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Oklahoma head coach Lon Kruger protests a call in the first half against Kansas on Saturday, Jan. 7, 2012, at Lloyd Noble Center.
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KU vs. Oklahoma
Podcast episode
Press Conferences & Post-Game Interviews
KU coach Bill Self
Kansas coach Bill Self talks to reporters following the Jayhawks' 72-61 victory over Oklahoma on Jan. 7, 2012.
Podcast episode
Press Conferences & Post-Game Interviews
Thomas Robinson and Travis Releford
KU players Thomas Robinson and Travis Releford talk to reporters following the Jayhawks' 72-61 victory over Oklahoma on Jan. 7, 2012.
KU vs. OU
• Putting on a show: Releford leads KU to 72-61 win
• Keegan: This year's identity? Defend and dash
• Taylor says he's going to leave Twitter criticism alone
Norman, Okla. — Kansas University forward Travis Releford made quite an impression on Oklahoma’s players and coaches following his 28-point effort in KU’s 72-61 victory on Saturday at Noble Center.
“He made shots from everywhere and attacked and finished at the line. Big game for him,” OU coach Lon Kruger said. “They’ve got a lot of different guys that can do that on different nights, and that’s one of the things that makes them very tough.”
Releford came into the game as KU’s fourth-leading scorer at 8.8 points per contest.
“In the Big 12, you pay attention to scouting report, but everybody can play,” OU guard Sam Grooms said. “As much as you say, ‘Yeah, we’re worried about Thomas Robinson. We’re worried about Tyshawn Taylor. We’re worried about the big-men guys,’ you still have to be worried about the guys that don’t get as much publicity as everyone else, because they make plays. He played well.”
Releford’s 28 points were the most scored by an opponent against OU this year. The previous high was Santa Clara’s Evan Rocquemore, who posted 27 points on Nov. 25.
Releford made nine of 13 shots and three of five three-pointers.
“He played hard, and he did exactly what any player in the Big 12 that’s allowed to have open shots will do,” Grooms said. “He made shots, and that helped his team out a lot.”
Oklahoma (10-4, 0-2 Big 12) actually led, 34-33, at halftime before struggling to start the second half.
Kansas scored 23 of the first 27 points after intermission.
“We opened up very careless with the ball right there, which gave them a little margin,” Kruger said. “Not only did we turn it over, we turned it over with them shooting layups, which is the worst of both worlds.”
Grooms said Oklahoma didn’t play as hard in the second half as it could have.
“We started off great (in the first half), and we did everything that we were asked to do. We rebounded. We were intense. The crowd was into it,” Grooms said. “And I think once they hit a couple of baskets, we went downhill.
“We started getting down on ourselves rather than being up.”
Oklahoma forward Romero Osby noticed the same drop in energy after the first half.
“We seemed very active, and that’s a fun way to play,” Osby said. “But in the second half, we got stagnant. We started standing around a little too much on both ends of the court, and we let it slip away from us.”
KU coach Bill Self talks about signing of Andrew Wiggins May 14, 2013
Ben McLemore interview March 28, 2013
360 QTR of Cowboy Stadium March 28, 2013
Jayhawks arrive in Dallas March 27, 2013
Jeff Withey talks about the team staying loose March 23, 2013
Comments
KU_Alumn_2000 1 year, 4 months ago
Defense Defense Defense...Lock down defense to start the 2nd half won this game. How many times have we seen KU lock down the opposition for 7-10 minute stretches this year.
This is Bill Self basketball at its best. Play D and rebound hard.
The KU football program can learn from the basketball program that defense wins championships....and T-Rel can really lock it down...but he's also scoring points.
KU wins the Big 12 this year hands down.
Final comment...loved seeing Mizzou get punched in the mouth today against K-State. Figured Mizzou would struggle guarding the half court with its lack of size in the post. Mizzou got exposed today...conference play will be difficult for them from here on out.
oldalum 1 year, 4 months ago
Wasn't it last year that MU started out so hot, and then it turned out that they couldn't (and didn't) win a single game not played at home?
SCFD187 1 year, 4 months ago
That sums up mizzou almost every year. But, last year they only won one conference game on the road.
baldwinjhawk 1 year, 4 months ago
Basketball Final Fours: WVU 2, MU 0 BCS Bowl Game Appearances: WVU 3, MU 0 BCS Bowl Game Wins: WVU 3, MU 0 Football and Basketball Conference Championships: WVU 6, MU 0
The common trend in all this is "MU 0". In addition, MU also has the least amount of overall conference championships in the Big 12 and has zero conference championships in all men's sports. It's almost amazing how little they have achieved, not only in the last 10 years, but in their history. If you ask an MU fan what their favorite MU sports moment since the Big 12 was formed over 15 years ago, the only answers feasible are:
Winning the basketball conference tournament in 2009. Beating Kansas in football in 2007. Beating an unranked team in the Cotton Bowl in 2008. Making it to a couple of Elite 8s
ttoulouse 1 year, 4 months ago
(giggle)
GBJayhawk 1 year, 4 months ago
Rock Chalk Travis!! Way to light it up, dude!
This was a kind of coming out party for Travis, and I'm afraid that he's not going to be able to slip under the radar anymore...
Word is out, TRel is not just your lockem up and throw away the keys defender, he's gonna shred yer nets too!!!
