Nick Collison won’t argue the fact he’s produced more as a starter than as a reserve for Kansas University’s basketball team.
“My stats have been better,” says Collison, a 6-foot-9 sophomore forward from Iowa Falls, Iowa.
Collison he’s started six games and come off the bench for six games for the Jayhawks (11-1) has averaged 16.2 points per game as a starter and 9.8 points as a reserve.
As a starter, he’s hit 43 of 62 shots for 69.4 percent. That compares to 22-of-40 shooting off the bench for 55 percent.
Collison has averaged 6.8 rebounds in games he’s started, 5.0 boards in games as a reserve.
“I’d rather start, but someone can’t,” Collison said, smiling, after starting and scoring 17 points with four rebounds, four assists and three blocks in Saturday’s 77-43 rout of Southwest Missouri State at Kemper Arena.
Collison’s attitude has impressed KU coach Roy Williams, who until Saturday had started Eric Chenowith at the pivot in all of KU’s games.
“He is by far our best inside player not starting,” Williams said of Collison. “I think he has the best attitude by far, that he knows he’s going to play.
“He knows he’s going to be important to us.”
Williams prefers to start two of his three big men rather than go with Collison, the 7-1 Chenowith and 6-10 Drew Gooden all at once.
“That’s not the best way for our team,” Collison said of the three trees nicknamed “The Manwich” starting. “You see tonight, the way we play, we wouldn’t be able to get out in the lanes with three big guys.”
So two of the three get to start.
Gooden, who’s started nine of 12 games, has had three big games coming off the bench. He hit 23 of 33 shots (69.7 percent) and averaged 19.3 points as a substitute in KU’s wins over St. John’s, North Dakota and Boise State.
“For the most part, all three big guys have had good moments. My guess is we’ll rotate ’em around a little bit and see what happens,” Williams said.
For the year, Gooden averages 15.8 points and 8.4 rebounds while logging 28.4 minutes a game, Collison 13.0 points and 5.9 boards while averaging 24.3 minutes and Chenowith 12.0 points and 9.3 boards in 22.8 minutes.
“Eric really struggled against Ohio State shooting the ball (1-of-8). He really struggled early shooting it today (missing his first eight shots), but he stuck with it,” Williams said of Chenowith, who hit four of his last five shots and finished with nine points and 11 boards against the Bears. “At least he was doing some good things on the backboards for us and had three blocks, too.
“The crazy thing about young kids is two weeks ago today was maybe the most effective, most aggressive offensive game he’s had all year. Now we are saying he’s really struggling,” Williams added.
Chenowith scored 24 points on 7-of-11 shooting in KU’s 92-69 rout of Tulsa on Dec. 16.
Meanwhile, Collison has made 30 of his last 39 shots over four games for an uncanny 76.9 percent.
“Nick did some nice things,” Williams said after Collison’s 8-of-11 shooting effort Saturday. “Kirk (Hinrich) really did a great job finding him a couple times on the secondary phase of the break.
“He gave it to him inside. For the most part, he took the ball to the basket. I like that part especially when you see four assists and only one turnover. We’ve got to get our big guys from having turnovers.”
Gooden committed eight turnovers versus Tulsa, but had just two turnovers against four assists Saturday.
However, he enraged Williams by hoisting a long second-half three from the side with 19 seconds left on the shot clock.
“Drew has had some big-time moments, Eric has had some big time moments and Nick has had some big-time moments,” Williams said, simply.
The Jayhawks, who held a clinic that attracted several hundred youths on Saturday, will practice today in preparation for Saturday’s Big 12 opener at Texas Tech. Tipoff will be 8:05 p.m. in Lubbock, Texas.