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/ SPORTS / FRIDAY, JANUARY 22, 2010 / THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN / KANSAN.COM
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KU
TIPOFF
ATAGLANCE
Kansas is 3-0 in Big 12 play this season while Iowa State is struggling with a 1-2 mark. And with Texas' loss to Kansas State, Kansas is the top team in the Big 12 as of now. The Jayhawks beat the Cyclones twice last year—82-67 in Ames, Iowa and 72-55 in Allen Fieldhouse. Iowa State forward Craig Brackins scored a combined 62 points in those games. Sherron Collins totaled 48 points for the Jayhawks in those games.
PLAYERTOWATCH
Sherron Collins
He is the man right now. Coach Bill Self said the greatest players can willingly score five points or 25 points for the benefit of his team, and that is exactly what
Collins has done this season. He is the only consistent player the Jayhawks have on the road and the most composed in pressure situations. During times of adversity there may not be a better player with the ball in his hands. In the event Kansas starts looking bad on the road, expect the senior guard to continue to shine.
Collins
QUESTION MARK
Despite the records, will Iowa State be competitive just because it's a Big 12 game?
We've seen it a lot already this season, with Texas losing to Kansas State, Kansas getting a scare from Nebraska and a dramatic game between Oklahoma and Texas A&M. In conference games, anything can happen. At any point during this part of the season, the Jayhawks could dominate, get blown out or get involved with a squeaker. Some could argue the Jayhawks are feeding on the bottom of the Big 12 right now, but don't sleep on any of them the rest of the season.
HEARYE, HEARYE
"That is the thing that comes with his territory. When you're the leader of the team, you have to do that. Sherron is the point guard, the leader, the general of our team. We look to him to make big shots, but he loves it. He enjoys being in that position."
Cole Aldrich on Sherron Collins' leadership and taking control of games.
KU INVADES CYCLONE ALLEY Iowa St. will be fired up, but KU leadership and talent will win the day NO.3 KANSAS VS.IOWA STATE 1 p.m., HILTON COLISEUM, ESPN
Collins
Morningstar
Henry
KANSAS (17-1) STARTERS
Sherron Collins, guard
It may sound crazy, but Collins is not getting the national attention he deserves. The handful of players capable of taking over a game the way Collins does is quite small. He had 28 points against Baylor and is averaging 16.3 on the season, which leads Kansas. If the Jayhawks need a three, he can supply one. If they need to quiet the crowd, Collins will take the ball to the basket, while making it all look so easy.
Brady Morningstar, guard
Morningstar got the start for the spotty Tyshawn Taylor most likely for defensive purposes against Baylor's LaceDarius Dunn. With coach Bill Self's positive impression on his team, he may go with the start again. Morningstar started 34 of 35 games last season for the 'Hawks.
Henry had the most steals for a Kansas player since 2007 with seven against Baylor. He only turned the ball over twice, which is a good sign for the freshman. Of course, there is a significant difference for Henry in home and road games. The comfort level is high in Allen Fieldhouse, but the crowd at Iowa State will make his
life difficult,
especially
coming off a
game when
he went
3-13 from
the field.
Xavier Henry, guard
Marcus Morris,
forward
Two is a coincidence,
three is a trend. This marks the
third consecutive game Morris has
posted big numbers, all in conference
play. He is third on the team with 12.2
Morris
points per game. Sherron Collins said aside from his on the-court play, Morris had stepped up vocally. If and when Cole Aldrich becomes the dominant force we expected coming into the season, that duo rivals any front court in the country.
Cole Aldrich, center
It's hard to get a read on Aldrich this season. He is one of the premier rebounders and shot blockers in the nation, but he hasn't left his imprint on any game this season. Against Baylor's long-armed zone defense, Aldrich only managed 10 points with four rebounds and failed to record a block the first time all season. Are the 10-10 games with
Aldrich
three blocks all the Jayhawks should be expecting from the preseason All-American this season?
SIXTH MAN
Tyshawn Taylor,guard
Being the sixth guard to enter the game against Baylor for unspecified reasons, it's hard to determine if Taylor will start or not against Iowa State. It seems this season is about getting into coach Bill Self's doghouse and working his way
out only to return a few games later. He looked good in his last game finishing with five assists and no turnovers in 15 minutes.
Taylor
IOWA STATE (12-6) STARTERS
- Corey Thibodeaux
Diante Garrett,guard
Garrett's the definition of a pass-first point guard, averaging a solid 5.2 assists per game. His 8.4 scoring average is certainly respectable, but the Jayhawks would do well to keep their hands in the passing lanes when Garrett has the ball. His favorite targets are Craig Brackins and Marquis Gilstrap, the only Cyclones to average double-figure scoring.
Scott Christopherson, guard
Gilstrap has been an absolute beast since coming to Iowa State and is the frontrunner for Big 12 Newcomer of the Year. He has a great scorer's touch, averaging 14.9 points per game, but the most impressive thing about him is his rebounding. From the small forward position, Gilstrap averages an impressive 9.1 rebounds per game.
Christopherson was thrust into the lineup by the bizarre departure of Lucca Staiger. Staiger, in between road games at Nebraska and Texas Tech, took a contract to play professional basketball in Germany and left the team. In Christopherson's first start, he went 3-of-10 from the field (3-for-6 from three point range), to finish with nine points and four rebounds.