ROCK CHALK!!!!
REHawk 1 year, 4 months ago
Jayhawks are wading deeper into Bill Self's playbook. As Thomas grows more and more proficient at drawing double and triple teams, then releasing the pass a split second faster, we are going to punish a lot of defenses. Terrific viewing in the second half last night, watching Releford's more aggressive offense. I continue to be amazed at the two halves of NCAA basketball, how good teams can play almost two completely different games. Jayhawk energy, focus and determination was a combined thing of beauty in the 3rd quarter of play.
tomhawk26 1 year, 4 months ago
Third quarter?
st20602 1 year, 4 months ago
I think he means the first 10 minutes of the 2nd half.
travisthein 1 year, 4 months ago
I don't understand when people question you when you say "quarter" when talking about college basketball. We're all college basketball fans. We are all fully aware that it is two 20 minute halves. Talking about quarters is clearly just being more specific.
KU62 1 year, 4 months ago
You can even tell on the clock – when the minutes remaining is double digits, the game is still in the first quarter, or the third if it's past halftime!
Amazing how much the understanding of fractions suffered when the 'half' largely disappeared from our monetary system . . .
I wonder if tomhawk attended an elementary school where kids were ridiculed for idioms different than their classmates were used to?
drgnslayr 1 year, 4 months ago
Travis is a smart player and he is beginning to realize his offensive strengths and how much he can help this team on offense. He did so many things well in this game. Loved the interior feed to the whiffer!
We already knew what he could do on D...
I believe Travis will challenge TRob for point honors on this team by March.
EJ is capable, too, and I hope he finds his offensive groove soon. No reason he can't average 15 ppg!
This team has plenty of potential.
Rock Chalk!
jhawkr 1 year, 4 months ago
I too am glad that Travis has woke up and found his offensive groove. I have a feeling Coach told him to man up and start contributing. Not like we can rely on Tyshawn and EJ each and every game. At best we have to hope that Tyshawn and EJ combined can give us a true point guards contribution without a ton of turnovers.
As for Teahan it pains me to watch him play as many minutes as he does. He tries, but a man of his skill set would be sitting on the end of most teams benches and playing mopup minutes, but instead he plays too many minutes on a team trying to win the Big 12. If and If his shot is on, great, if not he really doesn't offer much.
BoulderHawk 1 year, 4 months ago
I was waiting for the crowd to pick their new Morningstar. It's Teahan. This crap is probably going to be pervasive on this site the rest of the year. I bet HCBS still listens to his own ability to judge talent.
phogphan2000 1 year, 4 months ago
I think it's quite a bit different. Some fans had issues with Brady obviously. With Teahan I think everyone wants badly for him to do well, it just keeps not happening. At home, he seems to shoot better, play better, should get more minutes. Until he proves us doubters wrong on the road, not sure why he's getting so much run. It's possibly he still plays smarter/better than the rest in practice, has more experience, Self knows he's a link to the title team and wants that leadership from him or just is hoping he'll be a key threat later in the season. I don't think anyone is ready to go after Self for playing him or anything, but you have to admit KU fans have plenty of reasons to not want to see him on the floor.
BoulderHawk 1 year, 4 months ago
No they don't. It's called a major 3 point threat.
KU62 1 year, 4 months ago
Posters who went through puberty watching "American Idol" really have no contribution to make in a discussion of TEAM sports.
Get someone to help you analyze whether the TEAM plays better or worse when Conner is on the floor. The TEAM playing better or worse means more or fewer points than the opposing TEAM, no matter who scores ours or whose man scores theirs.
No, you don't know how that analysis will turn out. I don't know either, but you can bet Bill Self and Curt Townsend know!
KU62 1 year, 4 months ago
Sorry I didn't check spelling of coach Townsend's first name before posting.
phogphan2000 1 year, 4 months ago
I think KU needs everyone to be willing to go after baskets in case it happens to be their night. I think Releford is more capable than most of having a lot of good nights. Obviously TRob has been incredibly reliable with production. TT and EJ both have to keep after it too, it's a long conference season. Every night you want to have at least 3 guys putting up big numbers, some nights you might be lucky enough to get by with 2. In any case everyone in the starting lineup has to try to put up points or a lot of nights you will come up short. Hopefully Withey will have some big games, Teahan or whoever else gets opportunities to contribute.
KU62 1 year, 4 months ago
... in case it happens to be ...
I am guessing you are a big fan of playground basketball.
What each player needs to do is to follow the game plan the coaches lay out for each opponent and keep making the adjustments the coach calls for.
One guy off on his own agenda can destroy what it takes hours/weeks/months to build.
WhoSaidThat 1 year, 4 months ago
I was wowed by Rele too! I am glad to see him finally get it going, he has been teetering on the cusp for sometime now.
GBJayhawk 1 year, 4 months ago
As I said earlier, TRel's cat is out of the bag!! Andy Katz at ESPN has pegged TRel for his player of the week!
http://espn.go.com/ncb/notebook/_/page/notebookweeklywatch1205/week-5
ROCK CHALK, Travis!!
sallyp 1 year, 4 months ago
Travis--what a game you've had these last games. Way to go!!! You've worked so hard and been so patient, thanks for sticking in there. Love to watch you play
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