Who?
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In your opinion… who will step up?
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Everyone has to. No one can take a day off or not give their full effort.
As I said before, today will tell a lot about this team’s mindset for the post season.
Its not how you start, but how you finish that will be remembered.
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Townsend, Roberts and Howard
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First of all, everyone needs to realize that in Self’s mind KU doesn’t need to radically adapt at all, because OSU only beat them decisively because of TOs and some laxness on baseline scoring. Self can easily say, scheme and practice protection, plus play harder on the baseline and we will win, because OSU won’t have another Herculean effort in them.
But…
With Embiid probably 50/50 to make it back at all, and reminded today of Self’s quote on adapting what we do have to work, and his penchant for liking to play it anyway they want, I expect Self to go on the attack defensively in order to counteract OSU’s like high pressure disruption defense, and up tempo game. By this I mean he is going to covert to a more disruptive defensive scheme to compensate for KU’s structural vulnerability to OSU’s superior defensive ability on the perimeter.
Further, I believe, contrary to conventional wisdom, that our guys can play high pressure, disruption defense, they just haven’t been asked to do it much, because the plan was to stick with Embiid rim protection defense and a lot of three point pressure outside, with lots of penetration stopped by Embiid. This was pressure inside and pressure outside, but no disruption (and so few TOs). It was all focused on lowering shooting percentages in the three point locations inside (bucket and a FT) and outside with treys. It worked great with Joel, but not with Tar, or Landon.
The alternative defense is disruption defense. This is where you attack passing lanes, you disrupt ball circulation, more than shooting. Everywhere the ball goes hands are grabbing at it. Every scrape off the ball is poked at.
Self cannot let OSU turn this into a battle of TOs in which KU defends conservatively and OSU makes single digit TOs, while OSU attacks defensively and KU makes double digit TOs.
On the other hand, KU’s biggest edge is Wiggins at a wing, and the depth of big men inside unless Tar does the foul-up thing early.
Alas KU’s biggest MUD (matchup disadvantage) is the perimeter. They can shut down all but Wiggins and they can contain Wiggins. We can’t guard their guys. One of their perimeter backups is way better than all of our perimeter backups.
Conclusion: Self cannot simply turn this into another half court, big man game, even though KU holds the big man edge, because even if Self were to find a way to force an inside game, that will default into a half court perimeter matchup KU would lose.
If you don’t want to exploit your big man advantage near the basket on defense and offense by forcing half court sets, how do you optimize out them? You create transition and exploit their length and athleticism in secondary breaks; this also dove tails with Wiggins edge in transition.
Transition basketball denies OSU its 3/4 court pinching, disrupting defense.
Transition basketball requires disruption defense, because while you may be able to guard the ball well inside, you do not want to have to start all of your possessions either on made baskets or close in rebounds, where OSU has time to get back and pinch.
KU has to start attacking defense farther out now.
KU needs to create long shots and long rebounds and TOs farther out so that KU is in transition and OSU is on its heals. Once OSU is on its heals, then both Wiggins and KU’s big men hold maximum edge.
This kind of game also minimizes the time and possessions KU’s outmatched guards have to be exploited in a half court set on either end.
The other way to play OSU is to run the stuff every trip in half court sets and protect like hell, but this leaves your guards exposed to disruption defense, which they don’t handle very well.
Attack and disrupt on defense. Know you are going to give up some easy baskets on missed gambles. Transition.
Self rarely plays it this way, but I think he has to try this game.
Who will step up?
Selden would if he still had pop, but I don’t think he does.
Wiggins has to get 20.
But Perry and Tar and Jam Tray have to play like gangbusters defensively and on the secondary break to get us the edge we need. No more massive passives.
Naa has got to sew his balls back on and play like the little guy that can.
Its gotta be Naa. I don’t how he can do it, but Self does.
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I think the 2 pt guards are the key. IF Selden can keep smart from driving the ball every time and keep him off the ft line, along w/Tharpe not turning the ball over, we win. Love to see Smart frustrated by Seldens D!
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Self cannot let this become a showdown between Smart and Naa, or we lose. Period.
Naa has to play his game, meaning making 3-4 treys efficiently and he has to pot some pull ups in transition.
Naa’s role is to make sure KU plays well when in transition and does what he can to get KU in transition.
Naa and Smart straight up on either end are a recipe for an L.
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@jaybate 1.0 I didn’t say a showdown between the 2?
