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SPORTS / FRIDAY, JANUARY 21, 2011 / THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN / KANSAN.COM
KU
TIPOFF
Big 12 showdown Undefeated conference teams face off
Kansas has to be thankful to get this one at home, because it hasn't faced a team as talented as Texas all season. A 69-game winning streak at Allen Fieldhouse will face arguably its toughest test since it began three years ago, but much more importantly for coach Bill Self and the Jayhawks, this game could be the single determining factor for the Big 12 title. If the winner runs the table in Big 12 play, the loser won't have a chance to catch up. Both teams are coming off a dominating win: Kansas by 20 on the road at Baylor, Texas by 21 against top 10 foe Texas A&M.
AT A GLANCE
PLAYER TO WATCH
Sophomore forward Thomas Robinson
two things. First, his grandmother's death could be weighing on him. She helped raise him, and he'd told reporters that he would rather not talk about it. Or it could be that the Morris twins have been playing so well that his minutes aren't as vital. He's played single-digit minutes in three of the four games since after playing single-digit minutes just once in the first 13 games. Whatever the cause, the Jayhawks will need Robinson to counter the deep Texas frontcourt.
Robinson's struggles (3.5 points, 3.8 rebounds)
since missing the UMKC game for his grandmother's funeral could be a product of
QUESTION MARK
Can the Morris twins avoid foul trouble?
In his current four-game hot streak, Marcus Morris has yet to pick up more than two fouls in a game. Markieff hasn't been quite as successful, but he has played more than 20 minutes in all of his last four games, after being held beneath that because of foul trouble six times this year. The Morris twins will have to continue their stretch of no foul trouble against Texas, which has arguably the best frontcourt Kansas will have lined up against. Both Tristan Thompson and Jordan Hamilton have the ability to beat the twins off the dribble, which is a predominant cause of the twins' foul trouble.
KANSAS VS. TEXAS 3 p.m.,ALLEN FIELDHOUSE,Lawrence
Taylor
KANSAS 18-0,(3-0BIG12) STARTERS
Tyshawn Taylor,guard
The mercurial Taylor has struggled since Josh Selby joined the Kansas lineup. His turnovers are up slightly (3.0 before Selby, 3.2 since), and his scoring numbers (10.9 before, 7.0 since) and assist numbers (6.3 before, 3.8 since) are way down. That said, he's still the best player on the team at breaking a press and his 5.1 assists per game lead the team by a wide margin.
Reed
Tyrel Reed, guard
Reed's development into a multidimensional threat has bolstered Kansas' offensive attack. He's still arguably the best shooter on the Kansas roster (though his 37.4 percent three-point mark is just fifth among regulars), and he has a knack for making clutch threes. His 2.9 to 1 assist to turnover ratio is top among the 11-man rotation.
Selby
Morris
Josh Selby,guard
There is no denying Selby's infinite potential, but until he can harness his talent, the question of whether Kansas was better before him will linger. He's been inconsistent (three games scoring five or less) and turnover prone (zero games without multiple giveaways), and is, according to stat guru Ken Pomeroy's offensive rating statistic, the worst offensive player in Kansas' 11-man rotation.
Marcus Morris, forward
Morris has been on top of his game for the majority of the season, but in his last four games, he's been good enough to warrant first-team All-American talk. Since the Michigan game, Morris is averaging 24 points on 63 percent shooting and 9.8 rebounds. He'll need to avoid foul trouble against Texas' Tristan Thompson for the Jayhawks to come away with a win.
Markieff morris, for the Long known as the other Morris twin, Markieff has blossomed into a double-double machine and is no more than half a step behind Marcus in terms of all-around talent. Markieff is the better rebounder of the two (in fact, his 8.7 rebounds per game leads the Big 12), and his 13.4 points per game are second on the team.
Markieft Morris, forward
TEXAS
15-3, (3-0 BIG 12)
STARTERS
Morris
Balbay is the returning assist leader from a season ago with 106 in 27 games. He has been quiet this season, averaging 4.1 points per game.His assist numbers are down from a year ago, only averaging 2.3 per game this season. What Balbay does bring is leadership, one of two leaders in the starting lineup.
