The goal, Jeff Boschee says, is to be fitted for a Big 12 title ring in six weeks or so.
“Since I’ve been here, I’ve not won a conference championship, only a (postseason) tournament championship,” said Boschee, Kansas University’s senior shooting guard from Valley City, N.D.
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“It’s about time it comes back to Lawrence.”
The Big 12 regular-season title won’t be decided today when No. 4 Kansas and No. 5 Oklahoma square off in a high-noon men’s basketball showdown at Allen Fieldhouse.
Yet it’s the kind of game that begins to separate contenders from pretenders, that is for sure.
“It is going to be a man’s game,” KU junior forward Drew Gooden said.
Kansas enters with a 14-2 overall record, 3-0 in the Big 12, while Oklahoma is 14-1, 3-0.
“It should be a good day for the Big 12,” Oklahoma coach Kelvin Sampson said of the nationally-televised battle (channels 9, 49).
His Sooners enter with a glossy portfolio that includes a 13-game winning streak and victories at Arkansas (69-54), at Connecticut (69-67) and a home blowout of No. 3 Maryland (72-56).
“I think they’ve accomplished the most,” KU coach Roy Williams said, asked if OU rates as KU’s toughest opponent to date. “They had the early loss at Michigan State in the preseason NIT (67-55 on Nov. 14) and that’s it.
“I was extremely impressed watching their Maryland game at the Minneapolis airport. I don’t want to say they made it look easy, but they made it look easy. To me, there was never any doubt they were going to win that game. They took a Texas Tech team that I think has been playing really good basketball and made it a 25- to 30-point game.”
The Sooners blitzed previously red-hot Tech, 98-72, on Jan. 16 in Norman, and followed that with Wednesday’s 78-51 rout at Nebraska.
The Sooners, who average 82.9 points per game, do not resemble some of Sampson’s more deliberate yet successful teams of the past.
“In year’s past they’ve been a slowdown-type team,” Boschee said. “It seems like they’d set up a play every time down court. I’m not sure they are still like that.
“Hollis Price is ridiculously quick,” Boschee said of the 6-foot-1 junior guard who averages 17.1 points a game. “I saw them play UConn on TV and they looked very athletic and got out and defended the court extremely well.”
Oklahoma definitely prefers a quicker pace.
“In the past we’d hem you in a corner and slug you. Now we can dance in the middle of the ring and do some things there. We can score more,” Sampson said. “We’ve got a bigger hammer. We have five positions we can get baskets from.”
Four newcomers are main contributors.
Ebi Ere, 6-5 from Barton County Community College, averages 16.7 points and 6.3 boards. Quannas White, 6-1 from Midland Community College, averages 6.5 points a game, while Florida International transfer Jabahri Brown, a 6-10 sophomore, grabs 8.4 boards per contest and reserve Jason Detrick, 6-5 from West Plains Junior College, averages 10.9 points.
Aaron McGhee, a 6-8 senior, contributes 13.6 points and 6.5 boards.
“The infusion of the junior college talent, three or four guys at the same time, is a little unusual,” Williams said. “To get those guys to buy into it as quickly as they have, the style and what Kelvin wants them to do and adjusting to this level of play, I think it is an amazing job for him.”
Some are wondering whether this is Sampson’s best team at OU.
“I think it has the potential to be,” said Sampson, whose team has reached the NCAA Tournament seven straight years. “Last year’s team won the Big 12 championship at the end (in Kansas City) and won 26 games. I don’t make light of what last year’s team did. The year before that we won 27. The year before that we made the Sweet 16. I am not boasting about past performances. My point is this team has to be really good to be better than some of our past teams. It has the potential to be one of our best teams.”
He realizes today’s test is “the biggest we’ve faced. I like Roy’s team. It may be Roy’s best team. We’d feel better playing this game on a neutral court. Going to Allen Fieldhouse to play, Kansas starts the game out 8-0 (lead). That’s OK. We’ve been to UConn, Arkansas, Michigan State. The kids are looking forward to it. It makes the game fun. If we win, great. If we don’t, we still have to play Missouri regardless on Monday night (in Norman).”
The goal, Jeff Boschee says, is to be fitted for a Big 12 title ring in six weeks or so.
“Since I’ve been here, I’ve not won a conference championship, only a (postseason) tournament championship,” said Boschee, Kansas University’s senior shooting guard from Valley City, N.D.
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|
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“It’s about time it comes back to Lawrence.”
