Self's "A" Game; Look At Us Now.
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Teams don’t reach the Final Four without there being a clear and obvious contribution from the man on the bench.
Tonight, we saw the “A” game.
What the nation saw heading into the game – what I saw heading into the game – was a mammoth Duke team inside. Big, after big, after big. Playing a four out, one in team that had as its second big, a kid just 90 days removed from high school. And who had as its first bit a lumbering lug that while very skilled, was quick to tire and an easy mark for silly fouls.
Bill Self scripted an absolutely brilliant game plan defensively.
Quick traps, immediate help, help off the bounce, prioritizing threats, trusting match ups – you name it. What I find incredibly impressive is off the traps, how well our guys slid into the correct lanes, and how they generally were always in a position with their eyes in the right place. Not an easy task. Our defense put Duke on the defensive much of the night. It appeared that Duke (particularly Bagley) was not fully ready for our aggressiveness. Self had this team ready to play defense against the oversized Blue Devils. Without it, this game would have been over quickly.
One tremendous decision was to put Svi on Bagley – and to trust Svi. What a terrific game he had. Of course, he hit the big three. But even bigger was the job he did guarding a bigger, more athletic Bagley. A guy who could jump out of gym. But on many occasions, Svi was able to be in the right spot, deny Bagley the ball, and disrupt. That’s all Svi had to do was disrupt, and he did it magnificently.
This game was won on the defensive end. And defense like this just doesn’t happen. Two months ago, who would have believed that this team, in this moment, would win with defense?
Bill Self took a team he was complaining about being soft, and lacking chemistry (just last month), and created a unit that could coalesce into a monster defensive squad.
Turmoil, uncertainty, criticism, adversity – this team has suffered this fate more than any KU team in recent memory. But look at the product. Just look at it.
We now have the opportunity for our moment. Our beautiful, ever-lasting moment. Two to go.
And this season, which was Bill Self’s greatest coaching job yet, is not over. Not by a long shot. This team has experience, tenacity, and character. And it has a toughness that cannot just be created because a coach says so.
This team has a toughness that was earned. Earned, in part, by the bitter disappointment of the last two seasons. Being on the brink of the what is a life changing accomplishment, only to fall short. Or as the players feel deep inside, only to fail.
Why are we going to San Antonio? It’s because of the journey. It’s because of Nova in '16 and Oregon in '17. It’s because Vick went into a shell. It’s because Newman wasn’t meshing. It’s because Preston was a mirage. It’s because Mitch stepped up. It’s because of our All-American. It’s because Doke got hurt. It’s because DeSousa became a man. And it’s because this team became a team.
But more than anything, it’s because of the boss on the bench. The man on the bench took a team that many thought was rudderless, and steered it through some incredibly stormy seas. He took control. And we are in the Final Four because of it.
So look at us now.
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Well said - thanks
Would Newman be considered the best KU transfer ever?
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It appears we will have the reverse with Nova. Nova has better guard play than big play. But Nova struggled against TT. TT missed some opportunities and Self should use the game tape. I think there was exposed opportunities against Nova.
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Never would have thought Svi would turn in a virtuoso defensive performance after some of his games against ISU in previous years in particular.
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We are just tough!
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Crimsonorblue22 said:
We are just tough!
We are playing through the final buzzer and not giving up
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@Crimsonorblue22 - - REAL TOUGH just really don’t seem to get down - -mercy I’m to old for these type of games. - -SVI clutch shot in the end of the game.- - Vick sweet game - - and MALIK - - what can you say - - -MALIK - - - MALIK - - MALIK - - ROCK CHALK ALL DAY LONG BABY
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Do you think Coach Self will be talking to Beard and Huggins this week?
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@truehawk93 - -I think they showed Texas Tech missed 16 layups in their game - - -SIXTEEN
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It was a team effort, bench included, things that don’t show in the book.
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@Crimsonorblue22 - -Silvio actually had some good minutes they said defensively
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Nova will be a whole different beast. A different gameplan will be required. Can’t dare them to shoot threes.
Their five best players are…from three: 45%, 44% (their freaking center!), 42%, 39% and 39%.
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@BShark Time for some payback. - -ROCK CHALK ALL DAY LONG BABY
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We’re playing defense and out rebounding teams now?? On top of the shooting ?
Wow
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@Bosthawk In addition to Rex Walters I mentioned in the other thread, there was Withey.
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@Bosthawk - - 47-32 – out rebounding the best offensive rebounding team in the Nation - -how big was that - -SVI a double double - -points and rebounds and really good against Bagley
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Still watching post game on spectrum sports, I’m so touched by these guys. They are so deserving.
can’t stop tearing up for them. All the past players, other ku teams, fb sb track, past fb players tweeting for them. Coach Self kissing his gbaby!
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jayballer73 said
@truehawk93 - -I think they showed Texas Tech missed 16 layups in their game - - -SIXTEEN
Tech has some great players, no doubt, but this is new territory and I said during the game the atmosphere alone can play against you too. They could’ve won that game 2-3 different times. Beard is a good coach, but he just couldn’t adjust or find the right answer.
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The Vincenza kid was hanging all over the rim. I want to see him try against Doke or Silvio.
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Great tourney year for the B12…I thought overall they played well.
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truehawk93 said:
The Vincenza kid was hanging all over the rim. I want to see him try against Doke or Silvio.
Seems like Villanova always has some punky white kid with an Italian name.
