WTF is wrong with this team!

Speechless, this team is just not good. Amazing the impact of losing Azubuike has had on this team. I know that in many seasons past after a particular game or rough patch of games the panic meter goes off the charts, but seriously what is there to be optimistic about this team. It seems the ceiling has been met and this is a medicore team with another big. Seriously Texas and West Virgina are two bad losses and there are going to be a lot more unless the team or HCBS find a solution. Arghh! And it feels like -60F outside.

I hate to say it but this is squarely on HCBS. Except for OA I have never seen a less motivated or determined team (unless you’re talking determined to lose)! They literally play as though the’re going through a “walk through” practice! Come on- set a decent pick; USE the pick; roll hard; move without the ball; etc, etc, etc!!!!!!

Start five players that will give 100% effort and I can live with the results win/lose. What is hard to watch is this team lose to Texas and a downright lousy West Virgina team because of lack of effort, execution and honestly it seems like pride in the Kansas Jersey. LV has checked out, he is jut playing out the string, D. Lawson is doing all that he can, Dotson is going through his ups/downs, AO is a keeper, Grimes is Giddeonesgue... So this is a subpar KU team, but I thought they were still better than losing to subpar UT and WVU team. I agree this falls on hCBs, but players need to have pride and represent the Kansas tradition.

You shouldn't have to coach effort. That frustrates me. No leadership. I know he's three weeks removed from burning the redshirt but OA gives the effort, sets the example. We need guys to drive into the shot blockers and create some contact. May still get some blocked, but we'll get to the line and create fouls for them. 11 of our 16 free throw attempts came in the last 3:36 of the game. I'm never giving up on any of our teams, and don't claim to have the answers,but we have TT next followed by K St, so it's not going to get easier. And effort, by everyone is needed. Now.

I am pretty sure every other HCBS team improved palpably over semester break and into January. This group improved by removing a redshirt. Maybe they could beat the November version of themselves ,but the competition is all getting better at a faster rate.

I would not call Texas and West Virgina better than Marquette, Ten, Mich St, or the other teams KU played in non-conf. Losing Azubuike hurts, but it hurts more given the other players are not further along in their development.

Can a team be built around OA? His talent and effort seemed far ahead of most of his teammates last night.

I picked a heckuva time to start being positive!

I didn't want to suggest that the teams on the conference schedule are better teams than those we beat in November. Amateur basketball teams almost always improve over the course of the season because of game experience, conditioning and, sorry AI, practice.

What I was trying to say is that compared to prior KU teams, and compared to our recent opponents this years team is improving at a substantially slower rate.

I'm by no means bashing Self, but even a HOF coach makes mistakes.

What in the world did he see a month ago that led him to believe our best chance to win was to have OA as a redshirt?

He's by far one of the most athletic, aggressive, confident and skilled players we have right now. He's making passes as if he has multiple years in Self's system and knows where everyone is, or should be.

If it was simply to assure older players got their playing time, then I think the older players should just play better than a freshman.

I'll take a stab at what HCBS might have seen to keep OA in a redshirt.

Early season/pre-season: we're deep. Bigs include Dok, De Sousa (likely) then Mitch and McCormick. Vick is an experienced wing, Grimes has shown how good he is over the summer, Dotson and Moore as options at PG, and let's not forget an experienced Garrett as a defensive lock down guy. We're stacked and there are enough minutes between Grimes, Vick and Garrett and KJ that it's better to sit OA, let him get some practice/Huddy time, and he'll be playing 30+ next year.

Dok goes out, DeSousa is still in limbo.....well, the switch is going to have to flip pretty soon on Grimes, and Vick is playing well, we don't need AO yet.

Finally, DeSousa still in limbo, Garrett playing a ton of minutes as a 4 (not his position), Vick is worthless, the switch hasn't ignited with Grimes....take the redshirt off of AO.

Not totally absolving HCBS here, but in addition to the Dok/DeSousa situation, there were plenty of people here (myself included) that thought Grimes would have his "eureka moment" at any time (and we're still waiting) and hopeful that Vick would display some maturity and experience.

Finally, back to the Grimes/Agbaji comparison: pre-season Grimes was THE guy. Top recruit, etc. Agbaji had certainly climbed up in his ranking, but Grimes was the 'real deal' with experience playing under Self to show for it. No shock at all that Agbaji got the red shirt and THEN started showing in practice what he could do.

Not O was spot on with how I saw things. Let's just hope find a little something soon.