AN
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2009
5B
RADFORD 64, KANSAS 99
TBALL REWIND
ANSAN win
Weston White/KANSAN
BY CLARK GOBLE
cgoble@kansan.com
Going into his matchup with 6-foot-11, 260 lb. senior center Art Parakhouski, Cole Aldrich was excited.
"There're very few true centers, big true fives," Aldrich said. "It's always fun to play against another big guy. Everybody kind of has the stereotype that we're big jolly, doofy guys but we really work hard in the post."
Robinson added: "We know he's coming."
Aldrich's defensive work in the first half held Parakhouski to no points, six rebounds and just two shot attempts. For the season, Parakhouski averaged 22.3 points and 14.3 rebounds per game.
Coach Bill Self said he never would have thought they could shut out Parakhouski in the first half, but didn't particularly enjoy Parakhouski's second-half numbers.
"If you shut a guy out for a half, you probably shouldn't give up 21 in the second." Self said.
With the sarcasm meter going through the roof, Self said he would go pat his team on the back for keeping him under his average.
Self's game plan to limit Parakhouski's effectiveness was to attack him and get him in foul trouble. Thus, when Parakhouski had two early fools, Self got a little perturbed when Aldrich didn't try to make it three.
"He had a chance to take it at him and he did a little dipsy-doo soft move underneath,"self said. "He ended up missing it because he deserved to miss it."
Aldrich said he thought the team frustrated the big center in the first
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half by making him take tough shots, but they capped up in the second half.
"He's a heck of a player obviously, to be held to nothing at half and then come out and get some and 1s and make some free throws." Aldrich said.
Robinson and Aldrich also said going against a big center was great practice for a force who resides in Austin, Texas; the Longhorns' senior center Dexter Pittman. At 6-foot-10 and 290 lbs., Aldrich correctly assessed that Pittman has a little more build than Parakhouski.
Freshman forward Thomas Robinson handled the majority of the defensive duties on Parakhouski in the second half and said he learned a couple of things that would help him later in the season. In high school, the biggest player Robinson ever guarded was Connecticut freshman forward Alex Oriakhi.
"You can't trade buckets," Robinson said.
Parakhouski has two inches and 20 pounds on Oriakhi.
"it's good for us just because I think these early tests with true big guys that are really good will set us up for those guys when we play them in the Big 12," Aldrich said.
Robinson said he could use his speed to get around him on offense, but he was a little overmatched on defense. He is still working to get better on the defensive end.
Edited by Alicia Banister
Junior center Cole Aldrich slams a dunk against Radford Wednesday night. Aldric led the Jayhawks alongside Sherron Collins with 15 points and nine boards.
Weston White/KANSAN
Game to remember
Freshman guard Elijah Johnson
Johnson's first college start would have been memorable by itself. But after scoring his career high in just the first half, Johnson won't forget this one. His dunk on an alley-oop from Sherron Collins to open the second half will be the lasting image.
Johnson
Game to forget
Sophomore forward Markieff Morris
Morris
Sophomore forward Markieff Morris Even if you weren't expecting an dominating offensive performance like Morris had against UCLA, he disappointed Wednesday night. He scored just four points and was never a factor on offense. Certainly he won't want to remember that missed one-handed dunk on an open fast break.
Stat of the night
6
Number of Kansas players who scored in double digits: Cole Aldrich, Xavier Henry, Sherron
Collins, Elijah Johnson, Thomas Robinson and C.J. Henry. Aldrich and Collins led all scorers with 15 points. Now that's what you call balance.
Clark Goble
Quote of the night
"He's averaging 24 and 15 and he got 21 and 13? I'll go pat all our guys on the back for keeping him under his average."
— Kansas coach Bill Self on the defense against Art
帕克斯houkhi.
Self
Prime plays
1ST HALF (SCORE AFTER PLAY)
18:32 - Cole Aldrich out fought defenders for an offensive rebound and made a statement with a two handed dunk to start the scoring for Kansas. (2-2)
3:50- Sherron Collins missed a three, but Xavier Henry flew out of nowhere to put it down in the midst of a 14-3 run. (27-13)
9:46 After a Xavier Henry three, Tyshawn Taylor stole the ball and ran it down the court for a one-handed dunk. (18-10)
2ND HALF
19:50- Coming right out of halftime, Sherron Collins
8:55- C.J. Henry missed a three pointer and Cole Aldrich was there to put it back with authority. (68-39)
15:30 Elijah Johnson flew in for an offensive rebound to add to his stellar performance and found Sherron Collins for an open three pointer. (49-27)
found Elijah Johnson for an alley-oop. Add that to Johnson's two three pointers, snazzy penetrating layup and free throws and Johnson is having quite the offensive output. (38-18)
4:33: Xavier Henry took Lazar Trifuricov to school, driving him backwards almost five feet and laying it in for an and-one (82-52)
Corey Thibodeaux
Key stats
42
Radford shot 42.3 percent from the field, which makes it 82 straight games an opponent has failed to shoot over fifty percent on Kansas.
78.3
Kansas shot 78.3 from the free throw line which is the fourth game this season they Jayhawks have made over 70 percent.
63
The 63 points scored in the second half were the most by
6
the Jayhawks in any half this season.
Jayhawks had a season high six players in double figures.
21
Sherron Collins passed Wilt Chamberlain with his second basket of the game for 21st on the Jayhawks' all-time scoring list. He also moved ahead of Mario Chalmers in assists for 11th on the all-time list, then he tied Chalmers for 6th place all-time in three pointers made.
— Corey Thibodeaux
COLUMN (CONTINUED FROM 1B)
showed poise and a smooth stroke. He knocked down open shots, pressured the ball (without committing more silly fools) and generally provided a spark that was severely lacking at the offensive end. Perhaps most importantly for a point guard, Johnson didn't commit any turnovers.
Johnson then carried over his first-half momentum and started the second as well. And he startled it with a bang, throwing down an alley-oop on the opening play to set off what would be a 63-point half for Kansas.
C. J. Henry was no less explosive — once he made his appearance. Unlike Johnson, Henry didn't start. He didn't even see the floor until the second half was well under way, and only played 10 minutes total.
But in those 10 minutes, C.J. reminded those who stuck around for the game's closing stretch that he's talented in his
own right, and far more than just Xavier's brother.
C. J. showed both a quick step and lightning crossover, both indicating that his injury problems may be a thing of the past. And on a night when the rim seemed just a bit too small for most Jayhawks, C.J. was a sniper.
All of this puts Bill Self in an interesting position. As the coach who seemingly has just about everything, what more could he get from Johnson and Henry's surprising efforts? Just that, actually: more production, either from the bench or the starting lineup. More capable players to share minutes, thus leading to more pressure on defense, and more energy on offense. Ultimately, more wins
If all that seems excessive, just remember: "Tis the season when more is never enough.
— Edited by Sarah Kelly