Tonight's Huge Game!
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@HawkChamp that wingspan can’t fly down court!
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If Baylor wins tonight, we would have to win in Waco to share the title. We are a 6 point favorite tonight and a win would open the door much wider for #13.
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We need to go zone again. I don’t think we have anyone that can guard the post that Landen doesn’t guard. But putting him in the middle of a 2-3 would let us have LL guard whoever gets the ball.
Personally, I think our zone is scary. It has 2 quick guards up top to pressure. And if either get the ball it is a layup on the other end. Then we have two 6’5-6’8 uberwings that are long and quick enough to be disruptive, rebound and double the post. Plus, we have LL to rebound the middle and body up the other teams bigs. And finally, our guys need some rest. Because our starting 5 is clearly our best lineup. And we need to play those 5 together as much as possible.
We will see what Bill does. I’m sure he is glad he had a few days to gameplan after the UK game.
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@Kcmatt7 I hope he’s had time
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@BeddieKU23 What about JJ on motley? Hey gives up a couple inches but he plays bigger than he is, boards and boxes well. Maybe even get a couple over the back calls to put motley on the bench.
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@Kcmatt7 that’s interesting because I also heard that Nova couldn’t contain Carolina’s fleet of skilled bigs because they weren’t tall enough…we all know how that turned out.
If I were Self, I wouldn’t use the zone until th tournament, like in the elite eight. Iirc he only used the triangle and two once during the regular season before Carolina in 2012.
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@HawkChamp Didn’t they play some zone in that game?
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Just in case anyone wants to see the action live tonight…General Admission tickets are still available…frankly, I’m stunned.
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@Kcmatt7 yes. They fronted the ball side post man with a guard with a big behind which makes the entry pass very tough.
We should be able to beat Baylor at home playing normal man to man. They are not a high scoring explosive team like kentucky or carolina and they resemble Baylor teams from the past several years that we have beat. I think we should save the zone for down the road in crunch time, not for a home game.
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@Fightsongwriter JJ has good length, timing and quick hands. I agree with your suggestion
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If we play M2M, JJ on Motley is our only choice. I think we are going to have to play some heavy zone action here or shadow a wing off Wainright for the quick double when Motley gets the ball.
Honestly Motley is a huge mismatch for even Jackson. Jackson is a + defender but its different when your facing a 6’10 offensive machine. This is a matchup we need Jackson on the floor and not in foul trouble. Matching 2 guys that average 3 fouls a game a piece would seem to favor whoever can gain the advantage first. That’s why if Jackson can leverage his quickness and draw fouls on Motley it will change the complexion of the game.
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@HawkChamp I mean we need to win this one. Whatever you have to do. I would definitely come out in a M2M and see if we can hold them down that way. But, if you have to go zone to win you have to. We are playing for tourney seeding. Especially against another team competing for a #1 seed.
This is the first year the #1 overall seed gets to pick their region. If Baylor ends up there they would more likely than not pick KC over Memphis. Winning this game has bigger ramifications than you might think.
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@Kcmatt7 Your right we for sure need the win, although there are people off other boards that would disagree with you. - They say they would rather play in Memphis not KC. - -let me apologize in advance if I mis understood you about Baylor wanting to play in KC. - -Personally I’m actually not that worried about tonight. - I think anywhere from 6-10 point win for us. - - - after watching them for the last 3 games or so - -they are struggling not to say they are not good - -they are - -just not that impressed right now-- - -especially at the Phog - - ROCK CHALK ALL DAY LONG BABY
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@jayballer54 Yea I’m sure fans might want Memphis. But if I am the head coach, I’d rather play in KC. Players would be much more familiar with it. And since they are comparable flight prices and travel distances, I’m sure that it wouldn’t be a hard sell to the AD on that.
And I wish I had your confidence. Baylor has, for the most part, upped their game against the top competition this year. Drew is doing one heck of a job rn.
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@Kcmatt7 agreed they are good. - -and to be honest - - I can’t really pin point WHY I’m not to worried - -well maybe I just feel our back court and their suspectability to giving up open three’s with that zone we have always done pretty well against their zone - -their zone leaves the corner Three wide open 80 % of the time I’ve seen itall year long - -We will be fine - -keep the faith - - -ROCK CHALK ALL DAY LONG BABY
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My prediction for tonight…
Faylor comes out on fire and we play catch up in a slow paced game with lots of fouls, but we pull closer at half time. Then we come out on fire after the half to take the lead back halfway thru. Then Faylor makes a good run and takes the lead again to all of our dismay and hand wringing. Then Frank, refusing to lose, takes over, making numerous clutch plays. Coinciding with Frank power moves, Drew makes some bonehead moves and snatches defeat from the jaws of victory.
Some coaches have other coach’s number - Izzo seems to be able to rattle Self. Bill will outcoach Drew yet again tonight, 69 to 63, for the home win.
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that prediction would help Mason’s POY hopes. Another big time performance in a big game… He’s down to 4 home games left, I hope he makes them count
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“So how does KU win tonight?”
By controlling pace. Huggybear knew how to dismantle Baylor. They play “slow ball” so speed them up, force them into TOs. They have some young players that have never played in AFH. Crowd noise is a huge factor that when you combine it with speeding up the game, we quickly over-match Baylor.
Our player advantages are with Devonte and Josh. Josh needs to ignite us with some big plays. Devonte needs to be our guys focused on tempo.
