#POSTERIZED: Travis Releford doesn't take no flack from no one

Travis Releford is a fifth year senior who has been through it all at Kansas. As one f the team's primary leaders it's Releford's job to teach the young bucks (Ben McLemore, Jamari Traylor and Naadir Tharpe) how to get it done on a consistent basis.

This is how you get it done:



I do have to point out that Releford got away with one here at the end. He should have been called for a technical foul. I've seen guys get T'd up for far far less, it was rather quite bizarre to see Releford get away with so much "mean mugging".

Here's the thing. I don't like the rule. I think you should be able to stare the poor fool down until you decide to stop. If you bang on 'em, you should be able to flex on 'em as well.

But was it as good as these:
Archie Goodwin - Kentucky vs. Portland, 12/8/12
Rodney Williams, Minnesota vs. Florida State, 11/27
Week In Review - Feast Week, 11/18 - 11/25
Tarik Black - Memphis vs. Minnesota, 11/23
Ben McLemore - Kansas vs. Washington State - 11/20
Andre Roberson - Colorado vs. Murray State, 11/18
Doug Anderson - Detroit vs. Drake, 11/17
Archie Goodwin - Kentucky vs. Lafayette, 11/16
John Brown - High Point vs. Appalachian State, 11/13
Stefan Jankovic - Missouri vs. Alcorn State, 11/14
Cole Dickerson - San Francisco vs. Cal State-East Bay, 11/13
Clancy Rugg - Vermont vs. UConn, 11/13
Jamari Traylor - Kansas vs. Michigan State, 11/13
Doug Anderson - Detroit vs. St. John's, 11/13
Kris Brewer - Kent State vs. Temple, 11/13
Rakeem Christmas - Syracuse vs. San Diego State, 11/11
Deandre Daniels - UConn vs. Michigan State, 11/9
Ben McLemore - Kansas vs. Emporia State, 10/31
Keion Bell - Missouri vs. Northwest Missouri, 10/31

Continue reading...

#POSTERIZED: Make way for Ben McLemore

No seriously. Get out of his way.

The high-flying redshirt-freshman has no regard for human safety, be it his opponents, his teammates or himself.

Here he his dunking all over Washington State and his own Jayhawks teammate Jamari Traylor.



Both McLemore and teammate Traylor have make earlier appearances on #POSTERIZED, and both clearly wanted another invite.

It looks like McLemore won.


But was it as good as these?

Andre Roberson - Colorado vs. Murray State, 11/18
Doug Anderson - Detroit vs. Drake, 11/17
Archie Goodwin - Kentucky vs. Lafayette, 11/16
John Brown - High Point vs. Appalachian State, 11/13
Stefan Jankovic - Missouri vs. Alcorn State, 11/14
Cole Dickerson - San Francisco vs. Cal State-East Bay, 11/13
Clancy Rugg - Vermont vs. UConn, 11/13
Jamari Traylor - Kansas vs. Michigan State, 11/13
Doug Anderson - Detroit vs. St. John's, 11/13
Kris Brewer - Kent State vs. Temple, 11/13
Rakeem Christmas - Syracuse vs. San Diego State, 11/11
Deandre Daniels - UConn vs. Michigan State, 11/9
Ben McLemore - Kansas vs. Emporia State, 10/31
Keion Bell - Missouri vs. Northwest Missouri, 10/31

Continue reading...

#POSTERIZED: Jamari "Tractor" Traylor

Leading up to the season tip-off many people around the Kansas program were hinting that Jamari Taylor had the mold of a Thomas Robinson-type of player: Fierce, endless motor, and strong as an ox.

On Tuesday night against Michigan State in the Champion's Classic, the redshirt freshman showed why people think he's the next T-Rob, with a vicious putback jam over several Spartans, and a few Jayhawks too:



The only difference between T-Rob a J-Tray is that Robinson always got full extension on his dunks. But let's give Traylor get where credit's due. That wsa still one heckuva dunk.

But was it as good as these?


Doug Anderson - Detroit vs. St. John's, 11/13
Kris Brewer - Kent State vs. Temple, 11/13
Rakeem Christmas - Syracuse vs. San Diego State, 11/11
Deandre Daniels - UConn vs. Michigan State, 11/9
Ben McLemore - Kansas vs. Emporia State, 10/31
Keion Bell - Missouri vs. Northwest Missouri, 10/31

Continue reading...

#POSTERIZED: Pay Heed

The official start to the 2012-2013 NCAA basketball season doesn't begin until next week, but with exhibition games tiping off this week, the official start to the #POSTERIZED season is here.

Missouri's Keion Bell got things started on Monday. Never to be out done by Missouri, Kansas representative Ben McLemore dropped the hammer towards the end of the Jayhawks 88-54 exhibition win over Emporia State. Look up the term "Dropping the hammer" in the dictionary and you will find the following video embedded in the text:
 

What a way to start the season. From now until the final net is cut down in Atlanta, the #POSTERIZED series will be your must-follow guide to the best collegiate dunks, jams, slams, high-flyers, rim-rockers and gym-jammers.

But was it as good as these?

Keion Bell - Missouri vs. Northwest Missouri, 10/31 Continue reading...

Missouri beats Kansas after a controversial, 11-0 run to close the game

This season has featured a change to the block/charge rule.

In an effort to prevent weak-side defenders from planting themselves under the rim to try and draw a charge, the NCAA has put in a charge circle. Its not quite as far out as the NBA's charge circle, but its there, and its something new that college refs have to pay attention too. As much as in any season that I can remember, people have been complaining about the inconsistency of this call in the college game, and the thinking is that it is because the refs aren't used to having to determine where a player's feet are at the same time they have to decide if that player is in good defensive position.

Why am I bringing this up?
Continue reading...

Previewing your college hoops weekend: The final year of The Border War?

Game of the Weekend: Sat. 9:00 pm: No. 8 Kansas @ No. 4 Missouri

Let's put this game in a vacuum. Let's pretend that Missouri hasn't turned into a top five team and that Kansas has struggled this season with their two-man attack. This game would still be must-see TV. Why? Because this could be the last time that these two teams meet in Mizzou Arena for a long time. The Border War is one of the most heated rivalries in the country, but with Missouri's decision to head to the SEC next season, what little friendliness existed between the two schools is all but gone. The environment at this game is guaranteed to be absolutely electric, a fact that is only going to be magnified by Gameday's appearance in Columbia.

