Phog Blog » KU UT Postgame

KU UT Postgame

posted by Jeremy Chrysler on 2/25/2006 -

I won’t take anything away from UT. Both defensively and offensively, they played great. If they play like that, they will be in the Final Four.

They just couldn’t miss and I think that demoralized us over time.

A brief rant: It’s time for Dick Vitale to retire. I used to enjoy his enthusiasm, but he’s become an absurd caricature of himself. ESPN should have higher standards for their in-game analysis. Seriously Dick? Talking about the square footage of Shaq’s house? What a slap in the face.

How much are they paying you to ignore the game? ESPN and its viewers ought to demand more.

UT beats anybody in the country tonight, and while 25 points is much much worse than I expected, the season’s not over and our Baby Jays are going to grow up.

Here’s my Saturday Night Special Guarantee: Brandon Rush will be a Jayhawk next year.

Here’s my Saturday Night Wish: Dick Vitale gives up the mic for color commentary. He just doesn’t add anything to the game for anyone. He doesn’t provide any special insight into what’s happening *on the floor. Indeed, he only masks his ignorance of the game by blabbering endlessly about every imaginable topic except that which he should be talking: what’s happening between the baskets.

I’m really not that down about this game. We hit Texas on a blistering night and we really had no chance. Bill will teach these guys a lot from the game and our boys have already shown that they can rebound.

They’ll wake up smiling tomorrow and they’ll rebound strongly.

Have a good night everybody!

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23 Responses to “KU UT Postgame”

crackel Says:
February 25th, 2006 at 10:25 pm
Texas had more trouble vs KSU.
crackel Says:
February 25th, 2006 at 10:27 pm
Just saying man. Losing by 25 is just embarrassing.
chief.gordon Says:
February 25th, 2006 at 10:34 pm
i had to watch the game with the volume down. i just couldn’t take vitale.
MichiganJayHawk Says:
February 25th, 2006 at 10:40 pm
Wow, what difference a couple of days can make. Texas just couldn’t miss tonight. Ku just couldn’t string 3 or 4 solid scroing possesions together. I agree that the BabyJays became demoralized as the game progressed. I thought a comeback was in the making with about 10 minutes and the lead dropping to 16 after a good couple of KU stops and scores. Texas responded and KU just seemed deflated.

This game should do the Hawks some good, maybe they were buying into some of the ESPN hype too much. This team seems most hungry when they are being dissed.

Can’t wait for the re-match in the Big-12 Tourney, should be a doozey with the Hawks coming out on-top by 5.
Chalmers Says:
February 25th, 2006 at 10:41 pm
Texas really was blistering… their two backups, Abrams and Atchley combined for 5 triples. Kind of like that OSU game 2 years back where OSU had 3 or 4 banked 3’s in the first half, it was incredibly demoralizing.

Our defense did a bad job of dictating which of Texas’s players would take their shots… I thought that KU’s best bet was double Aldridge ad infinitum. KU didn’t double Aldridge enough and doubled Tucker entirely too much. Tonight’s game was more about a differential in made shots than a difference in gameplanning, although Texas’s scouting on Julian Wright was pretty good.

