Playing our core guys almost all the way to the end

I loved every aspect of our win today, as noted earlier. The one slight thing that I didn't really get--or think was a service to the team going forward--was leaving Frank, Devonte, and Perry in the game even as we built a 24-point lead with less than 3 minutes to go.

As Newell put it in his wrap on the game:

Though Self was noncommittal early in the week about extending his starters’ minutes with the NCAA Tournament looming, he appeared to let the competitive juices take over in Thursday’s victory. Though KU held control most of the second half, Graham (34 minutes), Mason (32) and Ellis (30) didn’t receive extended rest, instead playing until the final media timeout at the 2:38 mark.

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I love Self's competitive streak, but I feel like our assistant coaches need to be a little more assertive at whispering in his ear at times like the above--just to say "Coach, we're up by a couple dozen, you want someone else to go in?" It doesn't have to be the walk-on guys, even, with Vick and Brannen and others available there.

I just know that, from about the 5-minute mark on down, I winced every time Frank or Devonte flew down the court on a breakout, risking a bad foul by a Purp that might send them flying, twisting an ankle or what-not (not to mention just them getting more gassed by being out there, with 2 more games to go in 2 successive days). Same thing with Perry out there--the guy who hurt himself on the final game of the season last year, just prior to the Dance, and then wasn't himself against the Shockers.

Maybe I worry too much, but in a game that was a big blowout, I just feel like the only thing I would've personally liked to have seen was a little less floor time for our crucial players toward the end.

Just my $.02...

Is it possible that Self enjoys beating KSU?
Yes.
Is it possible that Self enjoys beating Squeaky even more?
Would a guy want to beat the team of the guy who held a funeral for him at his last job?
Mmmm... it's a possibility...

I get all the reasons, and I always believe you have to keep your foot on the opponent's neck until there is no doubt. But yesterday, that point came well before the under-3 mark, when the guys who are essential to our tourney success (starting next week) were still on the floor, flying up and down the court, going airborne, etc.

Over the years I've just seen far too many injuries occur right on the eve of the most important part of the season, so it makes me wince and squint. That's all.

My main concern is avoiding injuries when it's a blowout and they don't have to be in.

As for the "fresh legs" argument, I can see that, too--but I just have to put my faith in Self and the staff that they have a good bead on that dimension, and manage it deftly.

We know they're going to have to play a lot tonight and, if they win, again tomorrow..then they'll get a few days of non-game action to hopefully rejuvenate. At this point in the season, it's "go time" and we just have to hope that our tenacious core guys can muster every ounce of energy they have to get the job done.

Fingers crossed...

For those "we gotta have Lucas, Bragg just isn't ready" believers out there....uhhh did you SEE the game? He's ready and he doesn't miss two foot dunks.

We're 13-1 since Landen was named the starter, with the sole loss coming at the very front end, back in late January in the hostile setting of Ames. So I personally am done going back and forth with you on Lucas. Clearly you can't stand him as a player, and no amount of empirical evidence as to how the team performs with him out there will change that.

As for Bragg yesterday, yes, in fact, I did see it. He hit two nice outside shots to further show off his game as a stretch 4, yet failed to get a single rebound and didn't play much interior defense.

His skill set is far more that of a stretch 4 than it is banging inside at the 5 spot (which is what Landen does, and does very well). Bragg is thin and malleable and needs to bulk up big-time if he's not going to get pushed around in the future. I love his upside, but his game at present is better served as a sub for Perry and/or as an extra scoring threat (without much defensive help inside).

Next year I look for Hudy to have beefed him up and for him to take on a much bigger role. As for this year, I'm hoping for some "Cole-like" minutes in the tourney, for good energy, and hitting some key buckets when called on...but as for playing the 5, that's Landen's spot, as has been shown in this solid KU winning streak (12 in a row with Lucas manning the middle). It's apples and oranges, in other words, so a zero-sum comparison of the two together is off-base, IMO.

My overall take is that Self is doing a masterful job now of working the rotation, to include inside with Jamari and Bragg as primary augmentative pieces for Ellis and Lucas. Same thing with Svi and Brannen outside. I really feel the rotation has clicked for Self and the team for going on well over a month now. I know you don't see it that way, but it's really hard to argue with the success we've had.

It was a great sight to see--Bragg scoring his career high. (See Newtonhawk's and my threads on it from yesterday--we were thrilled for the kid) But, again, Bragg doesn't play the 5, so it's not a good comparison. And Lucas does so many other things that complete the team, per the gazillion articles we've seen on that score. There's a reason, going far beyond points scored, that the other starters (and Self) want him in the paint, and so far it's paid off in spades.

A couple other points:

* Yesterday was "Bad Lucas" when it came to the inside shots--I noted that on here, as he missed two easy bunnies. But ever since being named starter, he's had far more "good" moments on offense than bad, which is pure gravy given all the other contributions he makes. To wit, looking over the 12-game winning streak, Lucas has averaged 7 points per game (alongside his 7.5 boards). Given the fact that his role is simply to complement the bountiful other scorers we have, while rebounding, playing solid D, setting crucial picks, and creating nice spacing for our other players, I'll take that production any day of the week.

* That was one game for Carlton. A supremely solid 11 minutes in terms of scoring production, which is awesome to see. But still only one game, not a long trend line...(in the prior 11 games he had 6, 2, 0, 0, 2, 6, 2, 0, 2, 0, and 2 points)...so you can't extrapolate from just one anomalous (albeit nice!) showing.

But the larger point is it's not a zero-sum thing. One is more of a 5, the other more of a stretch 4. And we don't need (or certainly want) one to do "badly" while the other performs well. Not a zero sum thing. I say let them ALL perform their roles and contribute, a la the '08 squad, so we are a truly formidable force out there. And then let Bragg come back next year and make the big sophomore leap--when we'll really need him to do so, given the loss of all of Perry's point production.

Just my take. I appreciate the back and forth.