Under Bill Self we’ve all gotten a little spoiled. Winning has become second nature to Jayhawk fans, particularly in conference play. We’ve gotten used to winning the Big 12 every year, regardless of pre-season expectations or what the so-called “experts” are predicting. Some how, some way, every season Coach Self’s guys find a way to bring home the Big 12 championship trophy. Like most Kansas fans, I’ve forgotten what it feels like to not win the conference. However, this year may be different. This year we’ve got one of the youngest, most inexperienced teams in the country. This year the competition is stronger than ever. This year no one expects Kansas to win the Big 12. No one except Jayhawk fans.
But there are some areas this team is going to have to address if it’s going to win the conference title yet again. Here are five things the Jayhawks need to win the Big 12 title for the fifth year in a row:
Help for Sherron and Cole – Junior guard Sherron Collins and sophomore center Cole Aldrich, as the only two returning players with significant minutes from last year’s national champion team, have stepped up their game. This one-two punch is as good as any in college basketball, but they can’t do it alone. In the games where Kansas has stumbled this season, one or both of these players has gone cold or disappeared for an extended period, with no one else picking up the slack. If this team will have a chance to hoist the conference trophy in March, they’re going to need Tyshawn Taylor, Mario Little, Travis Releford and the Morris twins all producing on a consistent basis.
Blocking Out – One thing that has been driving Kansas fans nuts all season is rebounding. This team doesn’t block out like they should and, as a result, opponents are killing us on the boards. Especially against tough opponents, you’re not going to win games if you’re giving them two and three chances on the offensive end. Danny Manning is on staff for just this reason, to teach the young guys proper fundamentals in the post. Unfortunately, it’s taking longer to get through to them than most fans had hoped.
Tougher Defense - Another sign of youth and inexperience, this team hasn’t shown the defensive grit that is the trademark of previous Self teams. Most of these freshmen coasted through high school and AAU ball on their athleticism, letting their superior speed and agility cover for any defensive lapses. Unfortunately, that’s just not possible in major college basketball. Defense is a skill, and needs to be developed just like a jump shot, and it’s one skill many of the young players are just now learning. A reason for optimism: Brandon Rush was a sub-par defender when he arrived on campus, but rapidly became one of the best in the country.
Offensive Movement – In the first half of the game at Arizona, it looked like the offense was finally starting to gel. We were seeing backdoor cuts and alley-oops. We saw pick-and-rolls and dishes to open shooters off dribble drives. For the first half of that game, you could see things starting to come together. Then it all fell apart. Sometimes it’s looked great, but at others, well, not so much. And there seems to be one recurring theme whenever Kansas’ offense goes stagnant: a lack of movement. Players are standing around waiting for the ball to come to them, and as a result, nothing is developing. To me, it seems like there’s one easy solution. Give Cole the ball. Cole Aldrich should get touches on every offensive possession. By getting him the ball down low, one of two things happens; either he makes one those sweet moves he’s developed and gets a good look at the basket, or else the defense collapses on him freeing up someone else for an open shot. Either way, the Jayhawks get a good shot.
A little help – Kansas benefits from playing in the Big 12 North, the weak sister of the conference. While early season favorites Oklahoma, Texas and Baylor have to play each other twice, KU only has to play each south team once. Personally, I’d rather play Colorado, Iowa State and K-State twice than have to face OU, Texas and Baylor both home and away. Luckily for us (and unluckily for them), the teams in the south will beat up on each other. But we still won’t be able to win the conference championship without a little help. The Jayhawks face tough challenges, especially on the road, and are likely to stub their toes somewhere along the line, considering the hostile environments they’ll be subjected to in Lincoln, Ames, and especially Columbia. Only the game in Boulder should be a gimme, and even that’s not guaranteed with a team loaded with freshmen.
Overall, this team is quite a bit further along than they should be, no doubt the product of quality coaching and superior talent. While their inconsistency is maddening at times, Coach Self’s teams have a history of peaking in conference play. This alone ought to put the Jayhawks in a position to challenge for at least a share of the Big 12 title. And while this team is probably a good year or two away from making another deep run in the big dance, with poise, practice and a little bit of luck, Kansas may be hoisting yet another conference championship banner in Allen Fieldhouse come next fall.