The season isn’t over. 1st thing’s first- beat Colorado on senior night this Wednesday. Do it by 20+ points to show us that the team has not been put in a funk. At the same time, Go Aggies. By 9:00 Wednesday KU will have clinched 2nd place, and potentially will be tied for 1st again. All is not lost.
Chalmersfan Says:
February 25th, 2006 at 10:43 pm
Whoops, I got the name wrong on the first post.
Aric Toler Says:
February 25th, 2006 at 11:00 pm
Exactly. Our next two are very winnable, but Texas has a rough couple of games. They have A&M at College Station then OU at home. We can easily win out and it’s fairly likely for them to drop one game. The regular season title is still in sight.
blakjakhawk Says:
February 25th, 2006 at 11:17 pm
I just don’t see a positive out of this game. Every time KU has faced a new obstacle this season they have taken a few games to get accustomed to the new level. Playing at NCAA Div. I level basketball-see Maui. Playing in the Big-12-see KSU and Mizzu. Playing top-flight teams-try and re-watch tonight’s game without puking. They should adjust and do fine the rest of the season before the NCAA tourney, but I feel like they will flame out when the ante gets raised again. I have really enjoyed the season and the way the kids have responded to the adversity. I just feel like the one-done nature of the tourney will destroy their learning curve. They have shown the ability to bounce back, but the NCAA tourney is not so forgiving to teams that have to learn from their mistakes. I hope I am wrong.
blakjakhawk Says:
February 25th, 2006 at 11:20 pm
Dick Vitale comment-yes he needs to be put out to pasture or shot, whichever you feel is more humanitarian. The man prattles on at least half the time about how fantistic college basketball or a certain player/team is (insert Shaq, JJ Redick, Roy Williams, Duke, etc.)ignoring the actual game that is being played. I don’t have to hear him most of the time, because I just put the sound on mute.
Jeremy Chrysler Says:
February 26th, 2006 at 12:48 am
Again, I’m not worried about this game at all. We’re a young team and we’re bound to wet the bed every once in a while.

This will be a good game because it had a tournament atmosphere, but I don’t think that anyone can really get too down considering how well UT shot.

It wasn’t a buzzsaw, it was a saw mill.

We’ll bounce back with renewed focus. Our seed in the NCAA tournament will be a lot worse now, but that’s the breaks. I think a 4 is still a possibility, but a 5 or 6 is more likely at this point.

We’ve got to - as CF mentioned - dictate the game from the defensive end. Our big vulnerability is hot three point shooting (our 2 pt fg defense was pretty good in the first half) and they abused us. That was compounded by our lack of ability to hit open shots (1/8 on threes in the first half).

The team that hit open jumpers was likely going to win this game - I just didn’t expect the disparity to look like this.
Jeff Says:
February 26th, 2006 at 9:02 am
You know, we overreacted when the team was down and we overreacted when the team was up. Now we kind of know where this team stands. Go KU!
ChicagoHawks Says:
February 26th, 2006 at 9:13 am
Did Texas start losing hope after barely beating KSU last week? No way, that pushed them to do better yesterday and that’s the same thing our boys are going to do. It sounds like some people on this message board just let their spirits plummet after last night but what doesn’t kill our boys only makes em stronger.

So Texas nailed 10/20 3-pointers and Aldredge was nearly perfect; how many times is that going to happen this year? I think it will be a completely different game should we meet them in Dallas in a few weeks.

And you can’t compare these current Jayhawks to the ones who went to Maui in any way. That was a team who really had never played a real D1 game yet. This was just a really bad night for us and a really good night for Texas. You live, you learn. I’d much rather us take the hit right now so that we can recover in time for March.

And I am so done with Dickie V. To be honest, I’m tired of having our games aired on ESPN. All they do is promote their upcoming shows right in the middle of the screen while the game is being played, or take the 30 at 30 and shrink the screen that everyone is watching ESPN for. Sorry, just had to vent.
DavidH Says:
February 26th, 2006 at 10:58 am
I love how the 30 at 30 was exactly the same both times, AND it was about crap that happened way before the game even started. Worthless.

I have to say, this was more than just Texas hitting shots and Kansas missing them. Texas absolutely detroyed KU on the boards, 34-17, and it seemed like every loose ball was scooped up by Buckman. It felt like every inside shot KU took was in jeopardy of being blocked, as well. Texas just seemed bigger and stronger.
Chalmersfan Says:
February 26th, 2006 at 11:16 am
It wasn’t completely about making shots… KU wasn’t going to win yesterday because of Aldridge and Buckman, and because it was a home game. Remember, in Texas’s only home loss this year they were missing Buckman and Gibson. The differential in points from treyland is what caused the final margin yesterday, but I don’t think KU could have won anyway, despite all the homer predictions we made before the game.
Jeremy Chrysler Says:
February 26th, 2006 at 11:18 am
Texas dominated the game, sure, and they were the better team last night, but I don’t think the game would play out like that if we played it 10 times.

