Boulder, Colo. ? Kansas University’s men’s basketball players had more than beef, pasta and rolls to digest at their pregame meal Monday afternoon at the Westminster Double Tree Hotel.
The Jayhawks swallowed hard — and nearly spit out their iced teas — as they watched tape of the last 10 seconds of last year’s KU-Colorado game in Boulder — a one-point CU victory that snapped KU’s 27-game winning streak against the Buffs and 12-game winning streak at Coors Events Center.
“We watched the last possession where the fans ran onto the court. We were determined to not let it happen again,” KU junior guard Keith Langford said after collecting 18 points, six assists and six rebounds in Monday’s 77-62 revenge victory over the Buffs.
Langford scored four points, while Aaron Miles canned a crucial three in a key 7-2 run that hiked a tight 64-58 lead to 71-59 with 2:39 to play.
Langford also buried a three with less than a minute to play, waving his hands wildly in the air in celebration of KU’s resounding Big 12 Conference-opening win.
He also tugged on his jersey and blew a kiss to the 1,000 or so KU fans in the north end zone as he exited through the tunnel after the victory, KU’s ninth in 11 games.
“It was to thank our fans for their support. They helped us a lot tonight,” said Langford, who needed the cheers of the 3,000 or so KU fans in Coors Events Center to provide him energy because he was drained by the flu.
He was sick at the hotel all night Sunday and needed IVs after the game.
“I told coach I felt I was running in cement the whole game,” said Langford, who opened defensively on all-Big 12 candidate Michel Morandais (14 points), but was given an easier defensive assignment as the game progressed and he became gassed in the high altitude.
Langford and Miles (12 points, six assists, five rebounds) weren’t the only Jayhawks to play key roles in avenging last year’s 60-59 loss at CU.
Wayne Simien, who missed last year’s game because of a shoulder injury, scored 21 points and grabbed 14 rebounds. He had 14 points the first half and dominated David Harrison (13 points, 11 boards, three points the first half) as KU took a 37-29 lead into halftime.
“I won’t say it’s revenge. I don’t think it (KU-CU rivalry) has gotten to that magnitude,” said Simien, who was one of KU’s big men not to get in foul trouble.
David Padgett had no points, four boards and five fouls in nine minutes, while Jeff Graves had seven points and five boards in 15 minutes. Moulaye Niang and Christian Moody were left to help out on the inside and combined for four points and three boards in 21 minutes.
“We lost the game last year and came back and beat them in the fieldhouse,” Simien said. “We were upset about last year, but we mainly just wanted to win because it’s a Big 12 win on the road.”
KU coach Bill Self was coach at Illinois last year, but he sensed the players wanted to avenge the defeat.
“Yes we talked about it, sure we talked about it,” Self said. “I don’t think it’s a revenge-type thing. They left here disappointed last year.”
Of watching the tape at pre-game of the fans rushing the court last year, Self said: “I said (to Jayhawks), ‘Isn’t it great to play at a place where it’s a big deal every time Kansas loses?’ It’s not a knock on anybody, it’s a good thing.”
Kansas — which never had its first-half lead of 16 points dip under six — refused to lose again at CU.
Simien hit two free throws, J.R. Giddens hit a layup off a pass from Graves and Graves hit a basket and free throw in a 7-0 spurt that boosted a 40-34 lead to 47-34 with 16:30 left.
CU cut the gap to 47-38, but KU immediately answered, Langford hitting a bank shot and Moody racing in for a layup off a pinpoint pass from Miles.
It was 64-58 at 3:143 when Langford buried his 12-footer, seconds after he had missed a three from the corner and Harrison had made one free throw.
Miles busted his three, then Langford scored again, making it seem as if KU’s juniors took over at the end.
“You could say that if you want,” Miles said, “but everybody contributed. Wayne got rebounds; Jeff Graves got rebounds; J.R. hit open shots. There were a lot of other guys. It was a big game, and a lot of guys wanted it tonight.”
