10A / SPORTS / THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 2011 / THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN / KANSAN.COM
KU
TIPOFF
AT A GLANCE
In reality, Kansas doesn't have a whole lot to play for today. Beating the Cowboys, moving forward and getting a little momentum under their belt would undoubtedly be nice heading into the NCAA Tournament, but it's hardly a necessity. The Jayhawks are a top seed in the tournament regardless of what pans out this afternoon, and that's what really matters for them. Playing three games in three days, which they'll do if they beat the Cowboys, may actually be detrimental to the team, which is nursing a number of nagging injuries. But players at this level have a competitive streak a mile wide, so expect the Jayhawks to come out with a lot of juice.
Sophomore guard Elijah Johnson
PLAYER TO WATCH
PATRICE guard Elijah Johnson Watch Johnson on the defensive end. He's turned himself from a solid-but-unremarkable defender into Velcro. He sticks on his man
Johnson
better than anyone on the Jayhawk roster, and it's the entire reason he continues to start over Tysawn Taylor, whose defense is just as
unpredictable as his offense (read: very)). Johnson said the transition came when Self named him the starter and called him out in the locker room before the first time Kansas played Oklahoma State. He responded by shutting down Keiton Page (2-of-11 from the field), and leading the Jayhawks to an easy victory
QUESTION MARK
Is there a reason for the Jayhawks to care?
As mentioned above, a win here means three more games in the next three days, which is a physical drain heading into the heavily scheduled NCAA tournament. Lingering injuries to Tyrel Reed, Josh Selby and Thomas Robinson would suggest that a rest might do Kansas some good, but the Jayhawks have a little fire in them. The guys badly want a shot at Kansas State and, in particular, Texas, which remain the only teams to hand a loss to the Jayhawks. Kansas State would have to get through Colorado, which they've been unable to do all year, to set up a semifinal rematch with Kansas, while the Longhorns would have to win the bottom half of the bracket to set up a classic title game.
Anytime you play you might as well play to win. We are playing in Kansas City against rivals that would like nothing more than to beat us to enhance their situation. Our goal is to go win the tournament.
HEARYE, HEARYE
Sprint Center Shoot-out Jayhawks begin Big 12 Tournament KANSAS VS.OKLAHOMA STATE 11:30 a.m., SPRINT CENTER, Kansas City, Mo.
Johnson
KANSAS
29-2, (14-2)
STARTERS
Elijah Johnson, guard
ajah Johnson, guard The offense hasn't stagnated under Johnson, but it hasn't had quite the same firepower as when Taylor ran the show. It hasn't been a concern yet. The Jayhawks are a perfect 4-0 under Johnson's steady hand and he led Kansas to a 27-point thumping of the Cowboys in Lawrence a couple weeks back. It's not crazy to think he could do the same thing today. His defense was key in that game.
Reed
Tyrel Reed, guard
Bill Self
Tyrel Reed, guard Reed's lingering foot injury has hampered him enough that he's only practicing with the team fully on the day before games. Three straight days of games, should the Jayhawks win today, could be bad news for Reed, but Bill Self and the training staff are keeping a close eye on it. Winning a Big 12 Tournament title is a goal, sure, but they won't jeopardize having Reed available in the NCAA Tournament. He loses a star with the injury.
Morningstar
Brady Morningstar,guard
Mc. Morris
Morningstar is and always has been the type of guy whose final stat line can be guessed pretty accurately before most games. He'll give the Jayhawks 30-plus minutes, five to 12 points, three to six assists, zero or one turnover and a couple steals. He'll be tasked with guarding Jean Paul Olukemi, who was on the Big 12 All-Rookie team.
Mk. Morris
Marcus Morris, forward
This is Marcus' first test as a leader in a win-or-go-home situation (see 1A), and the outcome could say a lot about his guidance. If the Jayhawks come out on fire, it'll be because Morris got them up. If they come out lethargic, it'll be because he didn't. Even if it's not on him, that is the perception about this team, and he understands that. Providing his leadership starts now.
Markieff Morris, forward
Markieff is on a tear over his last five games, averaging 16.6 points and 8.6 rebounds, both up from his season averages. He dealt with foul trouble the last time he played against Oklahoma State and the Cowboys' Marshall Moses had a field day inside. However, Markieff still put up solid numbers. He finished with 15 points and seven rebounds that day.
OKLAHOMA STATE
19-12,(6-10)
STARTERS
Reger Dowell, guard
Dowell has been excellent the last few weeks. He has averaged 10.8 points per game since Feb. 19. On Wednesday he scored eight points. He didn't run the point very well, just dishing out one assist and turning the ball over three times. He isn't a physical guard, in that he doesn't rebound well. He had zero boards in the victory against Nebraska.