But this game doesn't occur in a vacuum. The fact of the matter is that these are two of the best teams in the country, with both having legitimate Final Four aspirations. That is sure to make things even more intense.
Continue reading...

POSTERIZED: Yeah, it's best you not stand in Thomas Robinson's way

If not for the unearthing last night of Savalace Townsend's world-destroying dunk, this is probably the dunk we'd all be talking about.

Thomas Robinson is a physical specimen. I dare you to try and find me a current NCAA basketball player that's more chiseled than he is. You won't find one. The 6-foot-10 power forward isn't just a force on the low block. he can step out and play on the perimeter.

And by that I mean, take a running start from the 3-point arc and destroy everything in his path.

Luckily, all the Oklahoma defenders were smart enough to get out of his way.



The guys at Oklahoma have clearly watched the film from Major League 2.

"Welcome to the big leagues, Hayseed. Next time, don't stand on the tracks when the train's coming through."

- Jack Parkman



But was it as good as these?

Markel Brown, Oklahoma state vs. Texas Tech, 1/31
Royce White, Iowa State vs. Kansas State, 1/31
Savalace Townsend, Arkansas-Pine Bluff vs. Grambling State, 1/28 (DotY Candidate)
Weekend Recap, 1/25 - 1/29
Tony Wroten Jr., Washington vs. Arizona State, 1/26 (DotY Candidate)
Ronald Roberts, St. Joseph's vs. Dayton, 1/25
Markel Brown, Oklahoma State vs. Missouri, 1/25 (DotY Candidate)
Larry Nance Jr., Wyoming vs. San Diego State, 1/24
Dion Dixon, Cincinnati vs. Syracuse, 1/23
Victor Rudd Jr., South Florida vs. St. John's, 1/17 (DotY Candidate)
C.J. Fair, Syracuse vs. Pittsburgh, 1/16
TrayVonn Wright, North Dakota State vs. South Dakota, 1/14
Bandja Sy, New Mexico State vs. Utah State, 1/12
Kenny Hall, Tennessee vs. Mississippi State, 1/12
Dezmine Wells, Xavier vs. Duquesne, 1/11
Kadeem Batts, Providence vs. Louisville, 1/10
Karam Mashour, UNLV vs. CS-Bakersfield, 1/6
Tony Snell, New Mexico vs. Houston Baptist, 1/3
Tony Mitchell, Alabama vs. Georgia Tech, 1/3
Trevis Simpson, UNC-Greensboro vs. Miami, 1/2
Orion Outerbridge, Rhode Island vs. Boston College, 1/2
Sam Thompson, Ohio State vs. Indiana, 12/31
DeShon Minnis, Texas Tech vs. Southeastern Louisiana, 12/30
Keith Gabriel, VMI vs. Old Dominion, 12/22
Eric Etherly, Loyola (Md.) vs. Kentucky, 12/22
Chris Evans, Kent State vs. Texas-Arlington, 12/21
P.J. Hairston, North Carolina vs. Texas, 12/21
Robbie Hummel, Purdue vs. IPFW, 12/20
Robert Brown, Virginia Tech vs. North Florida, 12/19
Tony Mitchell, Alabama vs. Kansas State, 12/17
Torye Pelham, Southern Mississippi vs. Ole Miss, 12/17
Quincy Diggs, Akron vs. Florida A&M, 12/17
Anthony Davis, Kentucky vs. Chattanooga, 12/17
Langston Galloway/C.J. Aiken/Ronald Roberts, St. Joseph's vs. Villanova, 12/17
Terrence Ross, Washington vs. UC-Santa Barbara, 12/16
Jared Cunningham, Oregon State vs. Howard, 12/15
Raheem Appleby, Louisiana Tech vs. McNeese State, 12/14
Tony Mitchell, Alabama vs. Detroit, 12/12
Vander Blue, Marquette vs. UW-Green Bay, 12/11
Ronald Roberts, St. Joseph's vs. Creighton, 12/10
Dion Waiters, Syracuse vs. George Washington, 12/10 (DotY Candidate)
Victor Oladipo, Indiana vs. Kentucky, 12/10
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Georgia vs. Georgia Tech, 12/10
Vander Blue, Marquette vs. Washington, 12/6
Terrence Ross, Washington vs. Marquette, 12/6
Deville Smith, Mississippi State vs. West Virginia, 12/3
Terrence Jones, Kentucky vs. North Carolina, 12/3
Tony Mitchell, Alabama vs. Georgetown, 12/1
Anthony Marshall, UNLV vs. UNC, 11/26
Michael Kidd-Glichrist, Kentucky vs. Portland, 11/26/11 (DotY Candidate)
Markel Brown, Oklahoma State vs. Virginia Tech, 11/25
Rodney Williams, Minnesota vs. DePaul, 11/24
Thomas Robinson, Kansas vs. Duke, 11/23
Stan Okoye, VMI vs. Ohio State, 11/23
Kyisean Reed, Utah State vs. Southern Utah, 11/19
Ra'Shad James, Iona vs. Western Michigan, 11/18
Alandise Harris, Houston vs. Arkansas, 11/18
Sam Thompson, Ohio State vs. Jackson State, 11/18
Tony Mitchell, Alabama vs. Wichita State, 11/18
Eric Griffin, Campbell vs. North Carolina A&T, 11/18 (DotY Candidate)
Olek Czyz, Nevada vs. Pacific, 11/17
Chris Watson, Pikeville vs. Mountain State, 11/16
Ray Willis, North Carolina Central vs. Wagner, 11/16
Mike James, Lamar vs. Ohio, 11/15 (DotY Candidate)
Quincy Acy, Baylor vs. San Diego State, 11/15
Deniz Kilicli, West Virginia vs. Kent State, 11/15
Chris Evans, Kent State vs. West Virginia, 11/15
Tony Mitchell, Alabama vs. Oakland, 11/14
Isaiah Brown, East Tennessee State vs. Virginia Tech, 11/12
Michael Lyons, Air Force vs. Army, 11/11
Dezmine Wells, Xavier vs. Morgan State, 11/11
Jeremy Lamb, UConn vs. Columbia, 11/11 (DotY Candidate)
Andre Drummond, UConn vs. CW Post, 11/4
Moe Harkless, St. John's vs. CW Post, 10/26
Continue reading...

