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Kansas University's Sasha Kaun, left, shoots over Villanova's Marcus Austin. Kaun scored 11 points in the Jayhawks' last game against Villanova - an 83-62 'Nova rout on Jan. 22, 2005, in Philadelphia.
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Kansas University's Sasha Kaun, left, shoots over Villanova's Marcus Austin. Kaun scored 11 points in the Jayhawks' last game against Villanova - an 83-62 'Nova rout on Jan. 22, 2005, in Philadelphia.
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2008 NCAA Tournament
Full video coverage of the Kansas Jayhawks in the 2008 NCAA Tournament
Detroit — There's no way Kansas University's top-seeded basketball team will overlook No. 12 Villanova in an NCAA Midwest Regional Sweet 16 contest on Friday night at Ford Field.
So says KU senior Sasha Kaun, who plans to remind the squad's underclassmen what happened the last time the two storied programs met on the hardwood.
"I remember being very frustrated. I remember it being a bad day. I remember it being a bad weekend," Kaun, Kansas University's 6-foot-11 senior center from Tomsk, Russia, said, recalling the Jayhawks' 83-62 loss to the Wildcats on Saturday, Jan. 22, 2005, at Wachovia Center in Philadelphia.
The loss -KU entered 14-0 and ranked No. 1; Nova 9-4 and unrecognized - remains the second-worst setback in the Bill Self era, trailing only a 25-point rout at Texas in the 2005-06 season.
"They did such a good job beating us off the bounce, beating us in every way," Kaun said of the game played his freshman year.
The Jayhawks trailed by as many as 32 points with 7:48 remaining, before playing for pride and pride alone down the stretch.
"It was a guard's game; it was a post game. I think it would be easier to put it, it was 'their game,'" KU coach Bill Self said.
The Jayhawks committed 22 turnovers and were victimized by 12 Villanova three-pointers in 19 tries. Allen Ray and Curtis Sumpter led the way with 27 and 25 points, respectively, for the Wildcats, who have nobody on their current roster who was in the arena that day.
Of KU's current seniors, Kaun led the way with 11 points and five boards in 18 minutes. Russell Robinson had an assist and two turnovers in five minutes, and Darnell Jackson three points and two steals in 12 minutes. Wayne Simien finished with a team-leading 15 points, while J.R. Giddens joined Kaun with 11 for KU.
"They outplayed us in every facet of the game," Self said. "They were quicker to the ball, more athletic, better passers, better ballhandlers and shooters."
He's not dwelling about that game.
"I still get nervous twitches when I think about it, so we haven't brought it up yet," he joked. "Trust me, they remember. But Russell, Sasha, Jeremy and Darnell were the only ones here then. Scottie Reynolds and Mario Chalmers didn't have much to do with that game, but they will this game."
It wasn't just the game that made it the worst regular-season road trip of Kaun's KU career.
A blizzard dropped more than a foot of snow on Philadelphia, canceling KU's charter flight home Saturday night after the game.
"I remember getting snowed in. Having a bad game and having to stay in the hotel an extra day made it worse. It made it tough," Kaun said.
"We had to go back to the hotel and watch film. Coach Self did the breakdown of the game the same day. He was still fired up from the game. It was definitely a bad day."
The following day was even worse.
The Jayhawks arrived at the Philadelphia airport at 7 a.m., hoping to return to Lawrence to lick their wounds after their first loss of the season. Instead, the players and coaches sat in their seats on the runway 4 1/2 hours and needed nine total hours of travel time to return to campus.
"It was snowing sideways. You couldn't see a foot in front of you," former KU assistant Tim Jankovich, first-year head coach at Illinois State, said.
"The great part of the whole trip is we always have a bus waiting in Topeka. It turned out our driver had torn his pants at some point and called somebody to meet him to bring him pants. We've got to sit on the bus while somebody brought him pants. That's another good 15 minutes. It was our lovely couple days."
Friday will give Kaun and his senior pals a shot at redemption against 'Nova. Tip will be 8:40 p.m. at Ford Field.
A victory would push the Jayhawks into Sunday's Elite Eight game against either Davidson or Wisconsin.
