In the Middle of Nowhere Game Thread
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@Crimsonorblue22 link to article?
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Damn dotson with another injury.
I’ll never doubt Marcus again. His defense became a difference maker on so many possessions in that run. Guy rallied the troops big time
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@BeddieKU23 Hip again?
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@KirkIsMyHinrich knee
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@kjayhawks Dana’s article? Nope, awhile back. Probably easy to find
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@Crimsonorblue22 How bad?
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@BShark just posted above a twitter post that he tweaked it, hadn’t practiced since sat.
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I guess it’s good that our next 2 games are at home against Oklahoma and Iowa St.
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@KirkIsMyHinrich ou is decent
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They are. We beat them in Norman by 14. We should be able to beat them in Lawrence even without Dotson.
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Mitch Lightfoot’s Snapchat is Country roads playing, yelling this place sucks let’s get outta while boarding the plane lol.
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As always here’s the PER’s after a tough road win.
Conference Play
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Great win. In Morgantown. Despite the refs letting the WV bigs camp in the lane all night. I’m still trying to adjust my in-game impression to our defense first, offense maybe style of play. Winning with 58 points is strange and quite different to the KU basketball I’ve known all these years. Since Braun isn’t looking to shoot (one shot in 16 min last night) and Moss is currently our only threat from 3, I say start Moss and give him 30 minutes a game. But, that’s because I’m still under the belief (clearly misguided) that it takes good offense to win games. How few points can this KU team score and still win?
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Isaiah Moss
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@stoptheflop said in In the Middle of Nowhere Game Thread:
Great win. In Morgantown. Despite the refs letting the WV bigs camp in the lane all night. I’m still trying to adjust my in-game impression to our defense first, offense maybe style of play. Winning with 58 points is strange and quite different to the KU basketball I’ve known all these years. Since Braun isn’t looking to shoot (one shot in 16 min last night) and Moss is currently our only threat from 3, I say start Moss and give him 30 minutes a game. But, that’s because I’m still under the belief (clearly misguided) that it takes good offense to win games. How few points can this KU team score and still win?
Whatever the formula is to get Moss to shoot like that is A-OK with me. He seemed comfortable off the bench last night.
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@BShark said in In the Middle of Nowhere Game Thread:
Isaiah Moss
Has he been watching Malik Newman tape?
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@BeddieKU23 @BShark thats what I was wondering, can Moss become the next Newman and get hot when it matters. I think people forget how great Newman was in our run in 2018.
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I’d keep going with Moss off the bench. He’s not near as good as Newman. Newman could get to the rack. But Moss is the near perfect shooter off the bench. A guy that can change the look of the game when he’s even semi-on. I don’t see Braun like that. Moss is a shooter. Braun is a more complete player. It seems that Braun starting is the better path, and I’d really like to see Braun shoot more – the guy is shooting almost 50% from three in conference play (he lit it up in three games but has barely shot in the other Big 12 games). The last two games he hasn’t shot one three pointer. Makes zero sense for a team that struggles to score.
Can you imagine this team with reliable and consistent three point shooting?
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Braun was a near zero last night. He executed a play Bill drew up and did nothing outside of that. I think he knows he is just a cog but that lack of production is concerning and why he ended up only playing 16 minutes.
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@BShark he needs to be more aggressive on the offensive end, he did get a couple of tough rebounds last night on a night where just about every rebound was fought for. He just needs find his role, he’ll have at least one more big scoring games I bet. I’d rather him be like last night and not force a bunch of shots or turn it over.
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I thought Braun did a pretty good job last night. He played defense, didn’t turn the ball over, and grabbed a few rebounds. He didn’t force anything, which is something I actually like a lot. He’s like the opposite of Quentin Grimes.
And by the way, no one other than Dotson and Garrett was getting many shots up last night. I mean, Doke only had 6 shot attempts. We only had 45 field goal attempts as a team. West Virginia’s defense just makes it hard for people who aren’t primary ball-handlers to get shots.