Pics/Vids: Game 12: Kansas vs. Texas A&M

Monday, January 23rd
Allen Field House, Kansas University
Kansas 64, Texas A&M 54


Game 11 - Oral Roberts vs. Oakland
Game 10 - Oklahoma State vs. Kansas State
Game 9 - Missouri State vs. Creighton
Game 8 - Missouri vs. Texas A&M
Game 7 - Wisconsin vs. Nebraska
Game 6 - Marquette vs. Pittsburgh
Game 5 - Butler vs. Cleveland State
Game 4 - Indiana vs. Minnesota
Game 3 - Xavier vs. Duquesne
Game 2 - Kentucky vs. South Carolina
Game 1 - Belmont vs. Lipscomb

(One of the photos in the Kansas basketball Walk of Fame.)

(The Walk of Fame inside Allen Fieldhouse.)

(The scene inside "The Phog" during warm-ups.)

(Our view from press row. Not too shabby.)

(Little Jay supports the #BIAHroadtrip. Big Jay was unavailable for comment.)

(The players entrance at Allen Fieldhouse.)

(The front row of the Kansas student section, Nice 'fro dude.)

(The Jayhawks take some shots prior to player introductions.)

(The scene during the pregame introductions. I can see that dude's afro from across the arena.)

(Just a few of the many banners hanging in the rafters at Allen Fieldhouse.)

(The Kansas bench gets ready for player introductions.)

(The Kansas Jayhawks player introductions.)

(The Aggies bench cheer on their teammates during introductions.)

(The Aggies huddle up one last time before tip-off. The man in the jeans and grey sweater in Kris Middleton. He is the team's best player but had to sit out due to injury.)

(Tyshawn Taylor guards Dash Harris during the first half.)

(Ray Turner guards Thomas Robinson on the perimeter during the first half.)

(Texas A&M point guard Dash Harris injured his foot during the game but played through it. He ended up playing 38 of a possible 40 minutes.)

(Players wait at the scorers table before checking in to the game.)

(The Jayhawks lock down on perimeter defense.)

(Jeff Withey sets up on the low block.)

(The Kansas dance team watches the game from the opposite sidelines.)

(The Kansas student section tries to force Elston Turner to put his foul shot wide left. Unfortunately, the students misspelled "Cundiff". #DistractionFail)

(Jeff Withey collects one of his eight blocks. Tweet of the Game: "Jeff Withey doesn't wear a shooting sleeve. he wears a blocking sleeve.")

(Big Jay watches on as the KU cheerleading squad performs their halftime routine.)

(ESPN's Bob Knight and Brent Musburger get some research done at halftime.)

(The two teams go through lay-up lines at halftime.)

(One of "The Morri" was in the house and posed for the camera.)

(Tyshawn Taylor launches a 3-pointer. The Jayhawks hit only 20% of their shots form behind the arch, going 4-20 on the night.)

(The picture might not show it, but Thomas Robinson is one of the most chiseled players in the country.)

(Luckily the pom-poms didn't get in my way during a Tyshawn Taylor foul shot.)

(There is no way these guys are old enough to be in college.)

(Thomas Robinson guards Ray Turner in the post as Tyshawn Taylor guards Dash Harris on the perimeter.)

(The fans at Allen Fieldhouse watch on as Tyshawn Taylor waits to receive the in-bounds pass.)

(Elijah Johnson takes a breather during the second half.)

(Elston Turner gets ready to shoot a foul shot. He finishd 6-8 from the line and lead the team with 24 points.)

(A few of the signs in the Kansas student section. Not sure if Self will receive the Republican nomination yet.)

(The Jayhawk band plays a final song as the crowd disperses from the arena following the KU win.)

(Aggies coach Billy Kennedy, along with Elston Turner and Dash Harris answer questions during the postgame press conference.)

(The scene in the tunnel following the postgame press conference at Allen Fieldhouse.)

Continue reading...

#BIAHRoadTrip The Diary Part XIV: The Laramie Controversy and Casino Royale

1:45 PM Day 20
Somewhere on I-70
The Rocky Mountains, CO
Total Miles: 3629

Road Trip Part-I
Road Trip Part-II
Road Trip Part-III
Road Trip Part-IV
Road Trip Part-V
Road Trip Part-VI
Road Trip Part-VII
Road Trip Part-VIII
Road Trip Part-IX
Road Trip Part-X
Road Trip Part-XI
Road Trip Part-XII
Road Trip Part-XIII

We've been on the road for the past two days, making our final push towards Utah State, so we apologize for the lack of content.

But that doesn't mean things haven't been interesting.

---------------------------------------------------------------
When we last left you, we were headed to Lawrence, KS to visit Allen Field House and watch the Kansas Jayhawks play the Texas A&M Aggies. 


Before the game, we went to The West Coast Saloon to grab a burger, and the place was packed to capacity with Jayhawk fans. We must have been the only guys in there not wearing blue and red. The burgers were legit, but we were running late (Thanks to Rob, as usual) so we had to inhale them and head over to The Phog.

Allen Field House is absolutely incredible. Everything about it is spectacular: the physical structure, the arena itself, the concourse area, the atmosphere, the fans, everything. Every single fan in the arena was wearing blue or red. Now, we didn't see a lot of costumes, but there wasn't a single person in there that wasn't wearing Jayhawk apparel.

(Name that "Morri")

At the majority of the BCS-conference games we've been to, our media seats have been in the upper deck, away from the floor. But surprisingly enough, we were seated right underneath the basket closest to the Aggies bench.

The one problem was that we were right behind the Kansas cheerleaders. 


I'm not complaining about having to look at cheerleaders for 40 minutes, but they stood up like RIGHT IN FRONT OF US for the majority of the game, so while my view was nice, my view of the game was rather obstructed.

The experience at The Phog was incredible, just incredible. I want to go back there, like, now.

After the game we went back to our hotel to get some work done before we set off on our treacherous voyage through the Rockies towards Logan, UT.

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But before we even got to the road, controversy struck.