"They are from the Big East. It is a tough, tough conference," Kaun said. They were kind of unfortunate to lose five games in a row early in the season (to Rutgers, Notre Dame, Pitt, Syracuse and St. Joe's). It made the committee put them so low in the tournament.
"They are not a 12-seed. You watch them play, they are so much better than so many teams. They are one of the best teams we've faced all year."
The Scottie Reynolds-led Wildcats have won five of their last six games.
"Our guys know they are not a 12-seed," Self said. "If we do not play well, it will not be because our guys do not respect Villanova. They know what they are up against."
Especially the seniors.
Especially after what happened in '05.
More like this
- Gary Bedore's KU basketball notebook 5 comments / March 25, 2008
- Super 'Nova slams KU January 23, 2005
- Wildcats outgun Jayhawks, 83-62 January 22, 2005
- KU back on Final Four's doorstep, knocks off 'Nova 72-57 170 comments / March 28, 2008
- Woodling: Kansas loses its poise January 23, 2005
UPDATED: 2008-09 Kansas Men's Basketball: Past, Present and Future March 11, 2009
Sherron Collins: One-on-One November 3, 2008
KU trumpets its triumphs with new I-70 turnpike signs July 2, 2008
Jayhawks up for ESPY honors July 1, 2008
Bill Self at the White House June 3, 2008
Comments
Nutflush21 (anonymous) says...
The three worst losses in Self's career at KU- at Nevada in '03, at Nova '05 and this year at OSU.
March 27, 2008 at 5:04 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Solomon (anonymous) says...
Oral Roberts? At home? Got to be the worst.
March 27, 2008 at 6:04 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
yates33333 (anonymous) says...
How about losing to Bucknell?
March 27, 2008 at 6:22 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
kushaw (anonymous) says...
3 worst losses in Self's career???????? I can name you two that trumps everything and they start with "B". Anytime you get in the NCAA tournament and lose when you're not suppose to, Bradley and Bucknell, then I would have to say that those are very very very very bad BAD losses. Not many people outside of Jayhawk nation remember Oral Robers Nevada, Richmond, Nova, OSU (Even OSU was a strange circumstance and I think it would be hard for anyone to play in that type of game), but I bet you the entire country remembers First round exits such as Bradley and Bucknell.
The 2 worst losses period in Bill Self's Jayhawk tenure has to be Bucknell and Bradley.
March 27, 2008 at 6:24 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
easyfive (anonymous) says...
Why do we have to talk about the bad??? I have no time to listen to bad mouthing our team!!!
That was then and this is NOW.
March 27, 2008 at 6:35 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
KUglow (anonymous) says...
Sure is easy to remember the bad since there really hasn't been very many to have to recall since Self's arrival.
I am so glad we are playing a 12 seed like Nova. There is no chance this team will overlook the opponent. Imagine if we were playing Sienna?
March 27, 2008 at 7 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
jayhawkinatl (anonymous) says...
I second that, easyfive!!!!
March 27, 2008 at 7:40 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Lebowski (anonymous) says...
I'm with you easyfive & Atl...
But I still hesitate to mention DePa...
No, never mind... I'm with Easy on this one!
All tourney losses hurt worse than the others.... just because they mean so much more. What does losing in Nov/Dec matter? Not at all.
March 27, 2008 at 8:23 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
txrockchalk (anonymous) says...
How about the three best wins in the Self Era? There can't be many better than our last three Big 12 Tournament Championship game wins over tu. The Florida win in Vegas would have to be up there too.
March 27, 2008 at 8:25 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
chuckberry32 (anonymous) says...
I'd say the best three are the two wins over Texas with Durant and Co. last year and the win over Texas this year.
March 27, 2008 at 8:30 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
KU (anonymous) says...
I don't think that was one of the top 3 losses in Self's KU career. Nova was loaded with great perimeter players and on that day, they were on fire from the opening tip. We were still trying to get our seniors to gel with our freshmen and it was one of the freshmen's first big road games of the year. Add to that the travel problems. Nova went to the Sweet 16 that year, so it wasn't like they were a bad team.
March 27, 2008 at 8:30 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
aeroku (anonymous) says...
I feel uptight on a Friday night
Nine o clock, the radios the only light
I hear my song and it pulls me through
Comes on strong, tells me what I got to do
I got to
Get up
Everybodys gonna move their feet
Get down
Everybodys gonna leave their seat
You gotta lose your mind in detroit rock city!!
