DaKCMan AP
01-15-2008, 08:21 AM
Kansas capable of winning them all
By JASON WHITLOCK
LAWRENCE | Memphis may go undefeated. North Carolina will get more hype. The nation’s best college basketball team, however, just might reside in Kansas.
“I don’t think it is close that they (the Jayhawks) are the best team in the country,” said Oklahoma coach Jeff Capel after Kansas’ 85-55 blistering of the Sooners at Allen Fieldhouse. “They are the best team that we have played, and we have played some really good teams.”
Yeah, the Sooners have played Memphis, Southern California, Gonzaga, West Virginia and Kansas State — NCAA Tournament locks and contenders. Two months ago, Capel’s boys lost by 10 to Memphis.
“I think Kansas is better,” he said. “They are so balanced. They shoot better than Memphis. They are bigger. They are probably equally as good in transition. They pass the ball better.”
Bill Self, of course, downplayed Capel’s praise and talked about how much the Jayhawks need to improve. When a reporter asked Self whether the 17-0 Jayhawks give any thought to going undefeated, Self treated the question as a joke.
“No. God no,” he said. “We still have seven road games left. … We’re not even going to go there.”
Self’s not, but we are. It could happen. The third-ranked Jayhawks are that good. If they played Memphis’ schedule, the Hawks would almost assuredly run the table. Fortunately, the Big 12 will provide Kansas a far stiffer test than what Memphis will receive in Conference USA.
That’s good for us and for the Jayhawks, who must win five more games to match the record for the best start in school history (22-0 and the 1997 Jacque Vaughn-led Jayhawks).
“It hasn’t come up,” forward Darnell Jackson said when I asked him about going undefeated.
Well, the subject will be broached this season if the Jayhawks are able to play with the kind of intensity and precision they did Monday night consistently. Even before Oklahoma prized freshman Blake Griffin left the game because of a knee injury, Kansas had begun the process of destroying the Sooners.
Kansas’ defense is its No. 1 weapon, and it suffocated Oklahoma’s scorers for the first 10 minutes. Griffin played only 5 of those minutes before limping into the locker room. When he left, the Sooners were down 11-2, and he’d missed both shots he’d taken.
Kansas’ lead eventually ballooned to 20-4 8 minutes, 30 seconds into the game. Guards Russell Robinson and Mario Chalmers, with their quick feet and even quicker hands, set a nasty and pesky tone on the perimeter, and they’re backed by quick and long leapers Darrell Arthur, Darnell Jackson and Sasha Kaun. Kansas’ defensive flexibility and capability almost seems unfair, especially when the opposition loses its best offensive player.
The Jayhawks are nearly as impressive on the opposite end of the court. With Brandon Rush, Chalmers and Sherron Collins, Kansas has an easy bailout when its offense breaks down. Rush, Chalmers or Collins will simply throw in a long three-pointer when the shot clock drips below 10 seconds.
Arthur and Jackson play off each other quite well in the paint. They both can step out and hit the 15-footer. Arthur has developed a solid back-to-the-basket game. Jackson cleans up on garbage buckets.
I can’t find a hole in this team. Maturity and chemistry don’t seem to be issues.
So how does Kansas lose?
Probably on the road. Trips to Missouri, Kansas State, Texas and Texas A&M will be problematic.
“We won’t be overconfident going to Columbia,” Self explained before referencing the Tigers’ huge victory over Texas last weekend.
The Big 12 is pretty good this year. Mike Anderson’s system is starting to produce results. Kansas State’s Michael Beasley and Bill Walker are capable of beating anyone. Texas A&M is well-coached and has lost just one game. The Longhorns, as always under Rick Barnes, are loaded with talent.
If Kansas does manage to run the table, they’ll prove Capel prophetic regardless of what North Carolina and Memphis do.
http://www.kansascity.com/sports/columnists/jason_whitlock/story/444917.html
By JASON WHITLOCK
LAWRENCE | Memphis may go undefeated. North Carolina will get more hype. The nation’s best college basketball team, however, just might reside in Kansas.
“I don’t think it is close that they (the Jayhawks) are the best team in the country,” said Oklahoma coach Jeff Capel after Kansas’ 85-55 blistering of the Sooners at Allen Fieldhouse. “They are the best team that we have played, and we have played some really good teams.”
Yeah, the Sooners have played Memphis, Southern California, Gonzaga, West Virginia and Kansas State — NCAA Tournament locks and contenders. Two months ago, Capel’s boys lost by 10 to Memphis.
“I think Kansas is better,” he said. “They are so balanced. They shoot better than Memphis. They are bigger. They are probably equally as good in transition. They pass the ball better.”
Bill Self, of course, downplayed Capel’s praise and talked about how much the Jayhawks need to improve. When a reporter asked Self whether the 17-0 Jayhawks give any thought to going undefeated, Self treated the question as a joke.
“No. God no,” he said. “We still have seven road games left. … We’re not even going to go there.”
Self’s not, but we are. It could happen. The third-ranked Jayhawks are that good. If they played Memphis’ schedule, the Hawks would almost assuredly run the table. Fortunately, the Big 12 will provide Kansas a far stiffer test than what Memphis will receive in Conference USA.
That’s good for us and for the Jayhawks, who must win five more games to match the record for the best start in school history (22-0 and the 1997 Jacque Vaughn-led Jayhawks).
“It hasn’t come up,” forward Darnell Jackson said when I asked him about going undefeated.
Well, the subject will be broached this season if the Jayhawks are able to play with the kind of intensity and precision they did Monday night consistently. Even before Oklahoma prized freshman Blake Griffin left the game because of a knee injury, Kansas had begun the process of destroying the Sooners.
Kansas’ defense is its No. 1 weapon, and it suffocated Oklahoma’s scorers for the first 10 minutes. Griffin played only 5 of those minutes before limping into the locker room. When he left, the Sooners were down 11-2, and he’d missed both shots he’d taken.
Kansas’ lead eventually ballooned to 20-4 8 minutes, 30 seconds into the game. Guards Russell Robinson and Mario Chalmers, with their quick feet and even quicker hands, set a nasty and pesky tone on the perimeter, and they’re backed by quick and long leapers Darrell Arthur, Darnell Jackson and Sasha Kaun. Kansas’ defensive flexibility and capability almost seems unfair, especially when the opposition loses its best offensive player.
The Jayhawks are nearly as impressive on the opposite end of the court. With Brandon Rush, Chalmers and Sherron Collins, Kansas has an easy bailout when its offense breaks down. Rush, Chalmers or Collins will simply throw in a long three-pointer when the shot clock drips below 10 seconds.
Arthur and Jackson play off each other quite well in the paint. They both can step out and hit the 15-footer. Arthur has developed a solid back-to-the-basket game. Jackson cleans up on garbage buckets.
I can’t find a hole in this team. Maturity and chemistry don’t seem to be issues.
So how does Kansas lose?
Probably on the road. Trips to Missouri, Kansas State, Texas and Texas A&M will be problematic.
“We won’t be overconfident going to Columbia,” Self explained before referencing the Tigers’ huge victory over Texas last weekend.
The Big 12 is pretty good this year. Mike Anderson’s system is starting to produce results. Kansas State’s Michael Beasley and Bill Walker are capable of beating anyone. Texas A&M is well-coached and has lost just one game. The Longhorns, as always under Rick Barnes, are loaded with talent.
If Kansas does manage to run the table, they’ll prove Capel prophetic regardless of what North Carolina and Memphis do.
http://www.kansascity.com/sports/columnists/jason_whitlock/story/444917.html