At roughly 3:00AM CST, I referenced the travel problems SDSU was having in getting to Laramie, WY, where we would be driving through within the next 48 hours.

. Rob ecstatically stated that we should wake up at 6:00AM and drive 11 hours directly to Laramie, WY to cover the game. I explained to him why this wouldn't work: We didn't have credentials, we needed sleep, the game was at 6:00PM, which would mean we may not even make it to the arena by tip-off. Reasons also included my inability to trust Rob driving my car in mountainous terrain, and well, my general trust in Rob. And from here, Rob began to throw a tantrum.



But before I was done, he had taken his idea to Twitter.

Within moments, I was a villain, and tyrannical leader hellbent on ruining all his fun.

I brushed off his continued efforts to convince me to do it, and I went to sleep.

At roughly 8:11AM, I was woken up to numerous pillow-shots to the head, followed by screams of "TROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOY". Rob looked at me and said "Are we doing this?"

"No Dice". I said, and went back to sleep.

When we finally departed Lawrence, Rob was like a child spurned by his parents at the toy store.

The drive from Lawrence was brutal. It's long, flat, barren and straight.



Rob spent the majority of the trip reminding me that I ruined the trip and that I'm a "Debbie Downer". Rob did an interview with 1450 AM Sports Buzz Louisville and spent a majority of the call explaining to people in Louisville why I'm the worst friend ever.



However, it would not be too long before Rob had completely forgotten about the SDSU/Wyoming game completely.

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We drove for what seemed like days. We finally stopped in Denver, CO to spend the night with Kyle Dickmann, a former standout Kentucky High School basketball player and co-benchwarmer with Rob at Vasser College.

We were planning on grabbing some local food and beverage, getting some work done, and calling it a night. But Kyle had other plans. Within 30 minutes of arriving, it was decided that we would be heading up to Blackhawk, CO to visit the Ameristar Casino. The decision was unanimous.

But here's the thing. I'm a horrific gambler. I'm a terrible poker player. I am way too shrewed to wager money on anything. Plus, I've never been to a casino. Oh, and did I mention that I'm close to exhausting all my funds and will struggle to pay rent next month?

Nonetheless, I was all in.

When we arrived, we were briefed on how to play craps, which of all the casino games, gives you the best odds at winning money.

Right from the start, it was apparent to everyone that I was a novice. I put two hands on the dice (a no-no), I placed a $7 bet multiple times (a no-no), I placed a bet late and swatted the dice out of the air ( A huge no-no). On my first toss, I threw both dice off the table. On my second toss, the dice didn't even make it to the far wall. 

'

It was brutal.

Craps is a game of severe peaks and valleys. You get up big, and you get down even bigger. I was down to my last chip on numerous occasions. Rob went to the ATM twice, we got up and we got down, but we were able to sustain most of the momentum swings.

Then Mr. Miagi stepped up to the table. 

In the span of ten short minutes, a tiny Asian man with a solid mustache rolled some of the hottest dice I've ever seen. He was hitting everything. Hardway-10s, doubles, the field, the pass line, everything. If you had chips on the table, you were winning. This guy was flat-out feeling it. 

By the time he finally rolled the dreaded 7, Kyle was up $150, I was up $90, Rob was leading the way with $300.

At that point, it was obvious that we had to leave. I was grinning ear-to-ear. I don't win money. Ever. Yet here I am, a novice craps player, walking out of my first casino with $75. 

This doesn't happen. This isn't suppose to happen. But it did, and the next few days of the #BIAHroadtrip are on the house.

Literally.

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Like I said in the beginning of the post, we are currently in the Rocky Mountains, right near the border of Colorado and Utah. It is one of the most beautiful landscapes I've ever seen.

For the past 14 days, we've been driving across the most boring section of the entire country. But it was totally worth it considering what's right outside our car window.

Continue reading...

Conner Teahan is living his dream, but would trade it all back. Why?

You can find the rest of the features from the #BIAHRoadTrip here

LAWRENCE, KS - Conner Teahan is living the dream.

He grew up a mere 30 minutes from the University of Kansas in Leewood, KS, and, like most people that grow up a mere 30 minutes from Lawrence, he's been a lifelong, diehard Jayhawk fan.

"There aren't going to be many bigger KU fans than I was. I'd be crying when they lost," Teahan said with a laugh after scoring five points in a 64-54 win over Texas A&M at Phog Allen Fieldhouse on Monday night. "Whenever I thought about what I wanted to do in college, the number one priority was play basketball at KU. That's all I wanted to do and I got the opportunity to."

Every kid grows up with a dream like that.
Continue reading...

Bill Self gets advice from the most unlikely of sources

LAWRENCE, KS - Kansas head coach Bill Self wasn't too thrilled with his team's performance in their 64-54 win over Texas A&M on Monday night.

He thought they lacked effort and made numerous mental gaffes.

But Tommy Lasorda, yes, that Tommy Lasorda, the eccentric, Slim Fast-promoting former-Dodgers manager, the same guy who went to Twitter just hours before the game to ask "what Rock Chalk Jayhawk" meant, had some sage advice for Bill Self after the game.

“He said, ‘Hey, you looked great.’ I said we didn’t look good at all,” Self said with a smile on his face in the media room following the the Jayhawk's 64-54 win over Texas A&M.

Self has always been a baseball fan, and noted that he has tried his best to stay up to date with all the advanced statistics. He's even used baseball fiction to help motivate his team in the past.

Lasorda was in town for a fundraising event, and was at the game with his niece and her husband, a KU alum.

As Self tells it, "[Lasorda] said, 'You don't understand. Stats don't matter.' I said, 'If your starting pitcher gives up five runs in six innings and you just hang on to win, you're happy?' He said, 'I'm happy. I'm happy.' He said, 'You’ve got to enjoy the wins.' He's right. We do. I just didn’t think tonight we were very good, but A&M had a lot to do with it, too."

Self is right, too.

The Aggies were the first team to hold the Jayhawks to under 65-points at Allen Field House this season. Kansas shot a dismal 20% (4-2) from behind the arc and did not score in the final 3:26 of the first half.

You don't go to Allen Field House in late-January and expect to hear a baseball anecdote, let alone see a Hall of Fame manager. But on a night where the Jayhawks looked less than stellar against an inferior opponent, expect the unexpected.
Continue reading...

