Disadvantages too.

“Not really,” Kansas basketball coach Roy Williams said, asked if he likes his current lineup of 6-foot-9 Nick Collison, 6-10 Drew Gooden and 7-1 Eric Chenowith in the front court, with Kirk Hinrich and Jeff Boschee in the backcourt.

“We can’t get out and guard the three-point shooters. On the offensive end, it’s pretty good. You can pound that ball inside. Defensively, it’s tough to guard the little guy. We’re better defensively with only two posts, so we can guard people.”

Gooden has had some matchup problems while starting at small forward in place of the injured Kenny Gregory the past two games.

Yet KU has won both contests 75-69 over DePaul and 92-69 Saturday over Tulsa.

“Drew will go through times he might eventually play some three even when we get everybody back,” Williams said of the versatile Gooden, who hit a three-pointer Saturday and scored 21 points.

Collison also canned a three and hit for 19. Chenowith tallied a game-high 24 points.

“Throughout his career, Drew will be able to get better and better sliding his feet. It will really give us a lot more flexibility.”

Gooden likes the small forward spot, but admits it’s a challenge for him to defend against quick players like Tulsa forwards Kevin Johnson (6-7) and David Shelton (6-6).

“It’s different being on the wing,” Gooden said. “I defend a smaller player. (But) I played the wing in high school and junior high, so it’s not a big deal. It’s just an adjustment defensively.”

The Jayhawks, who used a point zone defense much of the time against DePaul, went back to the man-to-man defense against quick Tulsa.

KU held the Golden Hurricane to 39.3 percent shooting.

“We were in more foul trouble at DePaul,” Williams said. “Sometimes we get in foul trouble and have to hide some things, cover up some things with the zone. If we can stay out of foul trouble, we are better man-to-man than we are in the zone.”

The fact KU was playing in loud Allen Fieldhouse also had a lot to do with the decision to play man-to-man against a quick Tulsa team that started nobody taller than 6-7.

“It’s a known fact the crowd helps you defensively,” Williams said. “Sometimes it hurts you offensively. Their emotion and enthusiasm gets you going quicker than you need to be.

“Defensively the crowd gets you more focused, more enthused. That crowd can give you extra juice. I’ve had teams before we’d double-team, trap and press more at home than on the road.”

Williams gave his defense a thumbs-up for Saturday’s effort.

“I thought we were really good defensively,” he said. “Take away that stretch where they made four straight three-pointers (late in first half) and I was more pleased defensively tonight than any point this year.

“Two (of the threes) came when our big guys were not sprinting back. Little guys had to help out then get back on their own man.”

Overall, the Jayhawks hustled on defense.

“A couple times the second half they tried to beat us off the dribble. Jeff (Boschee) one time and Kirk (Hinrich) one time really did a good job sliding their feet and staying in front of their man. It (sliding feet) has been a huge problem for us,” Williams said.

Williams gives partial credit for the blowout to the crowd. Allen Fieldhouse was packed to the rafters on a bitterly cold winter night.

“Here it’s 800 below zero or whatever and we have 16,300. It’s pretty special,” Wiliams said.