Dogus Balbay, guard
Balbay
Joseph was picked to contend for Freshman of the Year honors in the Big 12. He has had some big games and has had what Bill Self likes to call "freshman moments." Joseph is an athletic guard who can get to the paint. He also maintains possession of the ball. He is only averaging 1.5 turnovers a game compared to Josh Selby, who is averaging 3.2 turnovers per game.
Cory Joseph,guard
Joseph
Gary Johnson, forward
Johnson is averaging 12.1 points per game this season. He has taken the second most shots on the team converting 48.2 percent of them. He is averaging 7.1 rebounds per game. On Wednesday, Johnson scored 14 points on 6-9 shooting. He is one of three players to average 30-plus minutes per game.
Tristan Thompson, forward
Thompson is second in scoring with 13.1 per game, but leads the team with a 53.8 shooting percentage. Thompson will most likely garner the defensive matchup of one of the Morris twins. He has been a superb freshman, leading the Longhorns with 7.7 rebounds per game and two blocks per game. He has been to the free-throw line the most out of any Longhorn (130), but is only shooting 49.2 percent from the charity stripe.
Johnson
Brown is one of three three-point shooters for the Longhorns. He is shooting 33.9 percent on the season. Brown is a quick guard who can slash into the paint. He is the player Kansas does not want to foul if the game is close at the end because he is shooting a team-leading 87.2 percent. For as small as Brown is, he was second on the team with six rebounds on Wednesday.
Jordan Hamilton, guard
Thompson
Hamilton
UT TIPOFF AT A GLANCE
Texas comes to Lawrence looking to remain the only undefeated team in the Big 12. On Wednesday, Texas defeated instate-rival No. 10 Texas A&M 81-60. The 11th ranked Longhorns had a huge collapse in the middle of last season. After being 17-0 and ranked No. 1 in the nation, the Longhorns went 7-10 in its last 17 games of the season. This season however does not seem to be heading in that direction. Texas is 3-2 against ranked teams with its losses coming to then ranked No. 4 Pittsburgh 68-66 and then ranked No. 9 Connecticut 82-81 in overtime.
PLAYER TO WATCH
Sophomore forward Jordan Hamilton
Hamilton has come into his own this season. Last year he was overshadowed by the likes of NBA draftees Damion James, Avery Bradley and Dexter
Hamilton
— Mike Lavieri
Pittman. Hamilton averaged 10 points per game a season ago. He is a bona fide scorer that will give Kansas' defenders fits. He is athletic with a great deal of explosiveness. The Morris twins can defend Hamilton, but Self will most likely use them to guard Gary Johnson and Tristan Thompson. Look for Brady Morningstar to guard Hamilton. Morningstar did a great deal on LaceDarius Dunn against Baylor, who is considered one of the best scorers in the Big 12.
QUESTION MARK
Can Texas stop the Morris twins?
can texas stop the Morris twins?
Baylor had a great amount of length on Monday with freshman forward Perry Jones ill and junior forwards Anthony Jones and J'mison Morgan all listed at 6-foot-10. Jones ill is considered to be one of the top prospects in the summer's NBA draft, but was not able to contain the twins. Marcus and Markieff proved to be too athletic and versatile for Baylor. However, Texas has Hamilton, Thompson and Johnson who all have a similar athletic style to that of the Morris twins. If Texas wants to be the streak stopper, it will have to contain Marcus and Markieff.
-Tim Dwyer
ALLEN FIELDHOUSE WILL ROCK IF...
Josh Selby is on. Marcus Morris has been a picture of consistency this year. Selby's been the opposite. Kansas needs its wonderfrosh to return to 15 points-plus form, or else get a big game from Tyshawn Taylor or Tyrel Reed. The Morris twins won't be able to carry the load alone Saturday — not against a frontcourt as talented as Texas'.
Prediction:
BABY JAY WILL WEEP IF..
Kansas 71, Texas 65
The Jayhawks can't guard 6-foot-7 Jordan Hamilton. Hamilton has turned himself into one of the top three players in the league and is scoring 19.7 points per game on 47 percent shooting. Unless Kansas finds an answer for him defensively — perhaps Travis Releford, if he's healthy — Hamilton could be the difference maker for Texas.