Mature Jayhawks say they know how to handle pressure

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http://www.kansascity.com/166/story/546653.html
By J. BRADY McCOLLOUGH

The Kansas City Star



Bill Self could smile with Brandon Rush during KU’s first-round game against Portland State. Self thinks facing intense pressure has been good.


LAWRENCE | The last time Bill Self walked into a pregame locker room in Michigan, he knew something wasn’t right.He looked around the room at his Kansas team, a bunch of freshmen and sophomores who had won 15 of 16 games, and suddenly didn’t recognize them.
“It was a different pressure,” Self said. “They had been so loose, sneaking up on everybody, and guys were thinking everything was easy. Then they get in the tournament, start watching TV and people picking them to do this and that. It just had a different feel to it.”
Of course, the Baby Jayhawks of 2005-06 went out and lost that night to Bradley 77-73 at the Palace of Auburn Hills in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Just like that, it was over.
Two years later, the Jayhawks will return to Detroit as a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Midwest Regional, boasting a 33-3 record and an Elite Eight appearance last year. On the surface, at least, it appears Kansas is all grown up.
“Oh, we’re definitely different than we were (in 2006),” KU guard Brandon Rush said. “We just know what we gotta do in those types of games. We gotta adjust to the way a team is playing us.”
The differences, of course, are bigger than that. For the past two seasons, the Jayhawks have spent most of their days ranked in the nation’s top five and have entered the NCAAs as a No. 1 seed. Every time they have stepped into an arena, there has been a bull’s-eye on their backs. Playing with those expectations would naturally age any team.
“It’s good being ranked high, it’s good being a one-seed,” Self said. “All those things are good. It puts subtle pressures on you all the time to perform. It gets guys used to playing under pressure, and (the 2005-06) team never had the opportunity. That group was under the radar. That group didn’t have any attention.”
This group certainly has everybody’s attention. And while most people around them want to talk San Antonio and Final Four, the Jayhawks are mature enough to know they can’t get ahead of themselves when Villanova and either Wisconsin or Davidson await.
“It doesn’t get to anybody, man,” KU guard Rodrick Stewart said. “We know you can’t overlook anybody. The moment you start overlooking people, that’s when you look up and realize that your season is over.”
Last year, the Jayhawks had no seniors. This year, they’ve got five.
“With the close games, that’s when experience comes in,” Stewart said. “A lot of the guys like Russ that have been in all the tight games like that, it goes a long way. The senior leadership goes a long way.”
KU has gone into this tournament with the philosophy that it is not six games, but three two-game tournaments. Championship teams often talk about staying in the moment, and breaking the tournament into phases has helped the Jayhawks do that. Last weekend in Omaha, KU felt as if it beat UNLV in the championship game of its first tournament.
“No nets at this tournament,” KU reserve Matt Kleinmann said after the game, referring to the practice of cutting down nets after winning a title. “But it still feels the same way.”
Two more tournaments await the veteran Jayhawks.
“We gotta prepare to go win a two-game tournament this weekend,” Self said. “You don’t look ahead, yet your preparation is to give yourself the best chance over a 48-hour period. That’s gotta be our guys’ mindset.”
To reach J. Brady McCollough, Kansas reporter for The Star, call (816) 234-4363 or send e-mail to jmccollough@kcstar.com