Watch Out for Kansas in March

By Big12-Fans Writer Jeff Borzello

Look back at Tuesday, December 6th. In New York, at Madison Square Garden, on a national stage, the Kansas Jayhawks lost to St. Joseph’s that night to drop to 2-4 on the season. At that point, KU only had wins over Idaho State and Western Illinois. With a game coming up against Leon Powe and a hot California team, things weren’t looking very promising. People were saying that this would be the first year in a long time that Kansas would not partake in the NCAA Tournament. The freshmen were not meshing well and there seemed to be chemistry problems. However, that Saturday, something must have happened. The Jayhawks dominated Cal by 13 to improve to 3-4. That kicked off a 7-game winning streak that included victories over Colorado and Kentucky.

At 9-4, the national media began to take notice of Kansas in a positive light. Back-to-back losses to Kansas State—at home, nonetheless—and Missouri put a severe halt on that talk, though. The Jayhawks had a horrible RPI and had a lot of work to do before even getting back into the NCAA discussion. Since then, KU is 6-0 and are now 7-2 in the Big 12, only one game behind Texas. Three of those wins were on the road, and one of the home victories was over Oklahoma. Their power numbers have improved, and Kansas is now a near-lock for the Field of 65. If you haven’t taken a look at the Jayhawks in a couple of months, now is the time. Kansas is going to be a team no one wants to play in March.

In their wins this season, the Jayhawks have outscored their opponents by an average of over 23 points per game. Only one win was by less than ten points. On the other hand, their six losses have been by an average of just over 4 points per game and only one loss was by more than four points. To translate: Kansas does not get blown out and have the ability to run a team out of the building if they are firing on all cylinders.

KU is a phenomenal defensive team. They lead the country in field-goal percentage defense, have the second-best scoring defense in the Big 12, and own the second-most efficient defense in the country (according to Ken Pomeroy). The Jayhawks have allowed over 70 points only four times this season—and won two of those. On the other hand of the floor, Kansas has moved up to 4th in the Big 12 in scoring offense. In December, the offense was considered a weakness for the Jayhawks. Now, it is a well-rounded group that can beat you from any position. At one point this season, KU had scored at least 70 points in 10 of 11 games—including seven performances of at least 83 points.

A very young team, Kansas has some of the best talent in the country. Brandon Rush is developing into one of the top freshmen in the nation. He has begun to become more aggressive offensively, which has made the Jayhawks much better. Before being held to six points against Nebraska, Rush had scored at least 12 points in 9 straight games. Rush is an excellent outside shooter who can drive to the basket. He also has the ability to be a very good defensive player. The guard trio of freshman Mario Chalmers, sophomore Russell Robinson, and senior Jeff Hawkins has been integral to the turnaround. Chalmers has really come into his own lately, averaging over 15 points and 5 assists per game in the last 8 contests. Robinson has developed into a defensive stopper in charge of guarding the opponents’ best perimeter scorer. He has also averaged almost 13 points and 5 assists over the past 6 games. Hawkins provides leadership and all-around production off the bench.

Up front, a handful of players get the majority of the minutes. No one is really a go-to-guy up front, although all five can produce. Sasha Kaun’s numbers have fallen off somewhat since the start of conference play, but he is still putting up nine points per game. He is also a very good rebounder and a solid defender. C.J. Giles has a lot of potential down low, and can change the momentum of the game with his ability to dunk and block shots. He is an excellent backup to Kaun. Darnell Jackson became eligible after nine games and has had a major impact for the Jayhawks. He is a very good rebounder and defender who provides another big body in the post. Jackson is also a decent scorer in the paint. Christian Moody is a solid role player who Billy Packer calls “the best walk-on ever.” He never stops working and always finds a way to get a put-back or a rebound. Julian Wright is the x-factor in the frontcourt. He is the most talented player on the team other than Rush and can play any position on the court. The freshman forward has been playing the 4 for the Jayhawks and has performed very well in all facets of the game. He can post-up, has a nice mid-range game, and can score going to the basket and in transition. Wright can also rebound and play defense. Moreover, he is a match-up problem for opponents due to his athleticism and versatility.

With it looking more and more likely that they will make it to the Big Dance, Kansas has the personnel needed for a solid run in the NCAA Tournament. With Rush carrying the team from the perimeter and a host of players providing inside production, the Jayhawks have inside-outside balance. They have three players that see extended minutes in the backcourt that can all play the point guard position with ease in Chalmers, Robinson, and Hawkins. The most impressive thing about this team, though, is their defense. With the way they play team defense, KU can beat any team in the country if their offense is clicking.

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