It’s deja vu for Kansas University’s men’s basketball team.
The Jayhawks (19-5, 8-4 Big 12) have lost four of six games in a 20-day span from Jan. 29 to Feb. 17.
A year ago, the Jayhawks dropped four of six games in an 19-day span from Jan. 29 to Feb. 16.
Eerie? You bet.
“Anytime you lose four of six games you know you are not doing something right,” KU senior Kenny Gregory said after Saturday’s 79-71 loss at Iowa State. “For me, individually, the toughest thing last year was a lack of confidence. This year we’re not putting everything together the right pieces in the right stretches.
“I won’t say this team is shaken this year,” Gregory added. “I will say everybody is tired of losing. It’s a real down period for us now. Every season has up periods and down periods. This is our down period now. Everybody has to look inside themselves to see what they are doing to help the team win.”
After dropping four of six last year, KU finished the league season with four wins in five tries. The Jayhawks went 1-1 in the conference tournament and 1-1 in the NCAAs, finishing 24-10.
The 2000-01 Jayhawks have all but given up hope of a regular-season conference crown Iowa State will have to fall apart to blow a two-game lead over KU with four games remaining.
Yet, KU’s players hope to finish much stronger than last year’s club.
Remember, Drew Gooden (wrist injury) figures to return soon after missing two of KU’s last three losses. He’s to be re-examined today and perhaps be cleared to resume his season. Also Luke Axtell (back pain) is expected back soon after taking up to seven days off to see if his bulging disk responds to treatment.
“We have not been playing well,” Gregory said. “The Baylor loss (last Monday’s 85-77 setback) was the poorest you can get as far as us as a team just not being ready to play. We’ve got to try to bounce back. Hopefully we can build, get some momentum the next four games, get better and by the time the conference tournament rolls around get another chance at Iowa State hopefully.”
The Cyclones swept KU for the second-straight regular season.
“We’ve got to give Iowa State respect and credit for what they’ve done,” Gregory said. “It’s hard to explain this loss. The last time we lost to them it was kind of like we didn’t give enough effort,” he said of a 79-77 loss in Lawrence. “This time I can’t pinpoint exactly why we can’t beat those guys.”
KU has lost five in a row to the Cyclones.
“They are a good team and play well together, but I can’t understand what it is we’re not doing that is holding us back from beating them,” Gregory said.
Next up for KU is Wednesday’s 7:05 p.m. home battle against Colorado. The Buffs are 15-11 overall and 5-8 in the Big 12 after Saturday’s 87-82 overtime loss to Nebraska in Boulder, Colo.
The Jayhawks have beaten CU 23 straight times and 17 consecutive times at Allen Fieldhouse.