Dec 18: AFH is loudest college basketball arena... and more
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##NCAA: Allen Fieldhouse loudest college basketball arena##
Kansas’ Allen Fieldhouse was named the loudest college basketball arena in a video feature on NCAA.com released Tuesday.
The Fieldhouse was followed by Duke’s Cameron Indoor Stadium, Syracuse’s Carrier Dome, Oklahoma State’s Gallagher-Iba Arena and The Pit in New Mexico.
*Footnote: It is also the best *
####Self: KU making progress defensively####
Bill Self believes his team’s most recent victory over New Mexico represented a step in the right direction defensively.
Kansas held UNM to 33-percent shooting in Saturday’s 80-63 victory at Sprint Center in Kansas City, Mo.
####Self says Black’s breakout still to come####
Kansas University basketball coach Bill Self hasn’t given up on Memphis transfer Tarik Black, who has not scored and grabbed just seven rebounds total in limited action the last four games.
“Tarik … today he was the best player in practice,” Self said, praising the 6-foot-9, 260-pound senior on Monday’s “Hawk Talk” radio show. “I know he’ll have some moments, and I know he’ll catch some breaks (in upcoming games).
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Awesome venue. Made the pilgimage 3 times- New Years Day 2005, KU beats Georgia Tech in OT, March 2007 for the Texas game and Feb 2012 for the last KU vs Mizzou game…all were loud, all were crazy, but the Mizzou game was just out of bounds nuts.
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Haven’t been there since graduation in '88, but my ears are still ringing, Rock Chalk Jayhawk chants coursing through my bones, Danny Manning brilliance running like before their time GIF’s in my mind, sit down Norm taunts coming to mind every time I hear the name Norm, free pizza rumbles in my stomach as we approached 100 points, fighting the urge to crumple up my newspaper and throw it in the air from my lazy boy before each game, humming I’m a Jayhawk incessantly like the carols of Christmas we hear incessantly, whooshing when I make a FT like I’m in the last seconds of finishing off misery. Ahhh Kansas!
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@wissoxfan83 “GIF’s” in my mind"- BRILLIANT! Try and get back sometime soon. It’s all that and then some. Track is gone and concessions are waaaaay better. Booth HOF is off the hook. Even walking down the hall behind the west bleachers is a walk down memory lane. Bleachers are painted and scoreboard is really cool but it’s still AFH, best arena EVER!
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Just an unimportant detail, but Self never said that he expects a breakout from Black – which implies a big game, or perhaps becoming productive. As the story says, Self only said Black will “have some moments” and expects him to “catch some breaks.”
Here’s what Jason King said when we signed him:
Jason King, ESPN.com: “Black is a unique player because he’s a senior who hasn’t come close to reaching his ceiling. He’s big and mean and physical — an intimidating figure who will make anyone’s All-Airport team. His arrival in Lawrence couldn’t come at a better time for a KU squad that is young and inexperienced in the paint. The lack of consistency (and, sometimes, effort) that kept Black from peaking at Memphis won’t fly with Bill Self. But if Self manages to get the best out of Black, he could end up being the country’s best offseason addition. In some ways I think Black is similar to former KU standout Jeff Graves, the x-factor in the Jayhawks’ run to the 2003 NCAA title game. Black doesn’t rebound quite as well as Graves, and it’s no secret he’s a poor free throw shooter. But he’s a smart player who runs the court extremely well and is a bully in the paint. This is just what the Jayhawks need. I see Black averaging 20-25 minutes per game as one of Kansas’ top three big men along with Perry Ellis and Joel Embiid.”
I expected the same thing. But when looking back over Black’s career, I don’t know why. Perhaps I (we) thought he’d just get better by being here. I (we) tend to do that sometimes.
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Other than Wiggins, Embiid, Selden and Ellis, nobody else on KU’s roster is going to be a star, or have huge performances game after game. That’s just not how this roster is built.
However, there are at least eight guys on the roster that will all have “moments” by the end of the year.
