Exactly

Embiid was a huge loss. While not an injury, Cliff Alexander was a loss, as well. Keith Langford's injury was the main reason we were a 4 seed and lost to Bucknell in 2005.

Ellis playing on one leg the year we lost to WSU sucked pretty hard as well.

Looking ahead it looks like Self could go to his traditional "in and out" post game he's done the majority of time at KU. We are going to have some quality big guys next season especially if Doke sticks around. He plays the rest of the way and in a couple of tourney games like he did on Saturday, could the NBA come a calling this year?

When I bought tix for my son for Xmas to tonight's game I really thought this would be the game that would decide the conference winner. While OU hasn't lived up to expectations still as much on the line as ever

Cole Aldrich speaks at jersey retirement
 

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nIYyVuQukDA" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe>

I was telling my friend at the beginning of conference play that the real secret to the Streak is not getting swept. If you get swept by anyone, it’s so much harder to win the title.

That is officially the key for Kansas. Not getting swept by anyone guarantees at least a share of the title.

Gee, I wonder if maybe the discrepancy between KU's regular season success (the streak) and it's tournament disappointments (Elite 8 losses) is at least in part due to its best front court players not being healthy and available in March.

Why was coles jersey retired?

Just to give you something to complain about

Highest WS/40 rate of any college player of the last decade, easily the best and most valuable non-four year KU player of the Self era, and beat Tyler Hansbrough down in the semifinal game in '08 on the way to the only title in 30 years.

Yeah, I really have no idea why either.

Ludicrous.

Cole's performance in that game? Yeah, it was.

Ludicrous part 2. First player I googled was his Big 12 contemporary Blake Griffin. Sure enough, Blake leads .290/40 to .282/40. Literally first (and only) guy I googled.


Why do you do this shit when people have internet browsers?

Academic all-american

You're exactly right. Looks like Aldrich was basically on par with the five time NBA All-Star Blake Griffin in terms of rate production and did it over one more season at the college level. Yeah, really no idea why they'd retire his jersey. LMAO

Is there anything that PB won't bitch about these days?

Another thing for PB to bitch about?
 

Sherron Collins is getting his jersey retired at tonight's game.

http://www2.kusports.com/news/2018/f...ens_basketball

They need to hang his jersey up in the Jayhawk Towers elevator.

Found this interesting. In light of the free throws vs West Virginia on Saturday.


https://sports.yahoo.com/myth-realit...171947534.html

Basically, it says that KU is above average at getting free throws on the road as well as at home, but they obviously have a huge home court advantage. Duh, Allen Fieldhouse is one of the most intimidating places for opponents and energizing for the home team. In that way, it's a lot like Arrowhead is for the Chiefs. That being said, since 2004-2005, they only have the 38th best home free throw advantage.


A little more info from posters in the comments section:

Alfredo
A few things are true:

1. West Virginia plays a very high pressure, physical style of defense.
2. West Virginia spent a TON of time launching long distance shots.
3. Kansas either forced the ball inside or attacked the paint off the dribble.
4. Kansas was called for 14 fouls, and WVU was called for 24. When you look at FOULS CALLED, the discrepancy is not as big as the free throw discrepancy would lead you to believe.

Look, folks, you don't get to shoot free throws just because you got fouled. You either have to be in the act of shooting, or be in the bonus.

Sercer88
The reality is, Kansas made a concerted effort to get into the paint, and were largely fouled while shooting, while most of the fouls against Kansas were on the floor.
I know the main point of this article is specifically "free throw disparity" but that's not an accurate depiction of "fair whistle."
Since when do teams HAVE to have equal free throws or even equal fouls? Equal does not mean fair. Some times teams foul more than others. And single games can have extremely skewed foul discrepancies.
The fact of the matter is that KU, in the last 60 home games (so, the last 3.5 years or so) has had the 38th best "home foul advantage" per KenPom numbers. Even though you need a subscription to see the details of these rankings, I will tell you this right now that over that same 60 home game span, 6 OTHER Big 12 teams have an even bigger "home foul advantage" than KU, including the #1 best advantage (Iowa State.)

Looking forward to this since the debacle at Norman.

We get our revenge and stomp OU!

I would love it if we could start keeping up this level of play for an entire game.

Nice to see some intensity.

Lightfoot wrecking pussies. ROFL

Home cooking should help tonight

Looks like OU is not match so far

LOL. Refs are out to prove they’re not biased this game.

Always the shittiest players on the other teams go off

Where are all the mother****ers saying the refs love KU?

So uh, this version of De Sousa...

Looked like OU had it figured out, then went back to not having a concept of offense or the importance of possessions when you're down double digits on the road.

:clap::clap::clap::clap::clap:

This version of KU is pretty easy to watch eh fellas?

I'm sure PB saw plenty he doesn't like so far though.

This shooting performance is INSANITY.

Obligatory (and completely pointless), if they play like that Saturday...

Oklahoma is very good defensively.

Bout time for Lon to be moving on......
Trae saved him this year....
After he leaves for the league....Lon goes too.

Does Trae Young think giving a defensive effort is beneath him or something?

One of my friends told me that teams were gameplanning for him like nobody else in the NCAA and it isn't fair.

He's really good, but Christ is he a ****.

Been awhile since we’ve seen a game like that at home. It was rather enjoyable.

With the exception of Teahan (who was 0-1), every KU player that took a shot hit at least 50% from the field.