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@drgnslayr Queue Smart flopping…and…ACTION in the second half. The thugs will show their true colors in the second half. They are tired, frusterated, and just don’t like KU at all. Smart will definitely show his nasty side. Brown is pouting, and Nash is getting mouthy. I will expect some techs against OSU before this game is over. Smart’s smart mouth has caught up with him. Now he and the Cowboys will have to live up to his mouth.
They are all stepping up to the game. Ellis is absent and should come alive in the second half. If Ellis wakes up, it’s over for the Pokes. CALLING PERRY ELLIS TO THE GAME, PERRY ELLIS…PLEASE COME TO THE GAME.
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There’s still 12:17 left to go, but from what I see - NO ONE is stepping up.
Maybe they should call some of their sorority sisters for support. Is the team completely out of Vagisil? There’s got to be some explanation for this estrogen induced performance.
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Maybe I should have asked who would step down?
Marcus… you’re up! (I mean… down!)
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@jaybate 1.0 “Self cannot let OSU turn this into a battle of TOs in which KU defends conservatively and OSU makes single digit TOs, while OSU attacks defensively and KU makes double digit TOs.”
Talk about foreshadowing! That’s exactly what happened in this game but somehow our fellas found the balls to fight through their mistakes.
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Great take away.
Self never quits being who he is for better or worse, and 84% of the time its for better.
He just said let’s play better. Let’s be better at being who we are. Let’s guard the baseline better and with more timely doubles. I really didn’t think it would work. I really didn’t think it would work even down the stretch of the game. I just don’t understand how you can kill yourself with TOs and win these close games.
But Self’s answer is you can win any game when you hold them to 37% FG by denying the high percentage shots inside and the high percentage treys outside. If they can’t get good trey looks close to the trey stripe, they can be beaten. It was amazing how few of OSU’s trey attempts seemed to come from within a foot of the trey stripe. Look at that 3pt % for OSU: 29% and Forte and Brown are absolute trey shooting guns with good range.
Oh, and one more thing: KU was +18 on the glass!!!
I thought there were two ways for Self to play this: either play it as they have been, only better; or go on the attack on defense. I didn’t think they could keep playing the same without Embiid. I still doubt it against a team with a lot of length and muscle, like say, SDSU, but they did it against OSU. They did it. Self squeezed out the W. And they really only needed that 1 W from this tourney. But now in the best Self style, they are in position to steal another W from ISU!
He is the most amazing coach, and he finally has, a after being a most patient and trusting believer in Andrew, the remarkable player so many hoped for.
And he’s got Tar playing.
And so on.
Just get out of this tournament without further injuries!
Please.
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@HawkInMizery defense was pretty darn good, especially the first half. If we don’t have unforced TO’s, it’s a much easier game!
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Wiggins stepped up alright barely missing from the field.
Ellis sat down today, at least he rebounded.
Black stepped up today, played a lot and didn’t foul out and played good D.
Tharpe stepped up making his FTs in OT
SeldOn stepped up playin solid D and scoring
Lucas stepped up and sat right back down.
Smart flopped, Forte flopped.
The refs stepped up late and OKst didn’t get calls cause of their flopping reputation.
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Don’t forget Jamari, 6 points, 9 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 blocks, 2 turnovers and only 1 foul in 27 minutes. To me he was the most pleasant surprise. I love Lucas potential but he is just not ready for prime time; I keep thinking that in a pinch, Wesley might be a better option, he does have considerably more experience.
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@JayHawkFanToo yeah Jamari is solid man. He is becoming one of my favorite Jayhawks.
He doesn’t force shots. He does what’s asked of him. He can play solid D and his shot is becoming very smooth.
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Also, the energy he brings is contagious.
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@JayHawkFanToo yes it is. And he’s a jumper too. He can get up!!
He had a nice block today that was impressive.
He’s gonna be one of the special ones when he’s done at KU. Especially knowing his story and how relatively new he is to organized ball.
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@JRyman when I see him go to the hole or take a shot, I’m pleasantly surprised ! Last year he never even looked at the basket. So happy for him. He’s a fun guy, for sure! I think we all want him to succeed !
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He is this year’s version of Kevin Young; he plays with so much energy and he seems so nice, that is just impossible not to like him and root for him.
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@JayHawkFanToo a few more tools too!
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Kevin was a very opportunistic rebounder and has him beat with the 'fro,
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@JayHawkFanToo for sure! Miss him.