If we have big games from these guys, I don’t see how we lose. Frank is important, too. He fills a stat sheet. But the mechanics behind the game, especially concerning controlling pace, that mostly has to come through Devonte.
We could lose this game if we don’t control tempo… very easily lose it. Or we could breeze through this game, just like WVU did, by pushing the pace that will create lots of TOs and easy buckets off of TOs, and by not allowing Baylor to run their offense effectively. Get out and pressure their guards, speed up the tempo… Baylor gets shut down.
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I liked your breakdown of each game moving forward.
I’m not too worried about the OSU game because either the B12 championship has already been decided… or if it all comes down to that one game I think our guys are ready to go down and finally win one in Stillwater.
We should win all of these games… but doubtful we will.
I think our toughest games are at KSU and at home against WVU. I’m usually wrong, though.
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Baylor’s starting 5 is made up 4th year players.
Lecomte is a player we might be able to speed up, he was horrible against West Virginia’s pressure and this will be his first time in Allen. He’s averaged over 3 turnovers in his last 4 games. That could be the key to stopping them.
I just hope our guys play free with passion and energy tonight. This seems like a can’t miss game for KU to play its best.
We have to make perimeter shots and limit them from doing the same. Lecomte is their only legit consistent shooter from 3. Freeman is 5-21 in the last 5 games. Omot who is a 6’9 SF is a spot up shooter and has played a lot more lately and made 3 big one’s in their comeback win over Ole Miss. I hope the crowd has an influence on their shooting.
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Oh right… Lecomte was a transfer, right? But he hasn’t dribbled a ball in AFH before, right?
Pace of the game… that will decide who wins tonight. That will decide which team shoots a high %, TO rate, etc.
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@drgnslayr said:
Pace of the game… that will decide who wins tonight. That will decide which team shoots a high %, TO rate, etc.
I hope you are right!
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This is why I had those games with low percentages, The toughest game might be at Baylor, depending ion the outcome of tonight’s game. If we play like WVU did and run them off the court, the Waco game might be much easier; however, if the game is close or they win, the game in Waco will be a b*tc since it would most likely determine the League’s champion.
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Baylor
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coach
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@drgnslayr I agree about the pace, but we should save a little something special for our trip to Wacko, like full court press, etc. We obviously need to win tonight, but the game at their place is important also.
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@HawkChamp we are saving a ready to be forgiven Bragg!
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The game tonight is a must. We don’t want to have to win in Waco…
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@drgnslayr I am hoping we will be fired up and ready for a little revenge when WVU travels to the Phog. So I would have said that KSU and both Baylor games would be tougher…but we shall see.
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One at a time
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Actually… that is what scares me a bit.
I think we want to keep our emotions “close to the vest” while trying to dismantle the WVU press. I’m afraid the more emotional we are in that game, it could work against us. We don’t want to be sensitive to becoming amped up because if it is the wrong kind of amping… we are in trouble.
I think we need the mind of an engineer when beating WVU. Calculative, planned properly, schemed, steady execution. We are almost better to be a bit robotic… in other words… play with great poise! Poise is what will beat WVU.
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Scott Drew listens to Nickelback.
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With a loss tonight Scott Drew will have more losses in AFH than Bill Self.
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you DO KNOW we are hexed tonight right? - -we get blessed with Dickie V whoopee lol - - -ROCK CHALK ALL DAY LONG BABY
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No doubt the Baylor Bears are flying high this year. Their team is loaded and has experience. They have the pieces to be one of the best teams in the country if they aren’t already.
Yet one problem. ((((Scott Drew)))) The cat can recruit. I’ll give him that. Yet is there a coach that has done less with the talent he recruits?
Baylor will come to play. Yet they only can go as far as their captain can take them. If I were Scott Drew I would attend one of Coach’s camps. It would do him wonders. Might even make him one of the best in the country. Like I said the cat can recruit.
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Screw Baylor.
I may be wrong, but I can’t get too worked up about playing a team full of kids so stupid or misguided that, of their own free will, they would live in Waco, Tx and play for Scott Drew.
No malice intended. Well, wait - that’s really how i feel.
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@kjayhawks i got that one. No one else got it, but I got it. Good stuff, man.
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It seems like every year we play Baylor early and they are hot and supposed to be their year. But we end up spanking them. Will this year be different?
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Games in the last week against #7 WVU, #4 at the time Kentucky, and #2 Baylor. Tough stretch for sure.
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Anyone watching the Syracuse vs NC state game? Guy named gillon for cuse is 8 of 9 from distance. Tight game with 4 to go… Please no OT.
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@kjayhawks Ksu tcu
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@kjayhawks Wow, big comeback. Watching Indiana ruin our RPI further. They’re about to lose to Penn St. Jinx, indy just tied it. 2nd OT coming up.
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And how was that not a moving screen by Syracuse?
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Why does it seem that half the time KU is on the late game, the first one on ESPN goes to overtime.???
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Another 6 PM game going to OT before our 8 PM game on ESPN. And there’s an official review. This sucks.
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Yet ESPN will relegate the start of a game between 2 of the top 4 in the country to some app, or if we’re lucky ESPNNews.
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@wissox said:
Yet ESPN will relegate the start of a game between 2 of the top 4 in the country to some app, or if we’re lucky ESPNNews.
Come on - who wouldn’t want to watch the finish of Syracuse and NC State…
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@DCHawker Syracuse fans rushed the court the other night after beating FSU. How embarrassing for a supposed basketball power.
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@DCHawker yeah, 13-9 v 14-8.
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Andrew White
