Tonight's Game vs Texas
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@Kcmatt7 how do u play BB without a hustle gene?
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@BeddieKU23 said in Tonight's Game vs Texas:
Benefit of playing tough teams. We should have dropped more but if we win tonight by chance just adds to the enigma that is KU
oh ya not really disagreeing although I was actually think 2-3 but it was on the road I reckon. I can hear the K/State fans now - -they played a higher ranked team lost and dropped five spots - -I can just hear their paranoia
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Yeah the injury. Been a weird one given Self keeps saying he isn’t able to play right before games or even at halftime of games.
That play doesn’t paint a picture he’s giving his all out there when given the chance, injured or not.
I was really hoping this situation would work out.
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@Crimsonorblue22 said in Tonight's Game vs Texas:
@BeddieKU23 gradey not exactly hustling either. Didn’t he mention his leg could be broke?
Gradey is hurt?
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@BeddieKU23 no Zach
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KU -4.5 in Vegas.
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From his presser I got the sense they didn’t know how severe it was or a timeline. Vernon is reporting today it’s a hyperextended knee, but timeline would depend on if there was a fracture or something. I wouldn’t put Vernon in the trustworthy category, but he certainly has his sources for getting information it seems. Guess we’ll wait to hear what Self says today/after the game when asked if he reports an update.
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Gone up +1 today… Essential a pickup given Vegas knows our immense home court advantage.
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@BeddieKU23 said in Tonight's Game vs Texas:
Yeah the injury. Been a weird one given Self keeps saying he isn’t able to play right before games or even at halftime of games.
That play doesn’t paint a picture he’s giving his all out there when given the chance, injured or not.
I was really hoping this situation would work out.
Sorry to sidetrack this Texas post with more on MJ…but we got time before the game, right?
He sure was hyped and had a great scouting report from 247:
“His effort however goes beyond scoring. He has a nose for the ball on the glass and after snatching boards he has the ball skills to lead the break to make something happen. Throughout this past year, Rice has been one of the more consistently productive prospects in the national 2022 class. He has the body and skill set to make an immediate impact in the college game if that is the route he decides to move forward with.”
And from MJ: I don’t like banging in the post because I’m a shooting guard. I would say where I mostly feel comfortable is at the 1-through-3, but if I’ve got a smaller guy on me I won’t even hesitate to take him in the paint and just kill him. I won’t hesitate. On defense I can definitely guard every position, that’s my strongest point on defense, my versatility.
Something’s not adding up.
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@rockchalkjayhawk guess which is right? Video don’t lie. He has the perfect body that’s for sure, his decision.
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@Jethro I genuinely like the matchup for us. I think them not having a great scorer in the post helps us a lot.
But I’d be lying if I told you I wasn’t worried about getting a lead early. We will need to score points tonight to keep up. Because Texas well. We don’t even get the advantage of UT having to travel because they got to play KSU Saturday. Should be as rested of a UT team as they could be for a Big Monday road game…
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@rockchalkjayhawk I think playing D1 basketball is a huge adjustment for most of these guys. It clearly looks like he is playing in slow motion out there. Either he is injured, his motor isn’t what scouts thought, or he is having trouble adjusting to the speed of the game. Or perhaps a mixture of all of the 3.
I REALLY hope he is back next season. But every game that goes by that hope dims just a bit.
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We drop out of the conference race with a loss tonight, this league is just so dam tough this year. If the conference title goes out of reach, I wonder if Bill adjusts things? It seems every year he’s always so singlemindedly focused on that (sometimes to the detriment of our Big Dance performance according to some board rats). Would we maybe play a little looser without the pressure? A little more bench minutes? A little more eye on player minutes? A little more cautious about injuries before March? Prolly not, but it would be a rather rare situation for us to be.
But hopefully a moot point and we kick some ass tonight.
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Prediction: Brock Cunningham will piss me off. His goon ways rub me the wrong way.
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Keys to tonight’s game:
Definsively:
- Force Hunter to make threes. Sag off of him big time.
- Guard Timmy Allen. He ate our lunch last year in Austin. We held him to 9 when we won at home.
- Double Disu in the post. I don’t think KJ can guard him by himself.
Offensively:
- Take care of the damn ball. We want fewer than 12 turnovers.
- Shoot the ball if you are open, and play through some contact. We get scared to finish at the rim for some reason. (Looking at you Kev, Juan and Bobby).