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And he’s a freshman. Not highly rated. Working to fit in. Not the first, second, or third option. Or even fourth. Probably hesitant to draw the coach’s ire if he oversteps, even if the coach encourages. Confidence and time will overcome role preservation at some point. Last night, that environment, understandable that a freshman might be a touch hesitant. We do need him to be assertive with his shot because he offers what we really need. Not forcing as @kjayhawks mentioned, but just seizing opportunity when presented. Excellent role player to have.
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I’ve seen freshman do far worse in Morgantown. Hell I’ve seen seniors do worse there! Braun may not be a star, but he’s a very nice piece for the team to have.
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I like Braun but him starting as a freshman is concerning. Part of it, the turnover from last year is purging out bad fits some of which were taken in desperation. I cautioned on KJ and Chuck from the start, Grimes I thought was more athletic.
Tyon and Bryce both look like great fits to me. Tyon had 13 rebounds last night in 25 minutes. JUCO is a bit of a crap shoot but he screams Bill Self player. Athletic, works hard, can’t shoot. Bryce I think is athletic enough. Everything else is there and he can score like crazy.
The other two commits…no comment.
Interested to see how recruiting is going forward. Self is at his best when he retains players. Would love to get Tamar Bates and Zach Clemence in 2021. Next year we will get to see a senior and a junior high heavy minute guys starting again. Only one freshman will play, that’s exciting to me.
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It seems to me his decline started when he was inserted into the starting lineup. Maybe he just isn’t comfortable in that role, but it has to be him or Moss starting .
Hopefully he can turn it back around and regain some of the confidence because we need his outside shot .
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I’m all for what brings out the best in a player. Some players are better off the bench, but not too many. Some seem to collapse when faced with coming off the bench (I’m recalling Vick was that way). I like using the bench to start the game as a change of scenery deal to alter the dynamic a bit if a player is struggling.
@BShark Why is starting Braun concerning – for this season, next, because of fit? Braun (in my opinion) is just an all-around better player than Moss. But I know that doesn’t mean Braun should necessarily start over Moss. As @Woodrow said, it’s Moss or Braun. And I kinda think that because Braun plays better defense, Self prefers him generally – Moss seems to catch a lot of Self-flak.
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Braun has a high floor as a starter, much higher than Moss. If his shot isn’t falling, Moss tends to get frustrated and pick up some dumb fouls. Braun, even when not shooting, can handle, pass, and is a scrappy defender. If the shot is falling he’s easily one of our best 5. Moss might as well grab some Salty Iguana and hang out on the end of the bench if he’s cold from the outside.
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I meant in general for KU not within the context of this team. On a classic KU team he would be a nice bench piece until probably his jr year. I do like his game though, he gets it.
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Lol, times I just have to laugh at Social Media. I mean I was listening to the post game interviews with Marcus & Isaiah , and I swear to GOD when one of these reporters ask questions - - - doesn’t matter which reporter , they have all done it at one time or another and some of these questions that they ask make you just shake your head and think/say - ask the most idiotic question and your thinking REALLY? - -how long did it take you to think about that question lmao.
Last night was a perfect example. Reporter asks Marcus , Marcus the 3 that Isaiah made how huge did you think that 3 was ? - - Are you Serious ? - - I mean REALLY ? exactly what does this reporter expect Marcus to say? you expect - - -( Oh well ya I guess it was OK lol ) - Hell course it was Huge of course Marcus is going to think it was a HUGE shot. - -mercy how huge was that 3? - - and this isn’t the only example of really bad questions. - -Just makes you wonder your seriously asking questions like that roflmao
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@jayballer73 Gary bedore
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Like question to moss, what do u think of marcus’s D? And moss should say, I wish he’d make some 3’s and hit his throws!
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@Crimsonorblue22 said in In the Middle of Nowhere Game Thread:
Like question to moss, what do u think of marcus’s D? And moss should say, I wish he’d make some 3’s and hit his throws!
EXACTLY. - -you may have heard it , but he or they actually did ask Moss what he thought about Marcus D last night? - - What the hell does he want the kid to say ? - just like you said - that would be funny
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Probably the best game of the year so far. This team is improving week by week. They have a high ceiling.
Will it be a glorious run in March or a Northern Iowa flame out?
