CB had 25 pts, 9 rebounds and 3 assists last night! Great game, but in a losing effort against the Pelicans.

@BeddieKU23 Really good observations all the way around. Two additions: 1. I was hoping Harris would have taken a step up (like McCullar), but I haven’t seen that so far; he’s still solid and I like him, but I find myself wanting/expecting more; and 2. El Marko looks like he belongs as a starter now, a far cry from even 5 games ago; I no longer cringe when he has the ball; his speed is apparent and I expect he’ll figure out how to use it as the season progresses.

87% from the foul line. That would be a nice change.

@HoraceZontal and Merry Christmas everyone!

@mayjay yes, Allen’s chapter in Coach K’s book of cheating is “How to Cheat While Lying Down on the Court”

@BeddieKU23 yes, that’s horrible. Really feeling bad for Duke today. And Kentucky, while I’m at it. And Missouri (very sad).

Check out Braun’s steal and dunk on a disinterested Durant from last night’s game. Great play!

If he were my kid, I’d be doing a lot of soul searching, but I’d want him to play for a disciplined tough coach like Self. Or at least like the coach I perceived Self to be prior to this decision—I’m still feeling my way around whether I need to alter my sense of Self. Also, I believe in growth and redemption, but a lack of contrition is a road block to that.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FvvUawNaMAAk4HR.jpg

@jayballer67 one of my favorites from Rupp Rafters: “No other coach in the history of NCAA BB has wasted this much talent”

@jayballer67 I agree. KJ looked earthbound. Like a bird that couldn’t fly.

@rockchalkjayhawk yes, I agree, Diggy’s impact is felt also with Dejuan being able to go harder at the end of games because he’s had some rest.

@dylans that’s what I was referring to. I thought it was early second half, but perhaps late first. He clearly was affected — slower and earthbound. And that was for the rest of the game. Tigger without his bounce is very sad.

@Bosthawk I saw what you saw. KJ definitely got hurt (leg or ankle) maybe 5 minutes in to the second half and slowed noticeably. The lack of boxing out and offensive rebounding is frustrating, but I found myself wondering if Coach Self gave him orders to get back on D instead, to slow the fast break. Glad we won. The second half was a tough watch.

@kjayhawks. Good point — optimistic and revisionist. Lunardi also predicts we win the championship, Self is COY and Hunter is POY.

From ESPN’s Lunardi, a very optimistic take: It has not been a great few years for the consensus No. 1 team. A season ago, Kansas was banged up and made “only” the Sweet 16. A season before that, North Carolina didn’t even make the tournament. You get the idea. Being the hunted in a sport with so much parity is probably a disadvantage. Yet here again are the Jayhawks, with as much power and pedigree as any program in college basketball. For me, the road to San Antonio begins in Lawrence, Kansas.

@BShark I love your excitement about him. It’s infectious. I look forward to finding some film.

@patoh3 finally, a policy at his reading level

Thanks for the link to the tourney site. Good to see the highlights. As a bittersweet bonus, I finally got to see Billy Preston go on a run.

Returning? Really? I’d be shocked, but very happy.