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I was at the nova -TT game today. Tech never got Untracked in my opinion, and they made poor offensive desicions down the stretch. Nova flat outplayed them in the last 8 minutes. Smarter play on both sides of the court. They are a good good team
So are we
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Nova has beaten WVU and TT…Ok…our turn to show the best the B12 has to offer. Remember, this is a different KU team than what Jay Wright is used to.
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The Big 12 ha had a very good tournament so far. The ACC shut out of the FF by teams from the Big 12 and the MVC…MVC? Holly crap, that will leave a mark.
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Game being rebroadcast on CBSSPORTS network starting right now for anyone who wants to relive or tape it.
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Self’s mastery will be in full effect when he plays Mitch solid minutes against Nova after him playing 2 minutes against Clemson and Duke.
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Looks like Silvio was a good recruiting decision by self and the staff. He may become a monster player. Very tough and athletic.
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Bosthawk said:
Looks like Silvio was a good recruiting decision by self and the staff. He may become a monster player. Very tough and athletic.
I expect him to start next year if Doke goes pro.
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@mayjay Right - good point
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I have no idea what to do with Nova besides feed Doke the ball and get Spellman in foul trouble. You get him in foul trouble and KU wins that game. We let him run around and do his thing, we lose. Doke is the key to the Nova game. it will be a race to 80.
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@Bosthawk The Silvio decision, and getting him eligible, saved this season. Period.
Newman the best transfer ever? I’m struggling to come up with another name. This is where Self’s management is masterful. Think about where we were two months ago? Have to give Malik complete credit two. Buying in when your basketball DNA is somewhat counter the flow is impressive.
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HighEliteMajor said:
@Bosthawk The Silvio decision, and getting him eligible, saved this season. Period.
Newman the best transfer ever? I’m struggling to come up with another name. This is where Self’s management is masterful. Think about where we were two months ago? Have to give Malik complete credit two. Buying in when your basketball DNA is somewhat counter the flow is impressive.
Fact. I’m not even sure we beat Clemson without Silvio.
Did you catch the article on Malik’s turnaround? It’s really something.
Withey was a pretty good transfer.
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True- newman did look, as you wrote about at length a while back, like a chemistry-killer bent on improving his NBA stock above all else.
He is now our stud scorer in the tourney on top of being a system guy.
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HighEliteMajor said:
This game was won on the defensive end. And defense like this just doesn’t happen. Two months ago, who would have believed that this team, in this moment, would win with defense?
The fact that Malik Newman who couldn’t stay in front of anyone in the beginning of the season maned up on Allen on the last shot and was in his face the whole time was EPIC!
It really symbolized this team and how they bought in.
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HighEliteMajor said:
@Bosthawk The Silvio decision, and getting him eligible, saved this season. Period.
Newman the best transfer ever? I’m struggling to come up with another name. This is where Self’s management is masterful. Think about where we were two months ago? Have to give Malik complete credit two. Buying in when your basketball DNA is somewhat counter the flow is impressive.
Only other player I could think of in the neighborhood is Witney because we don’t reach the 2012 title game without his rim protection.
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Incredibly insightful article (on the other site) about Malik’s mid-season struggles. Certainly affirms and validates the correctness of many comments/reactions/conclusions on this board without the first-hand knowledge of a parent. An excerpt:
“Normally coaches would bend a little bit,” Webster (Malik’s father) remembered. “‘Malik, you can get 30 (points) for me so I’m going to let you cut the corner.’ Coach Self didn’t give a damn if he could get 100. He’d say, ‘You’re going to do it how I want you to do it, when I want you to do it.’ And I think that was great for Malik. It taught him that nothing’s going to be given to you.”
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@BShark @Texas-Hawk-10 Right, Withey. Good name for Newman to be associated with. I’ll look at the Newman write-up.
@BigBad Newman was guarding Allen much of the time, did do an incredible job. Really worked hard. Buying in is truly defined by Newman this season. We’ll talk about that for years to come, and compare others to what he did.
@Bosthawk And saying Newman and “system guy” together, what a compliment to him.
@CR107 Now, about 'Nova and their guards – our guards are better. Wouldn’t want another group to ride right now.
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I like Malik, from the beginning, I always knew it.
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@CRH107 The biggest take I got from that article was how much Newman’s father totally supported everything Self did. He was certainly not like X Henry’s dad.
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@HighEliteMajor Rex Walters, too.
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@HighEliteMajor In case you need the link: http://www2.kusports.com/news/2018/mar/20/rocky-yet-rewarding-evolution-kus-malik-newman/
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@BShark I love that story!
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@Crimsonorblue22 You were the lead Malik believer. I can tell you I was really worried there for a while. We desperately needed what you had faith in.
@mayjay Almost forgot about Rex. We live in the world of Self I guess. I still have a soft spot for Kevin Young, because we don’t get to the ‘12 FF without him. Malik’s dad trusting Self was the best gift he could give his son. Career changer.
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@truehawk93 Time for payback
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@JayHawkFanToo lol, guess Wichita State realized when it was time to get out of the Missouri Valley huh lol - -na I’m just kidding but kind of funny they move to a bigger conference - -don’t win league - - - - -get knocked out in the 1st round of the tourney - - -and the league they left has a team in the final four is in - -that is KARMA lol
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@mayjay thanks - -now I can REALLY ENJOY
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@jayballer73 Broadcast is at the 13:28 mark of 2nd half with us up 48-47. Hope it ends the same way on replay as it did live!
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Jerrod Haase…
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