It would be nice to see Gradey and Kev find that stroke again, but clearly we cant count on that. So ultimately I just want us to focus on what we can control. Play aggressively on offense, and either get layups or draw fouls.
I definitely trust Bill to get this group back on track this next month. We saw how good they could be at times. Just have to get that swagger back.
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@Kcmatt7 said in Tonight's Game vs Texas:
@rockchalkjayhawk I think playing D1 basketball is a huge adjustment for most of these guys. It clearly looks like he is playing in slow motion out there. Either he is injured, his motor isn’t what scouts thought, or he is having trouble adjusting to the speed of the game. Or perhaps a mixture of all of the 3.
I REALLY hope he is back next season. But every game that goes by that hope dims just a bit.
I’m with ya. i had/have high hopes for MJ.
The motor seems like a big issue to me, or lack of. he’s like a couple steps behind everything at the moment. weird.
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I see him as a five star when he plays free. If he wants to play he needs to make shots, get in front of guys and board. Keep chucking up shots and getting back on D. Give 100 percent until he gets yanked.
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I am not feeling very positive about MJ. - -there was some talk before he even got here that he was kind of a head case. I think there is something else going on here - - -something smells. - looks like for one he kind of plays really loose defense if he plays at ll. – Seen him make alot of early exits off the floor. - We all know if you don’t play D or at least give effort—your not gonna be on the floor long. - -I present Exhibit A - -HELLO MJ- your exhibit A. - -I think he already knows he is transferring out at the end of the year, so he doesn’t give a rats ass whether he plays or not. -Not sure but has he even played enough to where he could still have 4 yrs playing some where else ? - I just think MJ is falling into one of our failures of a player more hype then reality, could be wrong but sure haven’t seen much to be encouraged
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MJ isn’t used to being coached hard. He kinda floated around high schools and was allowed to be a chucker. Some guys take to Bill’s intensity, some don’t. I have no idea if MJ will be here next year or not, but he needs to A. get healthy and B. figure out what kind of future in basketball he wants. If he wants to be a real pro instead of some dude we hear about getting buckets in Iraq, it’s in his best interest to stay and develop.
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@FarmerJayhawk Do we hear about dudes getting buckets in Iraq? Keith Langford is the only dude I ever heard about really doing well over seas.
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Wilson has to get some help. We need Gradey to get his stroke back and knock down open shots. Also, need Juan and Kevin to do something. I am assuming Kevin will guard Allen and that will be a hue match up. With the short bench not getting into foul trouble is going to play a huge role as well.
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@benshawks08 said in Tonight's Game vs Texas:
@FarmerJayhawk Do we hear about dudes getting buckets in Iraq? Keith Langford is the only dude I ever heard about really doing well over seas.
Overseas stats are kind of hard to find, but a lot of former Jayhawks have fared well overseas. Perry is playing over there now. Pretty sure Selden is making 3M a year playing over there, Jamari played for years as well.
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@benshawks08 Marshall Henderson off the top of my head
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@Woodrow Landen had a nice stint in Japan, which is cool for him since he’s fluent. He might have been born there? Malik Newman is playing in Russia now (I think).
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There was a moment the other day in the first half where MJ had a chance to D up a guy ready to shoot and he made no effort. Can’t time stamp it for you but I seen it with my own eyes and it was shockingly bad no effort defense. It looked like NBA All Star game defense. I’m pretty sure Bill walked onto the court and grabbed him by the ear and dragged him off the court.
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Even if it didn’t happen for real Bill’s inner self was yanking him off the court asap
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The end of the season will be rather boring in B12 country without a KU victory.It’s an odd feeling from the stand point that the rest of the conference will be pulling for us. A Texas win and they have conference championship pretty much locked up. A win for us gives about 5 teams hope for the crown.
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Sounds like Bobby is not going to play tonight so we are down to 7 players. Not great.
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@Woodrow said in Tonight's Game vs Texas:
Sounds like Bobby is not going to play tonight so we are down to 7 players. Not great.
oh man. desperately need Joe to contribute tonight. Juan needs a break!
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@Woodrow I hate to put down a young man but Bobby’s defense makes me stand up and walk away from the TV at times. Some of his passing does the same. They have started having Others bring up the ball to help Juan with wearing. Which I personally don’t get these guy should be in the best shape of their lives and want to go to the NBA and try to play 80 games a year. I remember going to school, playing sports and working at that age in my life most mornings getting up and running 3 miles before the day even started. Not sure if we are missing Hudy or what but it’s barely February we need up our conditioning if we are already too tired to play.