There will be a game where Conner Frankamp hits four or five threes to propel us to a win. He’s barely getting on the court right now, but I am almost certain that there will be one night where he will get in the game, go nuts and key a victory.
There will be a night where Landen Lucas slaps up a 12 point, 10 board night off the bench. He might not play 15 minutes the next game.
There will be a night where Tarik Black throws down a 14 and 8 with 2 or 3 blocks. Andrew White is probably gonna have a game where he gets a dozen or so points. Wouldn’t be surprised if Brannen Greene goes for 20 in a game at some point this year. Naadir has already shown that he can go get around 10 assists on the right night. Frank Mason has demonstrated that there will be games where people just can’t keep him out of the paint (and others where he can’t keep himself off the pine). Jamari Traylor will have a game where he throws up an 8 point, 8 board, 3 block, 2 steal night in 14 minutes and we all look at the box score the next day and wonder how he pulled that off in so little court time.
But that’s what happens when you have this depth of talent. Guys will have moments, but it won’t be the same guy every night (other than those top 4).
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@HighEliteMajor I think we do have the right reasons to expect Black to become a different player. Sometimes it just takes the right mentor to change one’s life. I remember being a naughty little boy when I was in elementary. But in fifth grade, I had an excellent teacher and under her guidance suddenly everything connected and I became totally different person. To this day, I always think about her and thank her for her help. Coach Self is an excellent coach, teacher, mentor and I have every reason to believe if he could help others to achieve their goals, he’d be able to help Black.
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@bskeet Good. I love it when former players come in and give our current guys the what for. They better listen up and pay heed. 3 more games to start getting the feel of how KU plays defense, then its the big time.
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“I expected the same thing. But when looking back over Black’s career, I don’t know why. Perhaps I (we) thought he’d just get better by being here. I (we) tend to do that sometimes.”
Gosh… I fall into this thought pattern. I thought the hi/lo would benefit Black’s game, but he doesn’t seem like a “back to the basket” scorer.
I still think Black’s best days as a Jayhawk are ahead of him. His first mission is to put the brakes on all those fouls. He’s also a victim to the rules enforcement changes. He has to defeat some old habits that probably go back 10 years or so in his life. It won’t happen over night. He has shown us he is capable of rebounding well.
I’m just wondering what kind of offense we can expect out of him when he isn’t in foul trouble? Embiid has stepped over him on offense now, too. Look at how much Embiid’s offense has picked up in the past month! His footwork definitely opens the door for him to do anything he wants on offense.
And now Landen is giving him a run for minutes, too. Landen plays the most fundamentally-sound basketball of all our bigs. With just a bit more experience (and confidence) I think he will be a solid backup in the post for us. Since he’s a RS player, it is unlikely he’ll transfer in the future, and I’m glad we’ve got his services for another 3 years after this year. He will prove to be a valuable asset, both in practice and sometimes in games.
BTW: If you follow the link to the NCAA site, watch the clip that runs after the loudest arena clip… it’s the NCAA’s list of the top 5 coaches in college basketball today. Much to my surprise, Bill Self didn’t make it! How can he be denied with his 10-yr overall winning %, NC and 9-straight B12 titles? What a rip off!
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@HighEliteMajor . I was never sold on Tarik and his current status is the logical progression from previous years. The new contact rules have greatly diminished his chances of success since physical, bruising players are now penalized and hard. aggressive defense discouraged. I think after this season, they might as well do away with the offensive foul, as it has become an “endangered” call.
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@JayHawkFanToo - right… might as well do away with offensive fouls, and imagine the damage this style of basketball (which is limited only to NCAA college basketball) does to the potential of certain types of HS players (big bodies) that have the right kind of body for the NBA but the wrong kind of body for D1.
The rule enforcement change impacts not only the game, but the players, and there are victims from these changes who will never get to showcase their college game because of their size. Even Tar may suffer some kind of loss of opportunity at the next level (most likely, Euroball) because of this situation. BTW: Euroball is whackball. Very aggressive play is allowed on both sides of the ball.