March 27, 2008 at 8:32 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
PShaun4KU (anonymous) says...
We our fortunate that we our playing a very talented 12 seed Villanova. #1 seeds our 13-0 verse 12 seeds. I know the Big East is a good conference so they'll put up a fight but I think KU will dominate them much like we would a Baylor or a Texas Tech. KU is also fortunate in that we play Wisconsid-Davidson winner instead of Georgetown. If KU doesn't reach the final four its not because the competition is better. Even luck couldn't keep KU out of the Final Four. Maybe I'm just cocky or over confident but I just don't think KU will lose. So as for 2005 when we loss to Villanova that was then this is now and we our a much better team. Plus Villanova only has one NBA type guard not four. Rock em' KU!!!
March 27, 2008 at 8:36 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
txrockchalk (anonymous) says...
chuckberry32 - Thanks for mentioning the great win in Allen Fieldhouse last season over tu. No way should that one be left out of the conversation.
March 27, 2008 at 8:47 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Lebowski (anonymous) says...
Good call tx rockchalk..
I think number 2, for me, is definately the most recent Texas game... and instant classic in my opinion. Number 3 probably one of the other Texas games that everyone is talking about.
But number one to me is still the Oklahoma game a few years ago. The details are getting a little fuzzy to me, I'd really like to watch it again. But you know the setting, KU was off to a terrible start that year... was really getting to the point where some were thinking "if we have a bad conference season we might not even make the tourney!!!" It was early conference season... we were down by as many as 19 or something like that and came back and won. The whole season did a severe 180 and we ended up winning the conference and fostering some unreasonably high expectations for a team that was one of the youngest in the nation.
Anyone would be hard-pressed to find a more pivotal game in a team's season... any team... ever.
That game was like a sick crossover that dropped the rest of the Big 12's jock strap.
March 27, 2008 at 8:49 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
txrockchalk (anonymous) says...
Great memory, Lebowski. That was a pivotal win. The analogy in the last sentence of your post is a dandy. Chris Piper said the other night when Sherron executed that move against UNLV, "We call that 'Dropping a Player Off.'"
March 27, 2008 at 9:02 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
okjhok (anonymous) says...
I was just checking out the capsules for the games tonight and I realized how huge Tennessee's loss in their conference tourney and KU's tourney championship win were. If Tennessee goes on to win their tourney there's a great chance they get the last 1-seed and KU gets bumped down. Look at it now. They've got Louisville in the regional semis, a top-6 team at the beginning of the year, and maybe a top-6 team now. And KU's got 'Nova. I'm not saying 'Nova isn't legit, but they're nowhere near Louisville. Just an observation.
March 27, 2008 at 9:03 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
BCRavenJHawkfan (anonymous) says...
I would think that the worst losses are those where we just failed to be competitive. If it is close. competitive, and hard fought; then fine, congratulations to the other team. It ptobably means they had an "A" game. It is when we are not competitive that irritates me to no end.
Simply put, any KU effort should be one that for the opposition to beat us requires an "A" effort on their part plus a bunch of things to go their way.
March 27, 2008 at 9:15 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
hawk_4237 (anonymous) says...
ESPN is in Allen Fieldhouse on a Saturday afternoon with the sun shining in through the windows, Ashley Judd forgets to endorse her make up line but is still in attendance, and Brandon Rush goes for 25 in total destruction of Kentucky, yet again. Has to sit in the top 5 wins in the Self era
March 27, 2008 at 9:16 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
frankiej65 (anonymous) says...
Bedore... where do you live? Manhattan or Columbia?
I swear, every article you write only serves to point to KU mishaps or the chance they might fall because they overlook the talent and potential of a team simply because of their low ranking or seed.
Do all us 'hawk fans a favor.... follow Roy to Raleigh-Durham!
March 27, 2008 at 9:17 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
wissoxfan83 (anonymous) says...
If we don't remember the past how will we prepare for the future?! However... if the nova game was like last year it may be relevant in preparing us, but they were really two different teams then, albeit with a few of our seniors. So it's just a bad memory of which we've had very few over the years.
March 27, 2008 at 9:45 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
agraves (anonymous) says...