Tuesday's Shootaround: Two upsets and a buzzer-beater

Davidson 80, No. 11 Kansas 74: See here.

LSU 67, No. 10 Marquette 59: See here.

Southern Miss 64, Arizona State 61: The Golden Eagles did everything they could to hand this game to Arizona State.

USM dug themselves a 30-21 hole in the first half by missing seemingly every shot they took. After battling back to take the lead, they got Torye Pelham -- who had nine offensive rebounds in the game -- ejected for fighting with Ruslan Pateev. Then after rebounding to build up a double-digit lead with just 1:33 left on the clock, USM decided to miss free throws and turn the ball over, allowing Arizona State to tie the game with 5.0 seconds left. Luckily, Darnell Dodson was there to bail them out:
Continue reading...

Ohio State better hope Jared Sullinger's back injury isn't serious

Jared Sullinger's back failed us all.

This was supposed to be one of the most interesting matchups of the young season, and not solely because of the names on the front of the jerseys. While having two programs with as much prestige as No. 2 Ohio State and No. 14 Kansas share the court for 40 minutes in a storied Phog Allen Fieldhouse is terrific television viewing in and or itself, the fact that it featured two of the most intriguing big man prospects in the country only increased the intrigue.

But Sullinger couldn't get his back loosened up, and as a result, Ohio State had to take the floor without their star center and a first-team all-american.


The Jayhawks took advantage. Thomas Robinson finished with 21 points and seven boards while Kevin Young had his best game in a Kansas uniform, scoring 14 points off the bench, as the Jayhawks rolled to a 78-67 win.

The question is how we judge this win. How do we look at it when the rankings are released on Monday? How do we interpret it come Selection Sunday? How can we, with any realistic accuracy, determine what would have happened in this game had Jared Sullinger played?

Because right now this win has an asterisk, and it goes beyond the fact that Kansas was playing the game at home. Ohio State is a different team without Sullinger in the lineup. Losing a guy that averages 19.1 ppg and 10.3 rpg is a massive blow no matter how you look at it. When Evan Ravenel and Amir Williams are the players that see time as replacements, the impact of that loss gets maginifed.

But there is more to it than that.

Sullinger forces a defense to do so many things differently when he is on the floor. He's such a threat on the block when he catches the ball that defensive game-plans have to be built completely around how to help down on or double the post and rotate to shooters if the ball gets kicked out. Even when Sullinger doesn't touch the ball, his presence in the paint and his ability to seal his defender forces the opponent's defense to loosen up and slough to the paint a little bit more.

With Ohio State's ability to swing the ball around the perimeter, those couple of extra steps makes a world of difference in getting open looks for shooters and creating 1-on-1 isolation opportunities on the perimeter. Given the fact that this season, Thad Matta has guys like Lenzelle Smith and Jordan Sibert as secondary offensive options instead of David Lighty and Jon Diebler, and creating those open looks through ball movement becomes all-the-more important; the Buckeyes simply don't have the same kind of talent and shot creation on the perimeter.

This is still a fairly impressive win for Kansas as Ohio State never really threatened the lead despite the fact that both DeShaun Thomas and William Buford managed to get into a pretty good rhythm for a half. The Jayhawks, frankly, didn't play their best game, either. Robinson's 21 points and seven boards were quiet, meaning he did a lot of his damage late in the game -- with about 10 minutes left, he had just 11 points and two boards. Even without Sullinger on the court, Robinson did not dominate the Buckeye front line.

Tyshawn Taylor wasn't particularly great either. He did dish out 13 assists, which is a very impressive total for anyone, but he turned the ball over seven times in the process and shot just 3-9 from the floor.

Sullinger's injury -- which, hopefully, is not something that will plague him all season long; they said on the broadcasy that his back is so inflamed that it is difficult for him to bend down and touch his toes -- took away from a matchup that a lot of people were looking forward to.

But it also made it very difficult to get any kind of read on what this performance means for both teams.


What We Learned

Kansas:

- The Jayhakws are not going to be at their best until they can learn to protect the ball better. They had 18 assists but also 18 turnovers against Ohio State. Tyshawn Taylor is the biggest culprit. He has 32 turnovers in his last five games and has an assist-to-turnover ratio that was below one heading into today. You cannot have your primary ball-handler be that careless.

- Kevin Young is going to be an important piece for the Jayhawks if he can develop into an inside-outside threat. Young had 14 points, grabbed a couple of offensive boards and knocked down a pair of threes. If Young can provide Self with a steady face-up option to play alongside Robinson, it gives Kansas that much more versatility.

- It was nice to see Elijah Johnson bust out of his shooting slump with a 5-7 day from beyond the arc.

Ohio State:

- The Buckeyes better hope that Sullinger's injury isn't very serious. Without him in the lineup, they are a very different team.

- The biggest issue offensively for Ohio State is that they just don't have the kind of weapons on their perimeter that are going to consistently be able to create points and shots. William Buford is not exactly a go-to scorer; he's more of a complimentary player. DeShaun Thomas can get buckets, but I am concerned that telling him he has free reign to shoot whenever he pleases can be like opening up Pandora's Box. Aaron Craft is more of a steadying influence and a facilitator at the point than he is a dynamic creator. Sullinger's presence nullifies that.

- I think that the offensive end is where Ohio State will be hurt the most without Sullinger, but defensively they should still be fine. Sullinger takes up a lot of space, but he's not a shot-blocker and he's not a guy that is going to go out of his area to grab rebounds. Ravenel and Williams aren't quite as strong and don't hold position as well, but they really aren't that big of a drop-off.
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POSTERIZED: Thomas Robinson shows his stength

The championship game of the Maui Invitational was a highly-entertaining scrap. Duke and Kansas put on one of the best performances of the early season. The game featured everything, hard fouls, fast break finishes, well-run plays, clutch shots, and even a huge #POSTERIZED dunk.

Kansas' Thomas Robinson is arguably one of the Jayhawks' most important players this season, and while he hasn't emerged as a star just yet, he's on his way.

Throwing down a dunk like is certainly going to help his cause.



(H/T KUbensa)

But was it as good as these?

