So I missed the game yesterday and watched it this morning. Holy Balls. What a win.
1. If we come with that kind of energy and focus nobody is beating us. Jesus. That's a hell of a good team we just shitkicked.
2. Phog brought the heat man. That was an insane environment created by the home team. Incredible.
3. Houston got shell shocked. Obviously they haven't encountered a team with that energy in a place like that before. They came with energy but didn't know how to respond. Unortunately for the rest of the planet, this loss will make them better.
4. Spacing was far better than it's been in past games. Hopefully we can see this on film and understand that spacing makes things easier and try to keep shit from getting jumbled up so much. Obviously Furphy and Harris can get cold and allow teams to pack it in, but hopefully we can space the floor better moving forward.
5. Furphnasty is one cold blooded motherfucker. Dude gave less than no fucks, he's putting that bitch in. God DAMN he's fun to watch.
6. Rebounding was excellent against a very good very long very physical team. This is the way, boys. Life is better with the ball. Go get it.
7. Obviously it isn't feasible to bring this kind of energy every time, but hopefully this effort shows what works and we can be a more efficient basketball team moving forward.
God DAMN we brought the heat against a good team. Self should win an award for that gameplan and preparation. Self was on his horse man. [Reply]
This season has not played out ideally for Kansas, which was preseason No. 1 but has lost some stinkers at West Virginia and Central Florida. But in some of their biggest games — Kentucky, Tennessee, Connecticut and Houston — the Jayhawks have played their best.
When Self was asked about that, the wheels started turning as he processed what it is about this group in big games.
“You look at our five starters; they’re pretty good,” Self said.
That’s a new spin, because for the first few months of the season, the narrative he pushed was how good his Big Four were.
“Maybe those five guys — primarily those five —can get up for something sporadically that it’s hard for them to do consistently,” Self said. “And maybe that’s experience. Maybe it’s (being) older. Maybe fatigue. I don’t know exactly. But we’ve shown that when we play well, we can play with anybody.
“And then we’ve also shown that when we’re not very good, obviously we can be had. And there’s way too much inconsistency with that margin.”
Self said it’d be nice if these Jayhawks were steady. Most of his teams are, and it’s why he has more rings than fingers and toes. But with Furphy going now, the Jayhawks have been able to hit the reset button.
Maybe these Jayhawks can be steady. They’ve got a month before the postseason to prove that. And if they get there, then maybe we’ll see that everyone had it right when it came to preseason No. 1.
Because this performance? Against that defense? It was as impressive as anything anyone has done in college basketball this season. Maybe an asterisk belongs there because it was at Allen Fieldhouse. And KU’s bench, while it performed well on Saturday, is still a concern.
But Self now has the weapons that make him feel he’s got a chance in any game, and no one is better at putting great pieces in the right spots.
Originally Posted by smithandrew051:
You’d almost have to bring KJ off the bench and start Dick with Furphy.
Harris-Dick-Furphy-McCullar-Dickinson would be an insane lineup. All 5 can hit from 3. With the way Dickinson can pass out of double teams, they’d be almost impossible to defend.
KJ off the bench to bring instant defense and energy wherever needed.
It would but there is no way Self would have KJ come off the bench. [Reply]
Originally Posted by cmh6476:
Is this going to be one of those years where we have five new starters next year after we win another natty?
If they win, I don't care how many new starters they have next year. Although they're probably going to have two starters back no matter what happens. [Reply]
Originally Posted by RaidersOftheCellar:
If they win, I don't care how many new starters they have next year. Although they're probably going to have two starters back no matter what happens.
I assume KJ and Harris are locks to come back. [Reply]
