Some things change, and some abide the same.
This year, for North Carolina’s abominable collapse and Kentucky’s boastful acceleration aback into the academy basketball elite, there is the connected abundance of the Kansas Jayhawks.
Seriously, you accept to duke it to Bill Self’s club. Each year, they airing into amateur with a gigantic ambition on their backs. Sometimes, the ambition aloof block calmly off their backs and they cruise. Other times, they struggle. Already this year, they fell, adversity a accident at the easily of Tennessee. Best times, though, they persevere. They agitate off the obstacles. And they win.
Just booty a attending at three of their aftermost four amateur … best KU.
Against an outstanding, fired-up Kansas State club in a absonant Bramlage Coliseum, Kansas withstood 15 turnovers, a revved up sea of purple, and an afflicted Sherron Collins and prevailed 81-79 in overtime. The hero? Collins himself, who fought cramps to appear up with a admirable three-point comedy to allowance the accord for the Jayhawks.
KU afresh survived an overtime alarm in Boulder. Despite one of the best bottomless nights at the chargeless bandy band (18-of-38) one can bethink from a top-ranked team, the Jayhawks fabricated the clamp plays back they bare to, and Colorado’s hopes for a above agitated were denied to the tune of 72-66.
And afresh tonight, the Jayhawks went to Austin for what was declared to be a big time showdown with the Texas Longhorns. Yet, the moment afterwards the aperture tip-off, was there any activity out there that said Kansas wouldn’t win the game?
Kansas bedeviled the Longhorns. Their brawl ascendancy absolutely afflicted Texas. Their casual was crisp, their aegis sharp. KU endemic the paint, and all Dexter Pittman could do was watch the appearance disentangle in advanced of him. Pittman accomplished the night with 3 points, accepting been abeyance by Cole Aldrich in his own house. And what about Aldrich … 6 blocks tonight in a absurd arresting performance.
Final score: Kansas 80, Texas 68. The final account had no absorption on aloof how abundant bigger KU was.
Granted, Texas is in a appealing big slump, but the bulletin beatific tonight was clear. For one, Kansas is still the baron of the Big 12. And second, for Texas to accept any attempt at the civic appellation game, they charge to achievement for a phenomenon book in which they don’t face the Jayhawks.
It’s arduous consistency. It’s brilliant, arid at times, but it’s acceptable basketball. And Kansas has able the art.
You will consistently acquisition at atomic three KU players in double-figures — four players boilerplate over 10 credibility a game. They’ll about consistently accept double-digit marks in abhorrent rebounds, best generally in steals. They advance the NCAA in opponents’ acreage ambition percentage, while baronial in the top bristles in scoring offense. Their abetment to about-face arrangement stands at a solid 1.4-to-1. They aren’t the best cutting team, but they’re absolutely one of the scrappiest. Collins is a baton from the get-go. Brady Morningstar is acceptable a austere alfresco threat. Aldrich owns the paint, and Marcus Morris is absolutely acrimonious up his game, acceptable an added central force for Kansas.
If the clip of the bold is slow, half-court basketball, KU can win (ask Memphis). If the bold is fast-paced, full-court hoops, KU can win (ask Missouri).
It’s so regular, it takes the abrupt avalanche of teams like North Carolina and UCLA to acknowledge the connected acceptable in Lawrence. Even with the acceleration of Texas and Kansas State in the Big 12, Kansas aloof keeps sitting at the top.
While it is absolutely not bright as to how March will unfold, one has to bethink Monday night as the night area Kansas already afresh asserted its dominance. Time and time again, the Jayhawks apperceive how to acquisition that acceptable formula. And it’s that connected success back it counts that should accept anybody cerebration “Rock, Chalk, Jayhawk” back it’s time to ample in those brackets.