Stan Okoye, VMI vs. Ohio State, 11/23
Kyisean Reed, Utah State vs. Southern Utah, 11/19
Ra'Shad James, Iona vs. Western Michigan, 11/18
Alandise Harris, Houston vs. Arkansas, 11/18
Sam Thompson, Ohio State vs. Jackson State, 11/18
Tony Mitchell, Alabama vs. Wichita State, 11/18
Eric Griffin, Campbell vs. North Carolina A&T, 11/18 (DotY Candidate)
Olek Czyz, Nevada vs. Pacific, 11/17
Chris Watson, Pikeville vs. Mountain State, 11/16
Mike James, Lamar vs. Ohio, 11/15 (DotY Candidate)
Quincy Acy, Baylor vs. San Diego State, 11/15
Deniz Kilicli, West Virginia vs. Kent State, 11/15
Chris Evans, Kent State vs. West Virginia, 11/15
Tony Mitchell, Alabama vs. Oakland, 11/14
Isaiah Brown, East Tennessee State vs. Virginia Tech, 11/12
Michael Lyons, Air Force vs. Army, 11/11
Dezmine Wells, Xavier vs. Morgan State, 11/11
Jeremy Lamb, UConn vs. Columbia, 11/11 (DotY Candidate)
Andre Drummond, UConn vs. CW Post, 11/4
Moe Harkless, St. John's vs. CW Post, 10/26









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Kansas and Kentucky both can learn from last night

NEW YORK - Kansas is the favorite to win the Big 12 this season.

The Jayhawks have earned that right by winning seven straight Big 12 regular season titles and eight of the last nine. Baylor and Texas A&M both have good teams this season, but Big 12 supremacy won't be given away. It has to be earned. Texas A&M is dealing with their head coach's health issues and their star forward's knee injury. Baylor has is still trying to figure out who will run the point and how to win with Scott Drew coaching. While the Big 12 may be the most balanced conference in the country, there is no one in the league that can be considered a tier above the pack.

That's why the nod has to go to Kansas as the favorite.

And if any team is ever going to end the Jayhawk's reign atop the Big 12, this is the year to do it.

Kansas lost 75-65 to Kentucky at Madison Square Garden in the nightcap of the Champion's Classic on Tuesday. And while the final deficit was only ten points, in the second half it was quite clear -- Kansas was undeniably out-talented by Kentucky. By a wide margin. In the second half, when the Wildcats found their rhythm, Kansas got steamrolled.


It was further evidence that Kentucky may just be the best team in the country.

But the news wasn't all bad for Kansas.

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I don't think there is any question who the most talented team in the country is.

Its Kentucky. When they put it all together, this team is an absolute joy to watch and nightmare to play against. They have size up and down their lineup. They are loaded with athletes. They run the floor. They have shooters that spread the floor and finishers around the rim. They have a point guard that is able to get those guys the ball. Maybe the best measure of just how good this team is is Kyle Wiltjer. He's a top 20 freshman and he can't sniff the court this season.

There's was a stretch of last night's game where I closed my computer, I put my phone down and I just watched Kentucky play. I sat back and I admired what this team is capable of. They are that good.

The problem?

That Kentucky team only showed up for second half of last night's game. In the first half, Kentucky looked like a completely different team. They turned the ball over 12 times, six of them coming from their freshman point guard Marquis Teague, and shot just 38.5% from the floor. The problem was offensive execution -- far too often, the dribble-drive motion offense that John Calipari preaches broke down into his players trying to go one-on-one.

"We broke off every play," Calipari said. "I told them after the game that what I'm going to have to start doing is that is you break off a play, you're coming out. You think its ok that you're supposed to go right and you go left because you feel like it, you're coming out."

"Everybody walked into that game today and they were going to do their own thing, and they did it."


Its no secret that the key to winning at the collegiate level is recruiting, the ability to identify talented players and bring them into the program. But talent alone doesn't win games. That's why Butler was able to make it to the last two national title games. Its why Memphis finished fourth in Conference USA last season. Its why the 2010-11 Kentucky team was able to make the Final Four and not the much-more talented 2009-2010 Kentucky team.

"Everybody thinks talent wins," Calipari said. "No. Talented players that play together win."

"The message I gave them yesterday was 'we don't compete with each other'. We compete with the other team. We push each other and we challenge each other, but we complete each other. We all do what we do and we play off one another and we complete the team. We don't compete with each other."

That's not the only issue that this Kentucky team has. This is a young group. Of the eight players that played last night, four were freshmen and two were sophomores. The two seniors on the roster? They both came off the bench. Its not difficult to foresee composure being a problem from this group.

Two incidents stuck out last night. In the first half, Teague just absolutely melted down. Six turnovers is way too high for a point guard, and Teague had that number in the first half. He was over-penetrating, he was throwing bad passes and he was getting himself caught in the air without anywhere to go with the ball. With every mistake, Teague tried harder to make up for it. Coach Cal even moved Teague to the off-guard spot, allowing Doron Lamb to handle the ball, but that didn't make much of a difference. Teague's disastrous first half was a major reason Kentucky found themselves down. The Wildcats were lucky that performance came against Kansas and not North Carolina; they could have dug a hole too deep to get out of.

Teague isn't the first Calipari point guard to deal with these issues, however. Brandon Knight had the same problem at the start of last season. John Wall did as well, although he was able to mask his turnover problem by hitting game-winner after game-winner.

Then midway through the second half, Terrence Jones was knocked to the ground by Thomas Robinson, who regained his balance by straddling Jones. Instead of stepping to the side, Robinson walked over Jones, similar to the way Scottie Pippen walked over Patrick Ewing in the 1992 NBA Playoffs. Jones' reaction was to get up and try and get into Robinson's face. He wasn't alone, as the rest of his team rushed over and started some pushing and shoving.

While somewhat justified -- I probably would have done the same thing if I were him -- the incident shined a light on another potential issue for the Wildcats: composure. What's going to happen if Jones catches an inadvertent elbow from John Henson? What happens if Kidd-Gilchrist, who was the most vocal when the two teams came together last night, gets knocked into the scorer's table by Chane Behanan? How will the Wildcats react? Will it take them out of their game? Will a punch get thrown?