I was in attendance at the Bucknell game in OKC. That is by far the worst loss in the Bill Self era. To loose to a school that had an attendance of under 1500 students and who had never even made it to the big dance. NTM the fact we had Big W down low with Mr. Langford and Miles outside...they never should have lost that game.
The best game would have to be with this last Texas game of the game against Kentucky. Maybe another one was the win over Missouri at AFH last year. should have blown them out of the building but it was a GREAT game and AFH was rockin that night.
March 27, 2008 at 9:51 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
notabandwagonfan (anonymous) says...
What about Florida last season? That to me has to be the best game. Look at all of the talent on that floor at any given time in the game..........4 lottery picks, and other 1st round draft picks! Winning that game was great! Not to look ahead too far or anything, but IF we meet unc, that will be Bill's best win. That win will make each and every one of you forget about the "killer B's!" Rock Chalk Jayhawk!
March 27, 2008 at 10 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
CaramelMacchMan (anonymous) says...
What a fine article by Jay Mariotti....
(So called experts they have at LJW should learn something from him)
http://www.suntimes.com/sports/856097...
March 27, 2008 at 10:48 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
jhawk52 (anonymous) says...
Not sure why you consider the OSU loss a bad loss. Any road conference game is tough, and this one came down to the final play, before decided. The loss didn't hamper our ability to get a #1 seed. In fact, that loss may have been a blessing the way things have played out.
March 27, 2008 at 10:57 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
BCRavenJHawkfan (anonymous) says...
Unbelievable.
I just realized the start times of these sweet 16 round games overlap. The South region will tip off close to the same times as the Midwest match ups.
Living in the south I am sure my local CBS polesmoker will air the South region game.
One would think with as much time available these could have been spread out.
March 27, 2008 at 11:25 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
mcrozb (anonymous) says...
Nice trip down Nostalgia lane with best wins and worst losses, there are a lot of both, but did anyone else notice during the last game CBS ran a stat talking about how KU is also a Football school as well. Out of all ncaa schools:
KU leads the nation in FB & BB combined winning pct. 45-4
Shall we go for 46-4 ????
Rock Chalk Jayhawk-KU..........that chant brings tears to my eyes when it comes loudly over the TV in the final few minutes!!!! I believe we are the only school that has such a victory chant? anyone know of another??????
Rock chalk !!!
March 27, 2008 at 11:46 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
bmkjayhawk (anonymous) says...
Others to consider:
Michigan State in Lawrence (November 2003)
Kentucky in Lexington (January 2005, minus Simien)
Georgia Tech in Lawrence (January 2005, minus Simien)
Oklahoma State in Lawrence (February 2005, in the middle of the major skid that spanned the last 9 games)
March 27, 2008 at 11:46 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
soapboxstew (anonymous) says...
Bad juji guys... You can't write an article the day before the game that says 'A Bad Weekend'. It sounds more like a premonition of the future than a look into the past.
I am superstitious, so I like the 'K' schools winning 6 of the last 7 Championships (in a year that ends in 8) stat that was given on these blogs. At the same rate, I hate negative energy things like 'A Bad Weekend' before the most important weekend this year; or the discussion of the worst loses in the Self era.
Concentrate on the positive. There are so many 'destiny' type things about this year for the hawks. I remember being disheartened, disgruntled, and dismantled after the UCLA game last year. My mother called me to console me (she likes bball, but by no means LOVES it), she said "This is not our year anyways, it was always going to be next year, no matter what." Since then, I have believed that this is our year of destiny. So stop mucking up destiny with all your bad juji.
March 27, 2008 at 11:53 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
bmkjayhawk (anonymous) says...
One other thing, and I know this isn't all that relevant, but with the rumors about OSU trying to get Coach Self, here's my input.
I am doing my student teaching this semester, and a teacher across the hall who is a huge K-State fan admits that he has a hard time disliking KU or Coach Self, for the following reasons:
Two years ago, he took the junior high basketball team to watch some games at the Burlington Invitational. Coach Self was there, scouting Tyrel Reed. The teacher I'm talking about got the opportunity to meet Coach Self and introduce him to all of his junior high players. A manager on the team was a student with a disability; he uses a walker of sorts to get around. Coach Self invited this student to a KU game, and even told him that he needed to pay close attention during the first half because this student was going to be the one to give a "3 Keys to Victory" speech to the players at halftime.