Dowell
— Tim Dwyer
Keiton Page, guard
Page played extremely well Wednesday. He scored 17 points on 6-of-13 shooting. He went 4-of-8 from three and played 37 minutes. He is a small, feisty guard that will most likely be defended by Elijah Johnson. Self said that Johnson has been the team's best defender the last few weeks. This could be a problem for Page, who only scored eight points in Lawrence.
Page
Matt Pilgrim, forward
While Pilgrim isn't a scorer, he scored nine against Texas Tech and 10 against Baylor in consecutive games after Oklahoma State's bout with Kansas. In the finale against Oklahoma he scored two points and yesterday against Nebraska he scored two points. He went 1-7 from the field, but grabbed 12 bounds. He needs to focus on rebounding than scoring, unless the shots are falling.
Pilgrim
Jean Paul Olukemi, forward
Olukemi was named to the All-Big 12 Rookie Team on Sunday. On Wednesday he scored five points and grabbed six rebounds. In the Feb. 21 matchup against Kansas Olukemi was nonexistent. He scored one point and grabbed three rebounds in 17 minutes of work. He's got to play like the All-Rookie selection that he is.
Olukemi
Marshall Moses, forward
Moses has tremendous size and length. He is a big body down low that can create problems for Kansas' bigs. He has the ability to face his man and take him to the basket, but that isn't his forte. He is better with his back to the basket. On Sunday, Moses was named to the All-Big 12 Third Team.
Moses
Mike Lavieri
Mario Little Adam Buhier/KANSAN
OSU TIPOFF
AT A GLANCE
Oklahoma State narrowly hung on for a 53-52 victory on Wednesday. Nebraska's Lance Jeter had the ball in his hands for the final 10.4 seconds and couldn't get a shot off. The Cowboys played tight defense down the stretch and stole the ball with about two seconds remaining to seal the victory. After the Cowboys' 92-65 loss at Kansas, they finished the season 2-1 with victories against Texas Tech and Baylor at home and a loss in the season finale on the road to Oklahoma. While Nebraska is an excellent defensive team, Oklahoma State will need to score more if it has any hopes of knocking off Kansas.
PLAYER TO WATCH
Senior forward Marshall Moses
Moses was the lone bright spot in Oklahoma State's first matchup with Kansas. He scored 27 points while grabbing.
while grabbing six rebounds. Because of Moses' size and strength, he is very physical down low. This can be an
Moses
advantage for him, but it can also be a disadvantage. Moses has only fouled out once this season,but has been in foul trouble (three or more fouls) in 22 of the Cowboys 31 games. He had four fouls in Lawrence and the Morris twins and Thomas Robinson will make sure they go at him to get him off the floor.
QUESTION MARK
Will the Sprint Center be better than Allen Fieldhouse?
Plain and simply, the answer is no. There weren't that many fans for the game against Nebraska, so the same can probably be said for the game against Kansas. Besides Kansas fans travel well, especially the game being in Kansas City. The Sprint Center should be filled to capacity with Jayhawk fans, giving them an advantage over the Cowboys. However, Kansas State and Missouri fans will be in attendance too, but they surely won't cheer for Kansas, which could help Oklahoma State.
HEARYE, HEARYE
"I was feeling horrible after that missed free throw. But I had confidence in my teammates that we were going to come down and get a stop."
Junior forward Keition Page after he missed the front end of a one-and-one giving Nebraska a chance to win.
BIG 12 SCHEDULE
Game
Thursday, March 10
Kansas State vs. Colorado
Texas A&M vs Missouri
Texas vs. Oklahoma
Time (CT)
2 p.m.
6 p.m.
8:30 p.m.
THE COWBOYS WILL SHOOT DOWN THE JAYHAWKS IF...
THE COWBOYS WILL SHOOT DOWN THE JAYHAWKS IF... Keiton Page gets open looks against Elijah Johnson and gets hot. Page buried the Jayhawks last year when Oklahoma State handed Kansas its second loss of the season in Stillwater, Marshall Moses dominated the Morris twins offensively the last time they played, but it didn't matter much. He needed help then from Page, and he'll need it again tomorrow.
THE SPRINT CENTER WILL ROCK IF... Johnson brings that defensive magic that was so stifling against Oklahoma State last time out to Kansas City with him. Should the Jayhawks put up that kind of defensive performance, they'll hammer the Cowboys just like they did in Allen Fieldhouse. There will be plenty of blue in the Sprint Center, as there always is when the Jayhawks make the trip 45 minutes east.
SCHEDULE
Prediction: Kansas 90, Oklahoma State 73
Event
Big 12 Championship
Date
NCAA Tournament
March 10-12
March 15-April 4
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