Kansas Basketball: Rock Chalk Champions

If there were still any doubts about Kansas Basketball being the kings of the conference, they put those to rest. Kansas is simply the best in the Big 12.

The news of Udoka Azubuike being sidelined for the Big 12 tournament should have excited the rest of the Big 12. Instead, the Jayhawks may have found a formula for winning from here on out. Kansas Basketball not only won the Big 12 tournament without Udoka, but got contributions from places the Jayhawks haven’t seen.

The Jayhawks appear to be more dangerous now than at any other time throughout the season. Very few, if any felt like Kansas could make it through the tough gauntlet of the Big 12 tourney without Udoka, and for good reason. Until now, there was no quality replacement for him in the lineup. Go ahead and check that off the list.

It didn’t hurt that the Jayhawks played their best game of the season in the title game against West Virginia. Bill Self showed his coaching prowess in the second half as shot after shot went down for the Jayhawks. After the game, coach Huggins explained it perfectly.

"They shot 72 percent the second half. They shot 56 percent for the game, and they shot 56 percent from three. They’re going to beat everybody when they do that. And they were contested shots, we didn’t give them wide open shots, they were contested, they just made them."

Bob Huggins is right. If the Jayhawks shoot like they did in the title game, nobody can beat them. He later added a little more praise for his good friend Bill Self’s team.

"They have a lot of guys who can make shots. Let’s be honest, all of those guys out there, if they aren’t McDonald’s All-Americans it’s because they’re from a different country. They have good players and their guy can coach, you know, he’s a Hall of Fame coach."

The Shooters

Malik Newman, the tournament MVP, scored 20 points on six of eight shooting from beyond the arc. He added two free throws as well. This game was a nice cap on the last three games where Newman led his team in scoring in each contest.

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Devonte’ Graham, who had been a bit silent with his play in the first two games, added 18 points and 13 assists, making a late push to become the National Player of the Year.

Svi Mykhailiuk knocked down four of his eight from three on his way to sixteen points and Lagerald Vick added 10.

Diamond in the rough

Before the tournament began, and after Bill Self found out about the loss of Udoka, he mentioned that maybe the Jayhawks would find a diamond in the rough. No diamond shined brighter than Silvio De Sousa, who grew up right in front of our eyes.

Coming off the bench De Sousa saved the best for last. On eight of eight shooting, he scored 16 points and brought down 10 rebounds for his first career double-double. Silvio scored 30 points overall during the tournament, he scored 25 over 15 games since showing up on campus at the midway point.

Moving forward

There is reason for excitement with this current team. With all the talk of this being Self’s worst team since arriving in Lawrence, these Jayhawks won the league by two games and dominated the Big 12 tournament.

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If Udoka can return to the lineup, if De Sousa can continue to contribute, and if the shots continue to fall, there is absolutely no reason to think that these Jayhawks, the worst team Bill Self has had at Kansas, can not play for the national title.

In fact, this may be one of the best teams Self has had, we just don’t now it yet.

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