Jeff Withey tops ratings against TCU

By Staff     Feb 7, 2013

**1. Jeff Withey:** The senior had a hard time getting shots up against TCU’s physical post players, but he still was easily KU’s best performer. Withey posted 12 points on 4-for-6 shooting from the floor and 4-for-5 shooting from the free throw line. He also added eight rebounds and three blocks to go with two turnovers in 33 minutes.

**2. Ben McLemore:** After lifting KU out of so many scoring droughts this season, McLemore couldn’t bail out the Jayhawks in the first half, scoring two points on 0-for-6 shooting. McLemore bounced back with a solid second half, ending with a team-high 15 points (6-for-16 shooting), though he still missed all six of his three-point tries. He also had nine rebounds, three assists and one block to go with a team-high-tying three turnovers.

**3. Kevin Young:** KU coach Bill Self said Kevin Young’s benching in favor of Perry Ellis didn’t affect the outcome — a point I disagree with. Young had a favorable matchup against TCU but only played 14 minutes, with Self many times choosing to play small with two guards that combined to go 5-for-27 from the floor. Young was productive during the time he was in, posting six points (2-for-7 shooting) with nine rebounds, which included four offensive boards. He also added a steal with no turnovers.

**4. Travis Releford:** The senior was burned on the defensive end by Garlon Green, who scored a game-high 20 points, and was a no-show on the offensive end, attempting just one field goal. Through all that, he still ranks fourth because everyone else stunk worse than he did. Releford added six rebounds and four assists to go with one turnover before he fouled out after 36 minutes.

**5. Jamari Traylor:** Scored KU’s first and only basket in the game’s first 12 minutes. That basically was his entire line. The freshman played seven minutes, scoring two points with one rebound and two fouls.

**6. Naadir Tharpe:** The good news? He hit all six of his free throw attempts, which pushed his point total to 11 points. The bad news? The sophomore was just 2-for-15 from the floor and 1-for-6 from three-point range, which included crucial misses late in the second half when KU still was within striking distance. Though Tharpe’s confidence is admirable, his decision-making has to be questioned if those quick-trigger shots early in the shot clock aren’t falling. Tharpe posted two assists and two turnovers in 25 minutes.

**7. Perry Ellis:** Started for the first time since the Michigan State game because Self wanted to shake things up. Ellis did almost nothing in his 10 minutes, picking up a rebound and missing one field goal.

**8. Rio Adams:** A member of the 3 trillion club; he played three minutes with no other statistics. That put him ahead of three other Jayhawk scholarship players.

**9. Justin Wesley:** Had a rebound, a foul and a turnover in three minutes.

**10. Elijah Johnson:** Self had to know his critical comments about Johnson after the Oklahoma State game was going to force him in one of two directions: Either the guard was going to be fired up to prove his coach wrong, or he was going to play like a guy whose confidence had been shaken. Obviously, Self made the wrong call after Saturday’s loss, as Johnson is playing with hesitation and shooting like a player with a bad case of the yips. Johnson was 3-for-12 from the floor and 2-for-8 from three, once again missing too many open jumpers while also failing to convert those opportunities he had at the rim. He had eight points, three assists, one block and tied a team-high with three turnovers before he fouled out after playing 31 minutes.

**11. Andrew White III:** Missed a three-pointer, airballed a three-pointer, posted a turnover and had three fouls in his two minutes.

**KUsports.com Season Standings**
1. Jeff Withey (170 points)
2. Ben McLemore (167 points)
3. Travis Releford (161 points)
4. Kevin Young (124 points)
5. Elijah Johnson (117 points)
6. Naadir Tharpe (106 points)
7. Perry Ellis (93 points)
8. Jamari Traylor (72 points)
9. Andrew White III (38 points)
10. Rio Adams (26 points)
11. Justin Wesley (11 points)

**Big 12 Standings**
1. Jeff Withey (79 points)
2. Ben McLemore (78 points)
3. Travis Releford (75 points)
4. Kevin Young (65 points)
5. Naadir Tharpe (45 points)
T6. Elijah Johnson (41 points)
T6. Perry Ellis (41 points)
8. Jamari Traylor (31 points)
9. Andrew White III (15 points)
10. Rio Adams (11 points)
11. Justin Wesley (4 points)

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