What's gotta happen for us to beat ku

[PowercatPosse]

We obviously have to do the usual things like play solid D, board and shoot well from the perimeter.  We have done a good job defensivly at home in conf. play.  WE have only given up 57.5 pts a game and Mizzou was the only team that shot the ball good vs us.  We are +49 (8.2 a game) in rebounding at home.

1.  We must get an offensive contribution from our guards.  We can't expect Dave and CMart to carry the torch exclusivly on O
2.  We need to get decent minutes from the big guys.  We can't let Kaun and Arhur shoot 70-80 percent from the field
3.  Don't get into a track meet with ku.  We tried to play way too fast in Lawrence.
4. Get to the line and make FTs.  We are a good shooting FT team and free pts will be valuble tomm. night

[AzCat]

1. We must score one more point than do the squawks before time expires. 

You're welcome.

[fatty fat fat]

Tighten up 5 ft from the basket.

[ksu_wildcat]

We got to have a couple other players show up besides Cartier, and Dave.  Maybe Clent, Lance, Maybank.  Our post players must play good defensive games and not get in foul trouble (which might be hard since Self gives the refs favors before the game)  Hopefully the team will feed of the energy inside Bramlage cause it's gonna be wild I can't wait.

[fatty fat fat]

It all starts with defense. We have to be able to stop their mini-runs that usually turn into monster runs in AFH. Collins breaking down our D scares the sh1t out of me.

[michigancat]

It all starts with defense.

QFT

[Ill b nice]

OUR  bus runs out of gas in Topeka

[chum1]

They'll choke in a close game.  There's no way to refute that.

[WILDCAT NATION]

Shut down Rush, or hope he has an off night...I'm convinced he's what makes that team "click".

[michigancat]

ku is 4-3 when they score less than 70.

In their 4 losses, they've scored 71, 57, 69, and 69.

I know they think that Self has turned them into some sort of masterful half court team, but the way to beat them is to slow the game down (as it is with all severe mismatches).

[WILDCAT NATION]

Tonight, I want the phlock to think this is the "ugliest" game they've ever seen.  That means KSU is doing their job.

The phlock thinks anything less than a track meet is an "ugly" game.

[michigancat]

I would love to "set basketball back 20 years".  Tons of fouls away from the ball.  Tons of FT's.  Tons of collisions on loose balls.  Tons of elbows.

Ugly ugly ugly ugly. 

[kougar24]

I want Shaka Kahn to cry himself to sleep tonight.

[catzacker]

Defend and hope that ku has a bit of an off night.  Also, as fatty said, make the easy layups/shots.  It would also help if Welmer(sp) is officiating tonight.  

[kougar24]

Maybe Akeem woke up this morning and remembered how to make a basket from 3 feet and in.

[Dan Rydell]

If Jayhox comments that his personal game is suffering as a result of watching the game, then it should be a good night for us.

[ksu_FAN]

I think we've got to try to make ku beat us from the perimeter.  Whether that means zone or tweaking how we play man, I don't know.  ku has the athletes all over to get to the rim, and somehow we have to prevent that.  That's how they beat people. 

Then we've got to play offense and score.  ku has the #1 defense in the country according to those kenpom stats, and I think there is some legitimacy to that.  In Lawrence ku forced us to run our offense 25 feet from the basket and our only answer was Maybank off the dribble.  And we probably need a 9-18 performance or something game from behind the arc.  We need to have Lance AND Cartier hitting from outside and to get Hoskins involved and hope he doesn't get swatted his first few times at the rim.  We aren't a great shooting team, but IMO a great shooting performance is what its going to take.  We've got to be at least 45% from the field to have a chance. 

I'm anxious to see what we do defensively.  In Lawrence Huggs said we had a plan to defend ball-screens and we didn't do it once.  I'm sure he'll have some tweaks and some new wrinkles after what happened in Lawrence.  If Huggins has anything to do with it and the guys are on the same page, it won't be a blow-out.  I'm positive we'll come to play.  I just hope we don't come out like MU in Columbia and blow all we have in the first 5 minutes. 

[michigancat]

If we shoot our season average from 3 in the first half in Lawrence, it's a 2 point game at the break.

I don't think we need to shoot 45% overall, but we probably need to be around 35% from 3.

[Dan Rydell]

I think we've got to try to make ku beat us from the perimeter.  Whether that means zone or tweaking how we play man, I don't know.  ku has the athletes all over to get to the rim, and somehow we have to prevent that.  That's how they beat people. 

Then we've got to play offense and score.  ku has the #1 defense in the country according to those kenpom stats, and I think there is some legitimacy to that.  In Lawrence ku forced us to run our offense 25 feet from the basket and our only answer was Maybank off the dribble.  And we probably need a 9-18 performance or something game from behind the arc.  We need to have Lance AND Cartier hitting from outside and to get Hoskins involved and hope he doesn't get swatted his first few times at the rim.  We aren't a great shooting team, but IMO a great shooting performance is what its going to take.  We've got to be at least 45% from the field to have a chance. 

I'm anxious to see what we do defensively.  In Lawrence Huggs said we had a plan to defend ball-screens and we didn't do it once.  I'm sure he'll have some tweaks and some new wrinkles after what happened in Lawrence.  If Huggins has anything to do with it and the guys are on the same page, it won't be a blow-out.  I'm positive we'll come to play.  I just hope we don't come out like MU in Columbia and blow all we have in the first 5 minutes. 

QFT.  

Really, the game in Lawrence was the result of the man defense on both ends.  Our man defense wasn't able to keep ku from the rim or even to get the rebounds we needed.  On the other end, our offense against their man defense just let them eat us alive, except for Maybank, who did what you've gotta do when they're pressuring you that far out...put it on the floor and take it to the hole.  Of course, this means that you're going to play more uptempo, which also plays into ku's game.  So...pretty much...we're just outta luck.

[ksu_FAN]

If we shoot our season average from 3 in the first half in Lawrence, it's a 2 point game at the break.

I don't think we need to shoot 45% overall, but we probably need to be around 35% from 3.

I think in a normal game, even against a Tech or a OSU, that is right.  Against ku I think you've got to raise it notch, especially if they even play semi-good.  IMO, 45% or better from 3 is almost a necessity.  The only way we open things up for Hoskins inside is to hit some perimeter shots.  Otherwise it will be the Maybank "Rucker Park show" again and a 20 point loss I'm afraid. 

[pissclams]

We've got to take our game to them tonight.  In Lawrence we allowed them to force their game on us and were way more physical than we were.  Can't let that happen again, we need to control this game otherwise birds win again.

[michigancat]

If we shoot our season average from 3 in the first half in Lawrence, it's a 2 point game at the break.

I don't think we need to shoot 45% overall, but we probably need to be around 35% from 3.

I think in a normal game, even against a Tech or a OSU, that is right.  Against ku I think you've got to raise it notch, especially if they even play semi-good.  IMO, 45% or better from 3 is almost a necessity.  The only way we open things up for Hoskins inside is to hit some perimeter shots.  Otherwise it will be the Maybank "Rucker Park show" again and a 20 point loss I'm afraid. 

I guess I should have added that my theory only works if we shoot 30+ FT's.

[chum1]

None of this is necessary.  ku very well could come out and play like crap.  They've been known to do this.  That's the real reason we've got a shot.

[ksu_FAN]

If we shoot our season average from 3 in the first half in Lawrence, it's a 2 point game at the break.

I don't think we need to shoot 45% overall, but we probably need to be around 35% from 3.

I think in a normal game, even against a Tech or a OSU, that is right.  Against ku I think you've got to raise it notch, especially if they even play semi-good.  IMO, 45% or better from 3 is almost a necessity.  The only way we open things up for Hoskins inside is to hit some perimeter shots.  Otherwise it will be the Maybank "Rucker Park show" again and a 20 point loss I'm afraid. 

I guess I should have added that my theory only works if we shoot 30+ FT's.

Then I would agree completely. 

[michigancat]

I would love to "set basketball back 20 years".  Tons of fouls away from the ball.  Tons of FT's.  Tons of collisions on loose balls.  Tons of elbows.

Ugly ugly ugly ugly. 

Preemptive excuse making:

http://mb24.scout.com/fkansasinsiderfrm3.showMessage?topicID=81111.topic

After watching Thug ball here in the Nati for the last ten years, I know how this clown operates. Look for Thugs to try and send a message with a really hard foul early in the game and try to set the tone for K-State. He will have every one of those guys playing ugly; hopefully the refs will get it under control early. I would love nothing more than to see our guys get a big lead early and take them out of the game. ROCK CHALK!

Their sole chance is at WWF...not college basketball. If a basketball game breaks out, they are doomed. Huggs knows this, has witnessed it first hand, and will do everything within his power to ensure it does not happen.

I only see this as a problem if the refs aren't calling it loose. If they do like they've done in about half the games I've seen, KSU is going to get into early foul trouble with that plan.

The MU-OSU game worked to MU's advantage in that the refs called it loose and MU's scrapping, diving-on-the floor style was allowed. Huggins better hope it's that kind of a game.

If the refs "let them play", do you really think it helps KSU?

I think if they let them play in the paint, away from the ball, it does...but not if they allow reach-in slap ball on the perimeter.

[WILDCAT NATION]

I just hope the alien doesn't get away with his usual bullcrap slapping...

[ksu_FAN]

As long as you bring your "reaches" from underneath, they rarely get called in any kind of college ball.  And I remember a few years ago when hand checks were points of emphasis, and they proceeded to call a bunch the first few OOC games and things went back to the same old same old.  Frankly, ku has much more athletic guards, so they can afford to reach and not get beat as easily.  How we handle that will be a huge key.  Our guys just have to handle it well AND try to exploit it by getting by ku players off the dribble and to the rim or and hitting guys for open jumpers. 

[chum1]

They're kind of like Phil Jackson bitching about the Knicks when he coached the Bulls.  Chicago was a pretty phsical team, too, but it never stopped him from complaining about other teams being too physical.  

Is there a coach in the world that thinks "scrapping, diving-on-the floor style" is bad?

[BullHawkWheel]

"Shut down Rush, or hope he has an off night...I'm convinced he's what makes that team "click"."

wrong.  the best thing about our team is that julian and also collins can make this team click just as much as rush.  i mean a big part of rush's game is getting the open look from collins when he penetrates and kicks it out.  a big part of julians game is passing to the bigs and setting them up.  you shut down 1 of the three, they other 2 will kill you.  like i said last night.  pick your poison.

[sys]

None of this is necessary.  ku very well could come out and play like @#%$.  They've been known to do this.  That's the real reason we've got a shot.

i agree.  if ku plays well, it doesn´t matter what ksu does.  if ku plays as poorly as they have at times, ksu can make plenty of mistakes and still have a great shot at winning.