Garrett
Marquis Gilstrap, forward
Brackins is one of the top players in the Big 12, but it's a surprise that he's even around this year to be that. Most experts pegged Brackins as a lottery pick and a surefire early entry into the 2009 NBA draft. He wasn't Cole Aldrich with the chance to come back and play for a national title contender, but Brackins had his reasons, and Iowa
Craig Brackins, forward
Christopherson
Brackins
Gilstrap
State is better for it. He averages a team-high 16.2 points per game, to go along with 8.2 boards.
Justin Hamilton, center
Justin Hamilton, center Hamilton's an efficient scorer in he paint shooting 73.5 percent
from the field, but he's hardly filling up the stat sheets. He averages just 4.9 points and 3.7 rebounds while getting 17 minutes per game. Hamilton also averages a block per contest.
Hamilton
SIXTH MAN
LaRon Dendy, forward
he's a power for he'll see his m
Dendy, a junior college transfer from Indian Hills Community College, gives the Cyclones a solid burst off the bench. Even though
elevated after the departure of Staiger, just so the Cyclones can have five men on the floor. If it's necessary - which it is now - the Cyclones can move Brackins to small forward and Gilstrap to shooting guard and put Dendy in at the four. Dendy's best game came against Texas, when he came off the bench for 14 points and six rebounds.
Dendy
Tim Dwyer
ISU
TIPOFF
ATA GLANCE
There's simply not enough talent on the Cyclones to run with Kansas, especially since Staiger bailed on the team. Brackins can be expected to be stellar as usual, and it should be entertaining at the very least to see him and Marcus Morris, who is quickly turning into one of the best post players in the Big 12, square off. Another match up to watch is Marquis Gilstrap against Xavier Henry. Gilstrap is one of the most talented players Henry has lined up opposite this year, and the Kansas freshman could take a few notes on how to rebound from the three position from the 6-foot-7 Gilstrap.
PLAYER TO WATCH
Craig Brackins
Brackins, a preseason All-Big 12 teammate of Sherron Collins and
tore the Jay-
hawks to pieces
the last time
Kansas was in
Ames. Brack-
ins put up 42
points and 14
rebounds, but
the Jayhawks
Brackins
held on to win 82-67, due in part to a 26-point outburst by Sherron Collins, and in part to Brackins' utter lack of a supporting cast. While he picked up an excellent teammate in Marquis Gilstrap this year, there's still not enough to knock off the Jayhawks.
QUESTION MARK
Can Scott Christopherson fill the void?
Lucca Steiger wasn't exactly Sherron Collins, but he was vital to Iowa State. The 6-foot-5 German, who left his team earlier this week in the midst of a two game road swing, averaged 9.4 points per game. The biggest contribution he made was, perhaps, being there. He was one more talented body for the Cyclones, whose five losses prior to Texas Tech were all to teams that are, at the very least, NCAA Tournament hopefuls.
Christopherson is a good enough shooter to warrant mentioning - he's hitting 50 percent from behind the arc – but he's a bit of an unknown commodity. He should be fine defensively against whoever the Jayhawks start at shooting guard, Brady Morningstar is probably the favorite, but even that you can't be sure of.
HEARYE, HEARYE
"An opportunity to play professionally in my home country has come my way, and I've decided to pursue it right away. I will miss my teammates and the great fans at Iowa State, and I know this is a bad time to leave."
— Lucca Staiger, in a statement he released Tuesday about his departure from Iowa State
BIG 12 SCHEDULE
Time Time (CT) TV Channel
Texas A & M vs. Colorado 12:30 p.m. Big12 Networks
Connecticut vs. Texas 3 p.m. CBS
Baylor vs. Massachusetts 3 p.m. CBS
Kansas State vs. Oklahoma State 3 p.m. Big 12 Networks
Missouri vs. Nebraska 5 p.m. Big 12 Networks
Texas Tech at Oklahoma 7 p.m. TTSN
SCHEDULE
BABY JAY WILL JUMP FOR JOY IF...
Cole Aldrich comes to play. Kansas fans have waited a long time for Aldrich to have a dominant game. We all know what Sherron Collins can do, but it would be nice to see Aldrich get something like 20 points, 15 rebounds and 5 blocks. It's do-able with his skill set, but we haven't seen much more than a glimpse this season.
Like most opponents against the Jayhawks, the Cyclones make crazy shots. How many times this year has Kansas run down the shot clock on the opposition, only to see them hit a contested or falling away jumper? It is especially lethal in a road game—just look what happened at Tennessee. Last season, Craig Brackins scored 42 on the 'Hawks in his building, so he is sure to be fired up for this game.
HILTON COLISEUM WILL ROCK IF...
Prediction:
KANSAS 74, IOWA STATE 59
Date Opponent TV Channel Time
Jan. 25 MISSOURI ESPN 8 p.m.
Jan. 30 at Kansas State ESPN 6 p.m.
Feb. 3 at Colorado ESPN2 8 p.m.
Feb. 6 NEBRASKA ESPNU 5 p.m.
Feb. 8 at Texas ESPN 8 p.m.
Feb. 13 IOWA STATE ESPNU 7 p.m.
Feb. 15 at Texas A&M ESPN 8 p.m.
Feb. 20 COLORADO Big 12 Network 3 p.m.
Feb. 22 OKLAHOMA ESPN 8 p.m.
Feb. 27 at Oklahoma State ESPN 3 p.m.
March 3 KANSAS STATE Big 12 Network 7 p.m.
March 6 at Missouri CBS 1 p.m.