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@kjayhawks said in Tonight's Game vs Texas:
@Woodrow I hate to put down a young man but Bobby’s defense makes me stand up and walk away from the TV at times. Some of his passing does the same. They have started having Others bring up the ball to help Juan with wearing. Which I personally don’t get these guy should be in the best shape of their lives and want to go to the NBA and try to play 80 games a year. I remember going to school, playing sports and working at that age in my life most mornings getting up and running 3 miles before the day even started. Not sure if we are missing Hudy or what but it’s barely February we need up our conditioning if we are already too tired to play.
Was that running 3 miles uphill each way? I remember as kid running 3 miles every day, but I would also chop a cord of wood at the same time.
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@kjayhawks Well, since it has been a cold winter they have probably been walking to the campus in 5’ of snow, uphill both ways, wearing burlap bags around their feet. Like the guys my grandfather talked about as being tough “back in his day.”
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@mayjay haha we hardly ever get snow in Kansas anymore unless you are out in the northwest portion of the state. @mayjay
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@wissox said in Tonight's Game vs Texas:
There was a moment the other day in the first half where MJ had a chance to D up a guy ready to shoot and he made no effort. Can’t time stamp it for you but I seen it with my own eyes and it was shockingly bad no effort defense. It looked like NBA All Star game defense. I’m pretty sure Bill walked onto the court and grabbed him by the ear and dragged him off the court.
More than just that one instance. It appears to be a (deadly) combination of cluelessness on defense and total absence of effort. He is completely unplayable. Unspecified injury is just the cover for not throwing him completely under the bus. Frankly, I would rather have Jank in emergency situations. Will actually try on defense and is a real threat to score if you leave him open on the perimeter…
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What a nightmare
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No Fran tonight at least
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@BeddieKU23 or Dougie
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This team is a joke. No killer instinct at all. They said Texas is a second half team. Yup - if you’re playing in the state of Kansas.
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Listened to MJ’s post game, I was impressed. I think he’ll stick around. I’m a half full glass though, u know!
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@rockchalkjayhawk said in Tonight's Game vs Texas:
@BeddieKU23 said in Tonight's Game vs Texas:
Yeah the injury. Been a weird one given Self keeps saying he isn’t able to play right before games or even at halftime of games.
That play doesn’t paint a picture he’s giving his all out there when given the chance, injured or not.
I was really hoping this situation would work out.
Sorry to sidetrack this Texas post with more on MJ…but we got time before the game, right?
He sure was hyped and had a great scouting report from 247:
“His effort however goes beyond scoring. He has a nose for the ball on the glass and after snatching boards he has the ball skills to lead the break to make something happen. Throughout this past year, Rice has been one of the more consistently productive prospects in the national 2022 class. He has the body and skill set to make an immediate impact in the college game if that is the route he decides to move forward with.”
And from MJ: I don’t like banging in the post because I’m a shooting guard. I would say where I mostly feel comfortable is at the 1-through-3, but if I’ve got a smaller guy on me I won’t even hesitate to take him in the paint and just kill him. I won’t hesitate. On defense I can definitely guard every position, that’s my strongest point on defense, my versatility.
Something’s not adding up.
I would like to take credit for MJ’s performance tonight. Obviously he took my motivational reminder that he had the hype seriously! Ha. Nicely done!
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@kjayhawks When I was in KC we always seemed to have freezing rain the most. Fun times!
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@kjayhawks We’ve received a measly 11 inches in Chicago this year. I literally haven’t shoveled once.
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I know this might seem a little bit off but, you know one of the things I liked to see the most the other night against Texas ? - - It wasn’t scoring or anything but ONE thing kind of stood out to me during the game. That was seeing MJ Rice literally yanking /taking the ball aways from a Texas player. - Like there was no way he wasn’t going to not take that ball- -showing he was engaged in the game. 1st time he has shown defensively anyways like he was locked in.
Coach Self mentioned it isn’t all about scoring - it’s about attitude – umm HELLO you think MJ maybe got it through his head. you wanna play then you got to play both ends of the floor show some motivation to play on the defensive end. Thought that ws pretty good loved seeing that maybe some progress.