He treats games like his own personal shoot around, so I could see why he's annoyed when he has to wait to get the ball back.

OU was hot ****ing garbage defensively.

If only Tech's defense was a shitty as OU's. :( :( :(

There were several times where our guys were like, "What? You're not going to guard me? OK..."

Wonder if Trae Young regrets not coming to KU now?

That’s why he chose OU over KU. In an interview with Rivals last spring a few months after he committed, his dad said if they would’ve gotten a better idea around their time frame if Graham was leaving he would’ve went to KU. He wanted to be the man, showcase his talents to get noticed enough so he could be a OAD. He had no interest playing second fiddle or playing more than one year. That wouldn’t have been possible at KU with Graham potentially coming back. It all worked out for the best though. He wouldn’t be playing right now with the way he turns it over and refuses to play defense. Self isn’t having none of that.

The word from Duncan is he avoided MU for similar reasons (second fiddle to MPJ).

Sorry to bring them up - but this seems to be a trend for Trae.

He’d be real pissed with Self not letting him take naps on defense.

I just imagine PB as an angry 60 year old grey haired man who drives a huge F350 pick up ywt has never caught a fish or towed a trailer in his life.

He had literally zero chance of ending up at Mizzouche


He was going to OU all along. Always hung out with the players, was at their games and in their locker room constantly.

Trae Young is overrated, remember a few weeks ago when i posted about my buddy a huge OU fan not liking Trae and a lot of people here gave me shit about it. Yeah, can you see why now?

Yeah, if he'd just shut the **** up and stop thinking he's Steph Curry (he's not) and just go to work, he'd be a great player that would be drafted high. But he can't. Because he's a ****.

Isn't he a lottery pick in most mocks?

On a side note, Graham gets drafted but no one else. Does everyone else stay?

Svi is a senior. Vick is a junior and Newman is a soph or jr but I wouldn't be unhappy to see them gone if it means we land Langford. That being said, Vick has been playing better the past 3 games. Hope he keeps it up. Newman can score well at times but he still doesn't play much defense.

I just looked at a couple of mock drafts and they both have Graham in the second round. One even has Svi as a late second rounder.

I found this interesting. This mock has Svi going late first round to the Spurs. That actually makes a lot of sense to me. The team, not where they project him to be picked. That does seem a little high to me.

https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/n...l-possibility/

I think Azabuke will not enter the draft. I don't see his name on any mocks (albeit many of them don't mock the 2nd round) not to mention that there are a lot of centers already in this draft. I think he comes back next year and will be unstoppable.

No, that's not what happened. You said OU fans were sick of hearing about him all over the media.

Wont Newman be back? It looks like he's no where in these mock drafts.

Yeah, he will probably be back. I was just hoping one or both of he and Vick might transfer. At least Vick has been playing better as of late. Newman, if he could just figure out how to score consistently and play better defense, he would actually be a pretty good player.

Most have us at #1 seed. Assuming that we will beat TT. Seems surprising to me to be ranked that high especially the way we have played this year. Must be the blue blood thing?

Newman transfer? Sit out another year? No way that happens.

Quality wins

There was a stat showed during the game last night. I think it read something like KU has the most BPI top 50 wins in the country this year.

Yeah, you're probably right. It was just wishful thinking on my part. Actually, he can figure out how to score consistently and defend then I'll be happy with him.

Everybody sucks.

Well, maybe not sucks, but I don't know who has a great case to be a 1 or 2 above KU. They've been on the 2 line for a while, but Purdue lost 3 in a row and Auburn just lost to South Carolina... OTOH, KU has the most wins against the top 25 and top 5.

And of course, the whole "softest KU team ever" and "the streak is over" stuff is said every year... not to say it's all complete BS this year and they'll be in another Elite Eight, but I'm sure the chicken little shit skews perception some.

Pretty much this. Everyone is hot garbage. Or at least has played like it for a few games.

I don't envy the committee.

A few weeks ago I thought KU would be a 3 seed and possibly be lucky enough to get a 2. I never thought KU would be in line for a 1 seed. That's crazy.

I'd be surprised if Young wasn't Lottery. But after Wright got drafted I quit trying to guess was execs will do.

Yeah, I have to agree.

A whole bunch of turds out there this year. This team included.

This could be the year Bail brings home another title!

I've been wrong about how players will do in the NBA plenty of time, but I don't see Young excelling in the NBA as a scorer. He's a hell of a distributor though, and should do just fine on the offensive end in the NBA. He sure looks like a defensive liability though.

FYP

What? Selby got drafted? Seriously? I don’t remember that at all.

49th pick. I will be damned.

KU has the most Quadrant 1 and Quadrant 2 wins, and it isn't really even close. Are they as good as a Top 4 team in the country? Probably not. But we don't use predictive measures and Kenpom to seed teams. We seed them based on what they have earned. If they earn a Big 12 title, in the Top 1 or 2 conference in America. They are a #1 seed.

Cue the 19th year in a row people claim college basketball is having a "down" year.

Plenty of good teams out there, just more parity, IMO.

Doubtful Bail even gets out of the first weekend.

I think the odds are even that we drop out in the first weekend, or make another E8. I wouldn't be shocked either way.

Louisville just got stripped of their 2013 NCAA Title. The NCAA claims it was due to stripper parties, but they're also likely trying to get out in front of the ADIDAS news that will drop this year.