thats for next year. Self is going to have at least 4 talented big men. He will go back to his traditional high/low offense.

I don’t see any scenerio that Self sits Vick on the bench in the NCAA’s.

Hot take: KU is a better team with De Sousa and not Azubuike playing the majority of the minutes at the 5 spot.

As much as I would love to just bench Vick, I don't think they can at this point. The team has really only played and practiced with four guards. It's too late to make that kind of big change.

no coach in their right mind would bench an all year starter for non disciplinary or injury reasons before the NCCA’s.

I wasn’t saying bench him. But without looking it up it seems like Vick’s minutes have been down since that ridiculous slump he went into midseason.

I think you give Silvio some of those minutes and a few of Mitch’s. But Mitch needs to be on the floor. He does too much positive.

After watching the last 3 games, it's hard to argue with that.

Huggy doesn't think so?

no way Doke gets to some of those rebounds.

Doke is a starter. No change can be made now. But, Mitch is a totally different situation. DeSousa can take Mitch’s minutes without disrupting the team on the eve of the NCAA’s.

I'm willing to let Self figure out playing time and combinations, I think he's earned it.

As awesome as Silvio was, and he was awesome today, let's not forget he doesn't draw quite the attention Udoka does yet. Its great to see him starting to click, though, it relieves so much pressure regarding our depth.

If we're blowing out the 16 seed, I could see Self possibly going with two big for a bit, but he's not changing the formula now. There are still things Silvio doesn't know yet, but if he can come in and rebound like he did, he'll be a huge help.

Is Silvio De Sousa the next big thing for Kansas?

BY BLAIR KERKHOFF| BKERKHOFF@KCSTAR.COM
1 hr. ago

The occasion clearly was too big for the newest Kansas Jayhawk, Silvio De Sousa.

In his debut on Jan. 13 against Kansas State in Lawrence, De Sousa committed a foul and a turnover and KU was outscored by eight points while he was on the floor. He looked like the high school player he was only weeks earlier.

Spin ahead to Saturday. There was De Sousa flying toward the rim to flush an offensive rebound, going up strong on the defensive glass and — this may have been the best part to teammates — not taking any grief from West Virginia muscleman Sagaba Konate.

Add it up, and De Sousa’s best game as a collegian resulted in a stat line of 16 points on 8 of 8 shooting, 10 rebounds, a steal and two fouls as the Jayhawks captured the Big 12 Tournament title with an 81-70 victory over the Mountaineers at the Sprint Center.

Kansas needed the production. Without 7-foot center Ukoka Azubuike, out for the tournament because of a sprained MCL, the Jayhawks relied on De Sousa and Mitch Lightfoot to plug the hole. Lightfoot was solid in the first two games, but was held without a point and had two rebounds Saturday.

De Sousa was a revelation.

“He did a great job sticking with it, coming to practice every day, learning the plays, and it’s finally paying off,” Kansas guard Devonte' Graham said.

With the Jayhawks’ perimeter prowess, West Virginia and Konate needed to bull KU in the paint. But De Sousa allowed Kansas to hold its own and not be intimidated.

“Whoever talks to me, I don’t listen to them,” De Sousa said. “I’d rather listen to my point guard than anybody else. (Konate) was talking to me, but I acted like I wasn’t listening to him.”

De Sousa said he once tried to engage in conversation with Konate, but didn’t get a response.

“I was getting in his head,” De Sousa said.

Konate dunked on Lightfoot about 90 seconds into the game, and the chirping started, but De Sousa made a vow to himself.

“I was going to make sure it didn’t happen again,” De Sousa said.

Konate finished with 18 points and five rebounds, and the Mountaineers held the rebounding edge 37-27. But Kansas got more than they ever expected from their freshman playing in his 15th game.

“Silvio was fabulous, I mean fabulous,” Kansas coach Bill Self said. “I mean he doesn’t know what he’s doing but he showed everybody he can catch lobs, he can rebound, he can compete.

“Konate definitely hurt us ... but Silvio did a much better job keeping him off his spot.”

After the game, De Sousa said there was no grudge. In the handshake line he said he and Konate exchanged congratulations and the West Virginia sophomore from Mali learned that De Sousa was from Angola.

In the victorious locker room, De Sousa said Self told him he was a star. De Sousa blushed.

“I don’t know, but I think should be good with him,” De Sousa said. “Tonight I proved to him that I can play.”

Yeah DeSouza is really good around the rim and rebounds well.

He’s pretty strong for being so young.

He’s probably not the offensive player doke is yet but will or could be pretty quick.

I’d actually be interesting in a lineup with Silvio at the 4 and dole at the 5, similar to what they did with the Morris twins

Sign me up for a march coming out party.

Depends on the matchup. Traditionally good guard play wins in March and I guess I’m good with the guys we have.

If the matchup is there, roll a big lineup out. But I’m not seeing much for teams that have a lot of size.

Man this league sucks

Wish we could leave it

I'm not worried about DeSouza's offense. But he isn't the post defender and rim protector that Doke is. For me, that is DeSouza's biggest limitation at this moment.

But Souza's ceiling is really high. There is no reason to think he can't be a good defender. After he adds 20 or 30 lbs in the weight room he might be quite the power forward.