When Terrence Jones -- a kid who sulked his way out of the lottery at the end of last year, preens after every made shot and walked away from a car accident to avoid the punishment -- is the leader for a young team, having concerns about composure and handling adversity is certainly warranted.

"They think they're in Orlando," Calipari said, referring to where the AAU national tournament is held, "and they've got another game tomorrow morning and one that afternoon."

"Now they're talking to the other team, you can't do that here. You want to talk, but you want to talk to your team. They're young. They don't know better."

There is one common thread in all of the criticisms about Kentucky: youth. This team is young. They are freshmen and sophomores. They will learn. They'll understand that at this level of basketball, the game isn't all 1-on-1. They'll learn how to fit into an offense and how to play a role on defense. They'll learn what is a good shot and what is a bad shot. They'll learn how to walk away from a confrontation.

And with the amount of talent that this group has on their roster, if they learn it by the end of this year, watch out.

"I don't want to say that [this is my most talented team] because I've had some pretty good teams," Cal said, "but this team has a chance to be special."

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"I think we played better than them in the first half."

That's the first thing that Tyshawn Taylor said to the group of reporters that managed to track him down outside of the Kansas locker room 45 minutes after the game had ended.

And you know what? He was right.

A lot of Kentucky's struggles were self-inflicted. Marquis Teague was playing out of control, Kentucky was breaking off their sets too early, Terrence Jones and Anthony Davis were taking some ill-advised shots. But some of the credit deserves to fall on the shoulders of the Jayhawks. They were the ones that made the steals when Teague threw a bad pass. They were the ones that played solid -- and well-prepared -- defense, helping to frustrate Kentucky's players into playing 1-on-1 basketball. And most importantly, they were the ones that capitalized on the Wildcat mistakes, jumping out to a 10-3 lead early and extending that lead to 21-14 at the under twelve timeout.

Kentucky made a push to get the game tied at the half, but Kansas could go into the locker room feeling pretty good about the 20 minutes that they had just played. The Jayhawks had held Kentucky to 38.5% shooting from the floor and forced 12 turnovers.

The second half was a different story.

"We had a lot of turnovers," Taylor said, "it was our mistakes, and they made us pay for it. One of the main things we wanted to focus on was taking care of the ball. There's different reasons that we didn't, but that's what cost us."


And while the loss hurt -- Taylor said after the game that he felt like his team had lost the championship -- its important that Kansas doesn't ignore the positives from this game. They hung with the most talented team in the country for 20 minutes and didn't quit after they dug themselves a 17-point second half hole. There are positives to take out of this game.

I know its weird to read, and even weirder to write, about moral victories when you're talking about Kansas, one of the top five programs in the history of the game, but its just one of those years for Kansas. The Jayhawks were crushed by early-entry after last season, with Josh Selby following the Morris Twins out the door and into the lockout. Kansas also lost starters Brady Morningstar and Tyrel Reed, valuable role players that could shoot and defend. Combine that with the swing-and-misses that Self has had on the recruiting trail over the last year or two and the fact that three of the Jayhawk recruits -- including Ben McLemore, the star of Self's 2011 class -- were ruled ineligible by the NCAA.

What does it all mean?

The Jayhawks have no bench. Their front court depth starts Kevin Young, a transfer from Loyola Marymount, who is actually playing behind Justin Wesley, a walk-on transfer from Lamar, where he averaged 1.2 ppg and 1.3 rpg. Connor Teahan, a former walk-on that finally earned a scholarship last year, played 23 minutes last night.

The guys that do play are all feeling their way through new and expanded roles. Taylor and Thomas Robinson are now the focal points of this offensive attack and expected to be in the running for all-league teams. Elijah Johnson, Jeff Withey and Trevor Releford are all seeing their first significant minutes since they entered the program. All three are former top 50 recruits.

"This was definitely a learning experience for a young team like us," Taylor said. "We got a lot of young guys, guys that just haven't been in this position before, pressure situations like this. I think we can definitely watch tape and learn from this."

"It sucks to lose like this, but its a learning experience. We just gotta build."

Kansas still has plenty of chances to learn before they start Big 12 play. They kick off the Maui Invitational next week against Georgetown. The host Long Beach State, Ohio State and Davidson in September before heading out to LA to take on USC. There will be plenty of opportunities for this team to learn and plenty of room for them to grow.

"We're only two games in. We just got to keep working hard and I think we're going to be where we want to be pretty soon."
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2011-2012 Season Preview: What's the opposite of a "sleeper"?

Last week, we gave you a list of teams that we believed are primed to have a season that will be better than we expect. But for every team that exceeds expectations, there is a team that fails to live up to the hype. Every season there is at least one team in each conference that underwhelms, disappoints, implodes or regresses. We are here to take a look at the teams we think will do just that this season.

But first, please note that we aren't hating on any of the teams here. We are simply trying to project a teams lack of success based on conference strength, lack of experience, lack of roster depth and so on. We are just trying to do our jobs. After all, not every team can go undefeated, and we aren't here to hand out "participation trophies" to all 346 teams.

Atlantic Coast Conference: Florida State
Preseason Ranking: 3rd Place
Where we ranked them: 3rd Place
Why we think they won't do as well as expected:
The only thing working for this team is that the ACC is very thin outside of Tobacco Road. True, they do have Michael Snaer, and talented wing who has flown under the radar for a long time. But who else will step up? Who do they have to replace Chris Singleton? Okaro White should see an increase in production, but who do they have after that? Their back court is weak and their front court is thin. There really isn't anything about this team that makes me think they will be better than nine other teams.


Atlantic-10: Richmond
Preseason Ranking: 5th Place
Where we ranked them: 8th Place
Why we think they won't do as well as expected:
After Xavier and Temple, the rest of the A-10 is a jumbled mess. So it is hard to picked a team that will underwhelm this year. But based on all the losses to the Chris Mooney's program, it is hard to see this team being too successful. Outside of Darien Brothers and Darius Garrett, this team doesn't have a terrible amount of talent. With teams like Saint Louis, St. Bonaventure's and George Washington set to breakout this season, Richmond looks like a team that will regress.


