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Inside the numbers
Coach Williams' comments
Box score
Season stats
Possession analysis
| Lots to talk about after KU’s 79-77 loss to Iowa State, so I’m going to jump right into my thoughts and observations:
- For any KU fans that are still upset about the loss, let’s look at some of the stats:
- Field goal percentage: KU 50% Iowa State 46%
- Rebounds: KU 36 Iowa State 32
- Free throw percentage: KU 80% Iowa State 57%
- KU had 6 players in double figures and was 5 of 11 from 3pt range
When people look at those numbers, most would think KU won the game by 10-15 points. And on most nights, against most teams, that is exactly what would have happened. Well, this wasn’t most nights and tonight Iowa State was no average team. You see, the one stat I left off was Iowa State’s scalding hot 3 point percentage: 65% on 11 of 17 shooting. That is not a typo. It is, however, a cruel joke by the basketball gods.
65%. 11 of 17. And this wasn’t just one player……this was 4 different players. I’ve said before how KU always runs into quick, athletic guards in the NCAA tourney that can hit their shots. Well, these Iowa State guards hit their shots and they hit them from regular 3 pt range and I think they hit a couple from Ames.
- Give credit to Iowa State. They came into Allen Fieldhouse and took it to the Jayhawks. KU led 5-2 after the first minute of the game and never led again. Iowa State shot 62% from the field in the first half. Tinsley, Horton, Sullivan and Power essentially won the game from the 3pt line.
- I’m impressed with KU. Why, you ask? The Jayhawks had a chance to win it at the buzzer after
being down by 12 against a team who hit 11 of 17 threes. To lose by a mere 2 points when a team is lighting it up like that from the outside highlights a tremendous effort by the Hawks. Most people probably haven’t stopped to think about how demoralizing it is from a player’s perspective when a team is en fuego from 3 pt land. Think of how you felt every time you saw yet another Iowa State 3 swish through the net. You felt pretty crappy, didn’t you? Well, imagine being a player, busting your butt and doing everything you can to stop it from happening again……..but another one goes down……and another…….and another. Then try to imagine what it would be like to execute your own offense and defense with that last 3 pointer lingering in your head. It’s not easy. The Jayhawks hung in and didn’t give up. I’m very proud of their effort.
- Why did Luke take the last shot? Apparently, Coach Williams drew up a play with Nick down low as the first option, Boschee as the second option, and Luke as the third option. Unfortunately, Iowa State seemed to know exactly what KU was going to do. Nick was guarded closely, Boschee was guarded closely, and so was Luke, who was forced to throw up an off-balance 3 pointer that hit nothin’ but air. The final play was kind of a microcosm of the whole game: ISU executed better than KU did, just as they had for much of the previous 39 minutes and 50 seconds.
- Luke was visibly frustrated after the game and reportedly had tears welling up in his eyes. I feel bad for Luke. I really do. Hitting the biggest shot of his KU career in front of the Allen Fieldhouse crowd would have been a fitting story for a guy who has gone through so much on and of the court during his time in Lawrence. Unfortunately, the airballed 3 pointer is somewhat a fitting analogy to Luke’s disappointing career at KU. Don’t get me wrong…he is a good kid and has grown up a lot and matured. However, as a basketball player he has been hampered by injuries and has never come close to reaching the expectations he, or KU fans, had. I just hope we haven’t lost Luke mentally for the rest of the year. One 3-pointer in his last 8 games and not hitting the game winner……. those things have to be weighing pretty heavily on his mind right now. Pull through it, Luke. You’re not in Texas anymore. KU fans love you and are behind you.
- KU struggled defensively tonight. Not only did the Jayhawks give up several drives in the lane and numerous "putbacks" from Iowa State, but they also gave up all of those 3’s. Coach Williams mentioned on three different occasions in his post game press conference that our perimeter defenders failed to get a hand up on many of those 3 point shots. Admittedly, Iowa State was on fire, but Coach’s comments make me think he was not satisfied with the defensive effort.
- Mario Kinsey played 3 minutes, giving up the 3 pointer to end the half. Jeff Carey played 2 uneventful minutes. What’s the point? If Coach Williams isn’t going to get these guys more involved than 2-3 minutes a game/every other game, then why bother? Mario and Jeff are not improving as players sitting on the bench. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Their lack of playing time will come back to bite this KU team, when either the guards or the big men get into foul trouble.
- On several occasions, (particularly in the first half) Eric, Nick and Drew were catching the ball 8-10 feet from the basket, taking them far away from where they usually do their normal damage. Get on (and stay on) the blocks, fellas.
- I’m not going to get too much into player by player analysis this week, but here’s some quick thoughts:
The Oklahoma State Cowboys come to Lawrence on Saturday after an emotional win over Misery in Stillwater. What a great win for OSU and what a great opportunity to control the Big XII missed by the Jayhawks. Let’s hope Coach Williams and the boys get back on the winning track.
After the OSU game, KU heads to Ames to take on Iowa State…….again, it’s on national television…….again, it will have Big XII title implications. The game in Ames is a critical point in this Jayhawk season. They must rise to the challenge.
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