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/ **SPORTS** / FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2011 / THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN / KANSAN.COM
KU
TIPOFF
AT A GLANCE
I'm changing this into a spot for a quick statistical breakdown of something about the Jayhawks, and because I'm a stat geek, my editors are letting me. It seems like a better option than telling you how Kansas matches up with Nebraska...again.Today: Free throws. More importantly, the fact that Kansas doesn't take, or make, enough of them. Through seven conference games, the Jayhawks have taken less than 20 free throws in five of them. They took just nine free throws at Baylor. They are 174th in the country in free throw rate, which measures how effective a team is in getting to the free throw line. In FT+, which essentially takes free throw rate and includes how good the team is at shooting free throws, Kansas is sixth-worst in the country. Take heart in this, though. No. 1 Ohio State, No. 4 Pittsburgh, No. 7 San Diego State, No. 15 Louisville, No. 17 Syracuse and No. 20 Washington are all also in the bottom 11 in the stat.
PLAYER TO WATCH
Sophomore forward, Thomas Robinson
Robinson has played in two games wearing the "LR" patch in remembrance of his late mother. He's finished with 17 points and nine rebounds in both of them. Nebraska's defense is predicated
Robinson
on crashing the paint and doubling any post that touches the ball, so don't expect those numbers again. If he gives some good relief minutes for the
Morris twins, though, he'll be particularly valuable against the stingy Huskers. Robinson had nine points on 4-of-6 shooting when the two met in January.
Can Kansas get to 70?
QUESTION MARK
in the Jayhawks manage to post 70 points against the stifling Huskers defense, they'll win. Plain and simple. Two teams have accomplished the feat: Missouri, which beat Nebraska 77-69, and Texas Tech, which won 72-71 two weeks ago in Lubbock. Nebraska has only managed 70 points twice in conference play, and it was against the two worst defenses in the league. Saturday, the best defense in the league, Nebraska, and the fifth-best, Kansas, will meet. Seventy is an admirable goal for either team.
Cornhuskers will wail
KANSAS VS. NEBRASKA 3 p.m., BOB DEVANEY SPORTS CENTER, Lincoln, Neb.
HEARYE, HEARYE
"He's definitely one of the premier defenders in the league, but I still think he can become a lot better consistently, where he could certainly take the other team's point guard out of the game. That should be a goal of his, and if he's successful doing that, then usually we're going to be pretty good that day."
Jayhawks intend to ruin home record
Taylor
KANSAS
21-1, (6-1)
STARTERS
Tyshawn Taylor, guard
tyshawn taylor, guard Taylor's reinvention of himself as a pure point guard — he's always been more of a combo guard — has been crucial in Kansas' three-game offensive renaissance. Taylor's ability to score is still there, but it seems as if he's more focused on taking care of the ball and setting up the Kansas offense.
Bill Self on Tyshawn Taylor
Reed
Tyrel Reed, guard
It's ludicrous to think Reed's down year from behind the arc is cause for serious concern — even the best shooters go through slumps. But Brady Morningstar is demanding more minutes through his excellent play of late, and Reed's seem the most likely to take the hit, though plenty will call for Josh Selby's as well.
Selby
I'll let Bill Self take over, talking about the line he has to walk with reigning Selby in and letting him go: "Sometimes when we say 'be under control,' they hear, 'Back it out,' or, 'We can get a better shot than that,' they hear, 'Don't shoot.' Even though you don't say that, that's how they interpret it. It's kind of a fine line with him, you know, 'GO!' He understands that, and he needs to go."
Josh Selby, guard
Richardson
Morris is only getting better as the competition does. He's averaging 16.7 points and 6.8 rebounds on the year. Through seven games of conference play, he's upped those numbers with 19 points per game and 7.7 boards. He's emphasized taking his man off the dribble rather than settling for jumpers, evidenced by a huge decrease in attempted 3-pointers (less than two per game) and an increased shooting percentage.
Marcus Morris, forward
NEBRASKA 15-6,(3-4) STARTERS
Morris has been excellent, no question, in a much increased role for the Jayhawks. That said, there has to be some level of concern in his relative inability to get to the free throw line. Bill Self said the coaching staff is impressing the need to take his man off the dribble, just like with Marcus and Thomas Robinson, in order to get opposing bigs in foul trouble. Markieff, though, has attempted zero free throws in six of 22 games, including against Texas Tech.
Morris
Markieff Morris, forward
Richardson was nonexistent in Nebraska's loss to Kansas State. He had three points with zero rebounds or assists. He did have one steal. Against Kansas he wasn't much better. He had six points on 1-7 shooting, but was 4-5 from the line. Richardson will need to contribute on the defensive end to help Nebraska.