Big East: West Virginia
Preseason Ranking: 7th Place
Where we ranked them: 10th Place
Why we think they won't do as well as expected:
This one is pretty easy. 1) They play is a 16-team mega-super-conference. 2) They return only three players from last years squad. 3) Eight freshman will suit up this season. 4) They lost their first exhibition game of the season, to Northern Kentucky (DII). West Virginia is going to be good eventually, just not right now. But the thing is, they could be even worse than expected.


Big-Ten: Purdue
Preseason Ranking: The Big-Ten does not release a preseason poll
Where we ranked them: 6th Place
Why we think they won't do as well as expected:
What exactly do we know about Purdue? Sure, they have Robbie Hummel, but it's been a long time since he's played competitive basketball. Outside of Hummel, Purdue is full of question-marks. Who is going to be their front-court presence? Will Lewis Jackson finally start to produce? What about their depth? Luckily for the Boilermakers, the bottom of the Big-Ten is pretty dreadful, so a 6th-8th place finish is probably a reasonable expectation;.


Big-XII: Kansas
Preseason Ranking: 1st Place (Tie)
Where we ranked them: 2nd Place
Why we think they won't do as well as expected:
If Kansas finishes anywhere in the top three in the conference, Bill Self should win Big-XII Coach of the Year honors. This team has almost no depth whatsoever, and the guys who were supposed to be leaders, Elijah Johnson and Tyshawn Taylor, got suspended by coach Self two weeks ago for violating team rules. If teams can properly game plan to shutdown Thomas Robinson, it will be very difficult for the Jayhawks to win a lot of games.


Colonial Athletic Association: James Madison
Preseason Ranking: 5th Place
Where we ranked them: 4th Place
Why we think they won't do as well as expected:
It's not like JMU is expected to do great things this season, but due to Denzel Bowles' graduation and Devon Moore's eligibility issue, the Dukes could be in for a long season. They do have Rayshawn Goins and Julius Wells up front, but the CAA should feature a handful of teams with talented front courts. The lack of a solid back court is going to hurt the Dukes.


Conference-USA: Central Florida
Preseason Ranking: C-USA does not conduct a preseason poll
Where we ranked them: 4th Place
Why we think they won't do as well as expected:
This team should be good, I think. At least I want to think that they will be. But then I remember about last season's epic collapse, and the fact that they're, well, Central Florida. This team is like a drug addiction. The highs are great, and the lows are absolutely miserable. That's how the 2011-2012 season will play out. Plus, @DanWolken won't stop chirping about UCF, and he's rarely wrong. I think.


Horizon League: Detroit
Preseason Ranking: 2nd Place
Where we ranked them: 2nd Place
Why we think they won't do as well as expected:
When Eli Holman left the program two months ago, it was a huge blow to the Detroit program. He was the guy that would put them over the edge this year. Ray McCallum may be the team's star, but Holman was their top front court producer, averaging nearly a double-double per game. In a mid-major conference like the Horizon League, having an elite big-man can put a team over the edge. The Titans won't be terrible this season, they'll be somewhere around the top four or five. But without Holman up front, they will struggle to assert themselves as legitimate contenders for the Horizon League crown


Missouri Valley Conference: Creighton
Preseason Ranking: 1st Place
Where we ranked them: 1st Place
Why we think they won't do as well as expected:
OK, OK, just hear me out. I don't doubt that this team is the best in the MVC, but, like, who is going to play defense this year? Last season they ranked 187th in the conutry in defensive efficiency. Sure, they have more talent than any other team in the conference, but with the expectations that are being placed on them this season, anything less than a perfect conference record would have to be considered a disappointment.


Mountain West Conference: UNLV
Preseason Ranking: 2nd
Where we ranked them: 2nd
Why we think they won't do as well as expected:
The Mountain West is going to stink this season, and since UNLV will be good, but not nearly as good as New Mexico, I have to list the Runnin' Rebels here. Teams like SDSU and Colorado State aren't expected to do anything special, so it's impossible for them to fail. UNLV doesn't have anything to gain, other than winning a really sub-par conference.


Pac-12: Arizona
Preseason Ranking: 3rd Place
Where we ranked them: 1st Place
Why we think they won't do as well as expected:
Unless you're John Calipari, it's rather difficult to ask freshman to carry the bulk of the workload for a top-level BCS-conference program, and that's exactly what Sean Miller is going to have to do this season. With Derrick Williams gone to the NBA Lockout, MoMo Jones gone to Iona, and Kevin Parrom still recovering from bullet wounds, the Wildcats are going to need a lot of production from their standout freshman class. But the Pac-12 will be much better than in recent seasons, and it just seems like a tall order for this squad. Plus, they lost an exhibition game to Seattle-Pacific. That doesn't exactly help their cause.


Southeastern Conference: Vanderbilt
Preseason Ranking: 2nd Place
Where we ranked them: 2nd Place
Why we think they won't do as well as expected:
The Commodores lack that killer instinct that great teams need to possess. Last season, they were 1-5 in games decided by three points or less and and seven losses were by four points or less or in overtime. Factor in the back-to-back first round exits in the NCAA Tournament, and the injury to Festus Ezeli, and you have a team primed to disappoint. This team has serious talent, and have a bunch of experienced players. But the problem is that none of these experienced players have any experience winning close games. You kinda have to be able to do that if you want to keep playing games late into March.


Western Athletic Conference: Utah State
Preseason Ranking: 3rd Place
Where we ranked them: 3rd Place
Why we think they won't do as well as expected:
The Aggies have had a stranglehold on the WAC for the last couple of seasons, but their grip could start to loosen this season. While they do return Brockeith Payne, one of the conference's top players, Utah State lost a lot of veteran leadership and front court production. Gone is Taj Wesley, their All-Conference center, Brian Green, their crafty distributor and key contributors like Nate Bendall, Tyler Newbold and Pooh Williams. Even with guys like Payne and forward Brady Jardine, this team has to find out what they have rather quickly.


West Coast Conference: BYU
Preseason Ranking: 3rd Place
Where we ranked them: 3rd Place
Why we think they won't do as well as expected:
They don't have Jimmer Fredette anymore, do they? Jimmer put this team over the top. Sure, they have a solid crop of experienced players in Brandon Davies, Noah Hartsock, Chris Collinsworth and Charles Abouo, but without Jimmer, this team simply wont be the same. This season could turn out to be a huge wake-up call for the Cougars.


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