The next year, this teacher took the junior high players to Burlington again (might not have been to the tournament this time). And once again, Coach Self was there. When they got there he was being interviewed. Upon seeing the aforementioned student enter the gym, Coach Self left the reporters just to go greet this student and the teacher/coach, calling them both by their first name.
I would have a hard time disliking a rival's coach if they were this thoughtful, too. I know some will disagree, but I think we've got a keeper who is definitely worth our patience.
March 27, 2008 at 11:55 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
pitthawker (anonymous) says...
I believe by worst, he meant by point margin. Calm down about Bucknell and Bradley
March 27, 2008 at 12:14 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
txrockchalk (anonymous) says...
Nice link, CaramelMacchMan. I like how Jay assumed Georgetown would beat Davidson. Good article, though.
mcrozb - great sentiment on the Rock Chalk chant! I know how you feel when you hear it on TV. Hearing it in person is even better.
March 27, 2008 at 12:20 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Studogg (anonymous) says...
bmk,
You mentioned the two games I was going to bring up that no one else had said yet. The Michigan St. game (I think HCBS's second game in AFH) and the OSU game in Lawrence where Wayne had like 32 points or something. Both of those will forever live in my mind. Great, great victories.
March 27, 2008 at 12:40 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
sevenyearhawk (anonymous) says...
and I think no matter the ultimate outcome, if Coach Self leads Kansas to a victory against UNC and Coach Williams ...
you'll NEVER hear another peep about Bucknell, Bradley, Oral Roberts, Richmond, Nevada, Villanova (2005) etc, etc, etc!!!
March 27, 2008 at 12:48 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Lebowski (anonymous) says...
or DePaul :(
March 27, 2008 at 12:55 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Royaljayhwk (anonymous) says...
Anyone going to be in Detroit for the weekend? I'm heading up from Indy tomorrow at noon and will party with whoever is down. Let me know!
March 27, 2008 at 1:28 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Yahweh (anonymous) says...
Hats off for getting Jank quotes... I'm assuming these aren't re-hashed quotes from your archives... some real reporting here. Great to see.
March 27, 2008 at 2:16 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
wats211 (anonymous) says...
i love my jayhawks......but that loss to jimmy les and bradley still stings when i think about it....pathetic....we need to win two and then regroup and win 2 more...we can do that..im confident of it...villanova has talent..we must play a relentless 94 feet brand of basketball..contest every pass..shot....rebound....and make all of our free throws..we do that and we will be in good shape for sunday
March 27, 2008 at 3:57 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
hollpat (anonymous) says...
Richmond game ?
March 27, 2008 at 5:42 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
bhann (anonymous) says...
Does KU have a answer to stop or slow down Scottie Reynolds?
We will need to attack the boards on these guys. I hope our seniors how they left a sour taste in our mouths the last time we played.
I wonder how their coach feels about M.C and S.C now??
Let's take care of the and the to the Elite 8.
March 27, 2008 at 6:09 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
smitty33 (anonymous) says...
Royal,
I'm flying in from Denver tomorrow AM. I wonder where the party is? We're staying at the big Marriott downtown. I see the 'alumni' group is at the Hyatt in Dearborrne. I'm hoping there's many tickets avail via scalping since I don't have them yet.
OKJ, great analysis. I was begging for Tenn to lose so they wouldn't take up a 1 seed. Also, on paper it looks like the Texas win did us well. I think their road is tougher than ours. However, as everyone knows, anything can happen.
rock chalk!!!!
ps - Florida is my favorite win. BOTH teams played awesome. Julian had his best game as a jhawk.
March 27, 2008 at 11:20 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
oregonjhawk (anonymous) says...
How about Iowa at home to snap our 4 year (or so) home-court winning streak back in 98 or 99?? I was front row and center - ouch, still hurts to think about....
March 27, 2008 at 11:31 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
kataboom (anonymous) says...
screw all this crap. rock chalk jayhawk! we want a devastating nova loss - lets hit the century mark & announce our arrival to the elite 8 baby!
March 28, 2008 at 2:01 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )