Ten-block game vaults Jeff Withey to top of ratings

Posted by Tom Keegan March 24, 2012 at 1:37 a.m.

1. Jeff Withey: Blocked shots in the second, third and fourth N.C. State possessions. Without those, KU would have had a bigger hole than 13-3 from which to dig itself out. He also had a game-saving block with 20 seconds left on the way to his first 10-block game. Also had eight points and five rebounds.

2. Thomas Robinson: Missed some easy shots on his way to a 7-for-17 shooting effort and made just 4 of 9 free throws, but never stopped battling and when the strongest player on the floor gives the most effort, good things happen. Led Kansas with 18 points and 15 rebounds, six of them coming on the offensive glass.

3. Elijah Johnson: Cut to the hoop on an in-bounds play for the biggest bucket of the night and made 5 of 8 field goals on the way to 11 points.

4. Travis Releford: Missed both three-pointers, but worked his way to seven points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals.

5. Conner Teahan: He couldn’t hit long threes (0 for 3), so he mixed in an old-fashioned three-point play and scored another inside bucket in a big first half.

6. Kevin Young: Energized the team again with non-stop hustle. Contributed five points, three rebounds, an assist and a blocked shot in 13 minutes.

7. Tyshawn Taylor: Snared 10 rebounds, but made just 2 of 14 shots and none of his six three-pointers. Had five assists and five turnovers.

8. Justin Wesley: Played two minutes.

The Keegan Ratings: Season Standings
1. Thomas Robinson (318 points)
2. Tyshawn Taylor (296 points)
3. Jeff Withey (268 points)
4. Elijah Johnson (253 points)
5. Travis Releford (236 points)
6. Conner Teahan (184 points)
7. Kevin Young (163 points)
8. Justin Wesley (120 points)
9. Naadir Tharpe (87 points)
10. Merv Lindsay (11 points)
11. Jordan Juenemann (9 points)

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AndOne 1 year, 2 months ago

I would put KY a spot or two higher.

actorman 1 year, 2 months ago

KY made a big difference in energy the moment he came in the game. I would have ranked him fourth.

I don't know if I've ever felt worse after a KU win. It's hard to feel inspired when Tyshawn and T-Rob both miss front ends of 1-and-1s with the game on the line, and when the offense was basically non-existent for the last 5 or 6 minutes of the game. I sure hope they bring more to the table on Sunday.

tundrahok 1 year, 2 months ago

I felt the same way. I was having flashbacks to the game at Missouri, after which I was feeling pretty skeptical about the remainder of the season. But we bounced back from that one pretty well! Hopefully we can turn it around again.

prusso25 1 year, 2 months ago

Nice final four. That is pretty impressive!

Bangkok_Jayhawk 1 year, 2 months ago

We REALLY need some bench guys to be able to step up. Young and Wesley combined for 15 minutes of relief for our post. Have to have more than that. McLemore and Traylor could have been those depth pieces this year.

REHawk 1 year, 2 months ago

Our five starters all played 31 minutes or more, averaging right at 33. Including their overtime, North Carolina starters averaged 38 minutes. We got a tough break with the late game schedule, but our legs should be as fresh as the Tarheels for Sunday game.

jaybate 1 year, 2 months ago

I have to vote for Thomas Robinson over Jeff for this game.

Blocks are spectacular and Jeff took blocking to new heights.

But...

Thomas Robinson got 18 points and 15 rebounds, while the other team was being allowed to assault him with black jacks. No player should ever have to put up with what Thomas has had to put up with this season. It is wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong! And, frankly, I have never seen a star of his caliber getting so little protection from the referees. The referees in this tournament need to go look in the mirror and shout, "Shame on me for bending over for the media gaming complex. Shame on me for following the instructions of their supplicants the NCAA! Shame, shame, shame! I will not swallow my whistle anymore. I will do my duty to the game of basketball, to which I owe a higher allegiance than to all of the spectacle mongers and betting whores that seek to turn the game into a fouling inferno so no one can tell when point spreads are being managed by the refs!!!!"

Thomas Robinson is a admirable and brave young man and a great basketball player and he deserves the best treatment, not the worst, and not preferential treatment. He deserves the game to be called by the rules. Watch any Kentucky game and their center is hardly even touched. If the refs let this go on for the rest of the tournament, this deserves to be filed as a crime against humanity. Nick Krug's photos keep documenting what is going on. This is a disgrace of the greatest game ever invented.

Protect Thomas Robinson now!

Call the game by the rules!

Or at least give him the same kind of protection that is given to the Kentucky center.

stupidmichael 1 year, 2 months ago

HawksWin 1 year, 2 months ago

copy/paste!

KGphoto 1 year, 2 months ago

Perfect.

REHawk 1 year, 2 months ago

Perhaps Nick and Jesse could publish an illustrated basketball compendium: The Mugging of Thomas Robinson, 2011-12. That might catch the attention of the powers what be.

actorman 1 year, 2 months ago

Normally I think people are overly critical of the refs and I get tired of the constant "blame the refs" mentality. But I have to say that you're right on the mark, jaybate, especially about yesterday's game. I had a pretty good seat, and could see firsthand how much they were getting away with hacking, banging against and generally assaulting T-Rob.

kubasset 1 year, 2 months ago

Thomas is great. But he needs to leave the guard play to the guards. He is not being as aggresive in the paint with his shot. I don;t think he had a single dunk and he took a lot of shoots from two feet. I am in no way bagging on Thomas, but we need him to play strong and aggresive.

HawksWin 1 year, 2 months ago

I think TRob was trying to help Taylor out ... how's that for team effort?

HawksWin 1 year, 2 months ago

Taylor, I know you feel awful about how you've been playing, now throw that feeling to the wind, because it is a brand new day and new game. That said, be sure to bring it on against Roy because you don't want it to be your last college game. We sure don't want it to be your last game. It's a show time TT!!!

cshjhawk 1 year, 2 months ago

In defense of Tyshawn, he did hold Lorenzo Brown to 10 points, but to negate that the 6' 5" Brown and other guards also limited TT's offensive production. Notwithstanding the turnovers, TT did get 10 rebounds, did get 5 dimes, and he did come through with that inbound pass to EJ for the decisive 2 points. Also, HawksWin was right about TRob helping out TT, but I believe that both TRob and TT are also realizing that they need not bear all of the burden as others like Jeff, EJ, Travis, and Conner are making timely plays. Rock Chalk!

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