The Jayhawks now embark on a nine-day layoff between games. KU will entertain Kansas State at 7 p.m. Jan. 14 at Allen Fieldhouse.
Kirk Hinrich looked rather dapper in his tan suit coat and slacks on Wednesday night at Allen Fieldhouse.
“Actually he was pretty funny. He was saying some of the same things the coaches were saying,” Kansas University sophomore guard Keith Langford said after the Jayhawks downed Central Missouri State, 97-70, with their injured senior leader playing the role of assistant coach/cheerleader on the bench.
“Hopefully he’s not wearing a suit on Saturday (at Oregon),” added Langford, who scored a game-high 23 points off 10-of-15 shooting and had seven rebounds and five assists against no turnovers.
Forwards Nick Collison and Wayne Simien scored 22 points apiece, and Langford’s backcourt mate, Aaron Miles, added 20 as the four starters picked up the scoring slack for the 6-foot-3 Hinrich, who sat out the first game of his career nursing a back strain.
“I talked to him a lot. I told him I wish he’d get his butt out there. I don’t need him over here with me,” KU coach Roy Williams said. “He said it was frustrating sitting out.
“He could have played tonight, no doubt in my mind,” added Williams, who decided to rest Hinrich against a Div. II foe while giving valuable minutes to his bench players, who responded with just eight points off 1-of-14 shooting. “In the long term, if this helps Bryant Nash, Jeff Hawkins, Michael Lee and those guys, it’ll help our team, too.”
The bench didn’t produce many points, but at least one unexpected source, did.
Sophomore point guard Miles hit six of 12 shots, including two of three three-pointers. He passed his old career-high scoring mark of 16 set against Princeton last season.
What’s more, he busted a slump.
He had scored just 21 points in KU’s first four games combined off 6-of-26 shooting. That’s 23.1 percent marksmanship, including 2-of-8 three-point shooting.
“Me and Aaron talked after the Florida game. I was like, ‘Aaron, keep shooting,”’ Langford said. “I’ve seen him make outside shots hundreds of times. I said, ‘You can shoot it. If somebody sags off, shoot.’ I think he took it to heart.”
Williams had similar words for his point guard.
“I told him, ‘I think you can shoot the ball well. Keep playing hard and aggressive,”’ Williams said of Miles, who scored 13 points the first half as KU survived seven CMSU threes in building a 49-36 halftime lead.
“He hears the whispers he’s not shooting or can’t shoot. He’s human. I like the fact he’s aggressive and trying. Aaron is a tough little nut.”
He admits he has heard grumbling about his offensive game.
“I mean, I hear that a lot. I can score, man,” Miles said. “We’ve got great scorers on our team now.
“I feel good about my shot now. I’ve been shooting a little after practice with coach Miller (Ben, assistant). My confidence is high. Personally, it feels better to score like tonight, but from a team aspect a win is a win.”
Simien’s 22 points also were a personal-best mark on a night the Jayhawks didn’t build a 20-point advantage until 8:46 when KU went up, 78-58. That’s 16 seconds after KU notched its first bench points when Lee hit a driving layup and was fouled.
Central Missouri State hit five threes and trailed just 18-15 early. The Mules’ first basket that wasn’t a three came at 10:39, slicing the deficit to 25-22.
The Jayhawks used a 17-5 run to boost its 30-25 lead to a comfy 47-30 with 2:17 left in the half.
“I think you gain more confidence the more shots you make, and their first six baskets were threes. That gives you confidence,” Williams said.
He was hoping KU, which entered with a two-game losing streak, would regain its “bounce” versus the Mules.
“I don’t think you can get it all back in one day,” the coach said. “There’s no reason we should be scared or doubting. It’s a basketball game. Whether we’ve got the whole thing back, I don’t believe that.”
KU will leave tonight for Portland, where the Jayhawks will tangle with No. 7 Oregon at 2:30 p.m. CST Saturday at the Rose Garden.