Kansas Basketball: Watch Jayhawks get Deviled for their 2nd straight loss
By Chris Taylor
Kansas Basketball doesn’t lose often, nor do they often lose at home. They don’t often lose two straight either. Panic in Lawrence?
Words like dismayed and overwhelmed were words used abundantly after the Jayhawks loss at home to #16 Arizona State. Kansas Basketball has lost two straight games at home (lost to Washington at the Sprint Center). Washington just lost at home to #12 Gonzaga by 27. Murmurs of panic slowly start to develop in Lawrence, Kansas as this is the most important season since the last for Bill Self’s Jayhawks.
In the Taylor house, it has been confirmed that dad and son can no longer watch Kansas Basketball together, as it has been several years since they won on those rare visits. A gentleman’s agreement has been made, which should mean the Jayhawks win out, our apologies to all Kansas fans across the nation.
In our defense, we aren’t playing. One week ago an article was released on how the Jayhawks had looked great so far, they haven’t won since. That article was released by yours truly. Again my apologies. Superstitions out of the way, let’s get down to business.
Defense? What defense?
The Jayhawks should win at home scoring 85. The defense allowed 95, 58 came in the second half. The Sun Devils shot 50% from the field, as well as 50% from three for the game. a big difference on the night was free throws, with 15 made compared to the seven Kansas knocked in. Kansas lost the turnover battle 16-10, otherwise the numbers weren’t that far off. The Jayhawks made 48% of their shots from the field and made the same number of three pointers, missing 10 more than Arizona State.
The Jayhawks were up by 13 early in the first half, but turnovers hurt late as opportunities were missed in every comeback attempt they tried to muster up. Once the Devils took the lead with 15 minutes remaining in the second half, they never looked back.
After the game Bill Self had some choice words about his Kansas team after the game.
72 points were scored by Holder, Evans and Martin combined for Arizona State. Lay-up after lay-up, three pointer after three pointer and shot after shot. The Jayhawks could not defend for the totality of the shot clock, as stated by coach Self in the above video.
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Lack of toughness seemed to be the sole reason Kansas lost this game, both on the court and through Self’s eyes. So much so that Self called this team the softest team he has ever coached at Kansas.
Time to get things right
Just three more games until conference play begins. They have games on the road against Nebraska and Stanford, with a home game against Omaha sandwiched in-between. Their first conference game is against the Texas Longhorns in Austin. The Jayhawks have a week to try to fix their defensive issues. Nebraska is 7-4 and undefeated at home. Stanford is 4-6 and Omaha is 1-10.
Bill Self has said plenty of negative things about his teams in the past, and usually they end up getting it right. The Hall of Fame coach will have his hands full this season.
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There is a style of play that Kansas struggles against. Teams that play like the Jayhawks look like they can beat them at their own game. There are quite a few of those teams waiting in conference play. The road to 14 straight may not be as easy or probable as it once looked.