Walker
Brandon Richardson,guard
Caleb Walker, guard
Walker played big for his size against Kansas. He only contributed two points, but grabbed 13 rebounds, 10 on the defensive end, Kansas has been shooting well lately, but Walker will need to collect any long rebound that comes out to the perimeter, if Nebraska wants to hang with a surging Kansas team.
with a surging Kansas team.
Toney McCray, guard
McCray is playing much better in conference than in nonconference play. In seven
Morris
McCray
than in nonconference play. In seven conference games, he is averaging 10.4 points per game; four rebounds per game and is shooting 50 percent from the field. Both his field goal, 3-point and free throw percentage is up from nonconference play. Last game against Kansas State, McCray only scored six points in the loss.
Lance Jeter, guard
Before the season started, Jeter was criticized for not being a scoring threat. Before the season, he was only the main distributor. Before the season, Jeter was only going to do what he needed to do and not take on additional roles. He has done all three this season and has done them well.
Jeter
Jorge Brian Diaz, forward
Diaz was awful on the offensive end in the last matchup scoring only four points. But he did collect 12 rebounds, four being on the offensive glass. Diaz will be called upon more with junior college transfer Andre Almeida injured. Diaz was only 4-14 from the field. He is averaging 55.4 percent on the season, but only 43.9 percent in conference play.
Tim Dwyer
Diaz
Mike Lavieri
NU
TIPOFF
ATA GLANCE
Nebraska is coming off a 69-53 loss in Manhattan to Kansas State on Wednesday night. The Cornhuskers are 14-0 at home this year with victories against USC, Colorado and then-ranked No. 11 Texas &M. Nebraska holds opponents to 57.1 points per game. According to kenpom.com, the Cornhuskers are the 10th most efficient team in the nation. Nebraska slows offenses down, which was apparent in Kansas' narrow 63-60 victory against Nebraska on Jan. 15 at Allen Fieldhouse. Kansas scores 82.7 points per game, eighth in the nation. Nebraska plays a sagging defense that looks like zone and man-to-man at the same time. It doubles the big men when they catch it down low in the corners, which creates turnovers.
PLAYER TO WATCH
— JOSH SELBY
Senior guard Lance Jeter
Senior leader Liz Horton
Jeter leads the team with 12.4
points per game in conference
play. It isn't a lot, but when seeing
that Nebraska only scored 64.6
points on average, his 12.4 points
is a lot larger. He accounts for 19 percent of the Nebraska points. Nebraska does have a good distribution of scoring and
Jeter
shooting, but Jeter is called upon more often. He is the main ball carrier, averaging 5.14 assists per conference contest. He is an atypical point guard. He has the body of a linebacker and runs the floor like one—powerfully. He takes care of the ball and distributes. He has the vocal leadership this team needs, be the lone senior starter.
QUESTION MARK
Will Nebraska remain perfect at home?
It's not coincidence that this Nebraska team is winning at home. Coach Doc Sadler has put together a team that plays well within itself. Fans want to come and watch a game at the Bob Devaney Sports Center. Nebraska has been feisty at home. It should be a packed house for the Saturday afternoon game. Doc Sadler has this team confident and playing well. However, Kansas and coach Bill Self picked up their first win in Lubbock and this team is clicking on offense. The Morris twins and Thomas Robinson are playing well and Brady Morningstar has found his former shooting touch.
HEAR YE, HEAR YE
"Our guards are the ones who just took steps backward instead of steps forward. When you play sideways against Kansas State, it's just a matter of time until they completely run you out of your stuff, and you're going to turn it over."
- Nebraska coach Doc Saddler after Nebraska's 69-13 loss to Kansas on Feb. 2.
BIG 12 SCHEDULE
Game
Time (CT)
Sat., Feb. 5 Time (CT)
Kansas State at Iowa State 12:30 p.m.
Baylor at Texas A&M 1 p.m.
Colorado at Missouri 6:30 p.m.
Texas Tech at Texas 8 p.m.
Brady Morningstar continues his recent sharpshooting ways. Morningstar's effect on the offense has been tangible in the last few games. His much-improved shooting forces teams to cover all five players on the floor when he's playing, and he's better than any Jayhawk at threading passes between defenders.
BIG JAY WILL FEAST ON CORN IF...
THE HAWKS WILL BE HUSKED IF...
Nebraska's suffocating defense can silence two of the three offensive weapons in Kansas' post. If Kansas gets two of the trio of Marcus and Markieff Morris and Thomas Robinson going, Nebraska will have a hard time keeping it even as close as they did in Lawrence. If only one or zero get going, Kansas' guards haven't shown the offensive firepower necessary to fill the scoring void.
Prediction:
Kansas 61, Nebraska 54
SCHEDULE
Date Opponent TV Channel Time
Feb. 7 Missouri ESPN 8 p.m.
Feb. 12 Iowa State Big 12 Network 3 p.m.
Feb. 14 Kansas State ESPN 8 p.m.
Feb. 19 Colorado ESPN 1 p.m.