said.
More importantly, with the game on the line coach Bill Self left the two freshmen in for what would have been the game-tying shot. Arthur and Collins were both integral parts of the play, and Collins ended up taking the shot.
On a team with no seniors, that opportunity came sooner rather than later. Against Texas Tech, Collins played for 28 minutes and Arthur got 27, more playing time than three of the starters.
The two came to Kansas as high school McDonald's All-Americans but are having to adjust to playing at the college level. Collins said that he had to work to block out the crowd on the road.
"it's a lot tougher," he said. "Today it was like we were at an NBA game or something. They can get pretty loud. You've just got to have blinders
on and play your game.'
As the two continue to mature, they have been rewarded with more time on the court. Self said that he had been pleased with their development, but that they still need to work to sustain that for a full season to become elite players.
"I'm just trying to help my team as much as I can," Collins said. "Whatever I can do to help."
Jayhawks wait out crazed fans
fans
Texas Tech fans stormed the court immediately after the victory without waiting for players to clear out. The Jayhawks had to wait on the bench for a group of security guards to escort them out.
"I didn't want to be on ESPN tonight for the wrong reasons," Russell Robinson said.
Brandon Rush added that he was surprised it even happened.
"It's January. It is still early," he said.
The Bob Knight Show
An announced crowd of 11,400 was thinner than usual because of snow and ice in the area. As always, Tech coach Bob Knight had his own take on this.
"It's only snow. You can drive through it." Knight told reporters after the game. "Guys tell me, 'Now coach, we're going to go hunting Saturday and it's going to be cold.' I told them, 'Cold my ass, You don't
Kansas 28 36 — 64
Texas Tech 31 38 — 69
KANSAS—
Julian Wright 6-12 0-12; Sasha Kaun 3-4 0-10; Russell Robinson 3-5 2-10; Mario Chalmers 2-6 0-0; Brandon Rush 4-14 0-10; Darrell Arthur 6-13 0-12; Sherron Collins 4-6 0-10; Rodrick Stewart 0-0 0-0; Jeremy Case 0-0 0-0; Darnell Jackson 0-2 0-0; Totals 28-62 2-4 64
know what cold is'. People down here have no concept of cold. I think I'm going to buy a store and start rumors about snowfall."
The bad weather didn't leave the student section vacant however. The Daily Toreader, the Texas Tech school newspaper, reported that Saturday's student attendance was the largest since Knight began coaching.
Guards in foul trouble
Sophomore guard Mario Chalmers fouled out of the game with one minute to play and was replaced by Sherron Collins. Junior guard Russell Robinson also battled foul trouble for most of the game.
With 9:43 to play, Robinson committed his fourth foul. He said the key was to remind the referees of the situation he was in.
Martin Zeno 6-14 2-1 2-14, Jon
Pleinfeld 3-14 Daniar Sikulac
0-1 0-0 0; Jarrus Jackson 4-10 5-18
5; Charlie Burgess 3-4 1-2 8; Alan
Vorkull 1-2 3-4 5; Michael Prince
3-4 0-0 6; Darryl Dora 7-13 2-1 29,
Totals 44-25 19-5 10
TEXASTECH —
RECORDS
Kansas 16-3,3-1 Big 12 Conference. Texas Tech 14-5,3-1.
Jayhawks, Aggies set for showdown
"They don't want to foul you out late in the game unless it's a hard foul," he said.
Texas A&M's victory against Oklahoma State Saturday night set the stage for a big game when the two meet in Lawrence. ESPN will televise the Feb. 3 game as part of its College Gameday series, and the winner will be the frontrunner for the Big 12 Conference regular season championship.
Freshman guard Sherron Collins looks to pass the ball in Saturday's loss at Texas Tech. Collins finished the game with 10 points, including two three-pointers.
Kansan senior sportswriter Michael Phillips can be contacted at mphillips@kansan.com.
Edited by Katie Sullivan
Joe Don Buckner/ASSOCIATED PRESS
big 12 rankings
1. Texas A&M 4-0,16-2
3. Texas tech 3-1,
4. Texas 3-1 13-5
2. Kansas 3-1, 10-3
3. Texas Tech 3-1, 14-5
5. Kansas State 3-2,13-6
2. Kansas 3-1,16-3
7. Oklahoma State 2-2,16-3
9. Nebraska 1-2, 12-5
10. Peyton 1.4.11.7
12. Missouri 0-4, 11-6
Source: Big12sports.com
Freshman guard Sherron Collins and Texas Tech's Jarrius Jackson bump each other while running down
Joe Don Buckner/ASSOCIATED PRESS
Sophomore guard Brandon Rush defends Texas Tech's Martin Zeno in Saturday's loss to Texas Tech.
the car
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