As Mark points out in his latest REAL Standings, this was the first time our team has encountered the environment in which they found themselves last night.

They clearly didn’t react very well.

They were tentative offensively and defensively. When you give a team as talented as UT a half second edge, they’re going to get the loose balls.

And given the bounces, I wasn’t too upset with last night. This team will bounce back and I do think it will be different under different circumstances.

Ultimately, this loss just hurts our seeding a bit, while perhaps showing that we’re still a young team with real limitations.

It’s sometimes hard for me to see those.

That being said, if we take another shot like we did last night from anyone in the nation, I will be very surprised.
Stew Says:
February 26th, 2006 at 1:16 pm
Here are some limitations to contemplate:
1) No one to back up Rush: if he’s hurt, in foul trouble, tired or ineffective there’s no Plan B.
2) No one to come off the bench and spark the offense with some 3s.
Why is Bill Self the only one who admits that there’s a piece missing (since one player struggled, then gave up and quit)?
This hole will remain next year, even if Rush comes back. And if he doesn’t?
Chalmersfan Says:
February 26th, 2006 at 1:32 pm
Rush was ineffective because of the zone… I don’t know if any team in the country would have success if Texas plays zone at home. As Brad Nessler pointed out, KU had great ball movement but Texas stayed right with it. I don’t think there is a harder zone to play against in the country than the one KU saw yesterday; our opponents in the future are either not going to play zone or will be blitzed by our ball movement when they go zone. I’m not too worried.

Oh, and if you want 3’s, wait for Sherron Collins. He reminds me of Dee Brown from the videos I’ve seen of him.
Sooner Nick Says:
February 26th, 2006 at 2:30 pm
Ouch guys. Not here to poke fun, as Sooner Nation has huge problems of our own (3 barn burners in a row…), but the worst thing about Saturday was that Buckman made plays. The guys is terrible and disappears every big game. Anyone should beat you from Texas, anyone but the Buckman.
One on One: Buckman versus Buck Grimm?
awiggo Says:
February 26th, 2006 at 11:41 pm
I’m one of the co-authors of BurntOrangeNation.com. I went to the game on Saturday night. Don’t hang your heads. Your freshman are outstanding. Wright was partiularly impressive. If Rush stays KU will be top five next season. On Saturday night, Texas played our most complete game of the season. Our zone was as good as it has been all year and Aldrige and Abrams couldn’t miss. I fully expect a rematch in Dallas and for KU to win a game or two in the NCAAs. You can check out my review on my site if you wish.
Tim Hibbard Says:
February 27th, 2006 at 12:05 pm
KU vs UT…

…
MMHorns Says:
February 27th, 2006 at 12:52 pm
Where is RockChalk?
I was at the game and have to say I was very impressed with KU’s ball movement. This Texas team is just too talented - there was absolutely nothing they could do to hang with the Horns. Your youngens will come around soon if you can keep them.
John Price Says:
February 27th, 2006 at 4:33 pm
I went from Dallas to Austin to see the game Saturday night with my son and his father-in-law (both UT grads). Even before the game started, it looked like there was a lid on the KU basket. After the first 10 minutes, it was pretty much an ass-wiping. In KU’s favor, UT was exceedingly hot, but I don’t buy the home crowd crap. I remember the days back in the 70s when K-State’s fans were much louder and far more intimidating.

I think KU’s youth just found themselves overwhelmed by UT starting in the second half, and they looked stunned and lost. UT could probably have beaten any team handedly the way they played, but I clearly over-estimated the maturity of the Hawks at this point in the season. Oh well, it was a good, albeit painful, learning experience.

PS. I agree it had the flavor of a professional game. Seemed very strange.
Chalmersfan Says:
February 27th, 2006 at 4:59 pm
MM, you weren’t the only one. Vitale said that KU was putting on a passing clinic; Nessler was impressed with the way KU moved the ball while rarely dribbling. Texas was just too big and quick in their zone.

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KU UT Postgame

23 Responses to “KU UT Postgame”

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