The Big 12 regular-season title won’t be decided today when No. 4 Kansas and No. 5 Oklahoma square off in a high-noon men’s basketball showdown at Allen Fieldhouse.
Yet it’s the kind of game that begins to separate contenders from pretenders, that is for sure.
“It is going to be a man’s game,” KU junior forward Drew Gooden said.
Kansas enters with a 14-2 overall record, 3-0 in the Big 12, while Oklahoma is 14-1, 3-0.
“It should be a good day for the Big 12,” Oklahoma coach Kelvin Sampson said of the nationally-televised battle (channels 9, 49).
His Sooners enter with a glossy portfolio that includes a 13-game winning streak and victories at Arkansas (69-54), at Connecticut (69-67) and a home blowout of No. 3 Maryland (72-56).
“I think they’ve accomplished the most,” KU coach Roy Williams said, asked if OU rates as KU’s toughest opponent to date. “They had the early loss at Michigan State in the preseason NIT (67-55 on Nov. 14) and that’s it.
“I was extremely impressed watching their Maryland game at the Minneapolis airport. I don’t want to say they made it look easy, but they made it look easy. To me, there was never any doubt they were going to win that game. They took a Texas Tech team that I think has been playing really good basketball and made it a 25- to 30-point game.”
The Sooners blitzed previously red-hot Tech, 98-72, on Jan. 16 in Norman, and followed that with Wednesday’s 78-51 rout at Nebraska.
The Sooners, who average 82.9 points per game, do not resemble some of Sampson’s more deliberate yet successful teams of the past.
“In year’s past they’ve been a slowdown-type team,” Boschee said. “It seems like they’d set up a play every time down court. I’m not sure they are still like that.
“Hollis Price is ridiculously quick,” Boschee said of the 6-foot-1 junior guard who averages 17.1 points a game. “I saw them play UConn on TV and they looked very athletic and got out and defended the court extremely well.”
Oklahoma definitely prefers a quicker pace.
“In the past we’d hem you in a corner and slug you. Now we can dance in the middle of the ring and do some things there. We can score more,” Sampson said. “We’ve got a bigger hammer. We have five positions we can get baskets from.”
Four newcomers are main contributors.
Ebi Ere, 6-5 from Barton County Community College, averages 16.7 points and 6.3 boards. Quannas White, 6-1 from Midland Community College, averages 6.5 points a game, while Florida International transfer Jabahri Brown, a 6-10 sophomore, grabs 8.4 boards per contest and reserve Jason Detrick, 6-5 from West Plains Junior College, averages 10.9 points.
Aaron McGhee, a 6-8 senior, contributes 13.6 points and 6.5 boards.
“The infusion of the junior college talent, three or four guys at the same time, is a little unusual,” Williams said. “To get those guys to buy into it as quickly as they have, the style and what Kelvin wants them to do and adjusting to this level of play, I think it is an amazing job for him.”
Some are wondering whether this is Sampson’s best team at OU.
“I think it has the potential to be,” said Sampson, whose team has reached the NCAA Tournament seven straight years. “Last year’s team won the Big 12 championship at the end (in Kansas City) and won 26 games. I don’t make light of what last year’s team did. The year before that we won 27. The year before that we made the Sweet 16. I am not boasting about past performances. My point is this team has to be really good to be better than some of our past teams. It has the potential to be one of our best teams.”
He realizes today’s test is “the biggest we’ve faced. I like Roy’s team. It may be Roy’s best team. We’d feel better playing this game on a neutral court. Going to Allen Fieldhouse to play, Kansas starts the game out 8-0 (lead). That’s OK. We’ve been to UConn, Arkansas, Michigan State. The kids are looking forward to it. It makes the game fun. If we win, great. If we don’t, we still have to play Missouri regardless on Monday night (in Norman).”
The goal, Jeff Boschee says, is to be fitted for a Big 12 title ring in six weeks or so.
“Since I’ve been here, I’ve not won a conference championship, only a (postseason) tournament championship,” said Boschee, Kansas University’s senior shooting guard from Valley City, N.D.
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“It’s about time it comes back to Lawrence.”
The Big 12 regular-season title won’t be decided today when No. 4 Kansas and No. 5 Oklahoma square off in a high-noon men’s basketball showdown at Allen Fieldhouse.
Yet it’s the kind of game that begins to separate contenders from pretenders, that is for sure.
“It is going to be a man’s game,” KU junior forward Drew Gooden said.
Kansas enters with a 14-2 overall record, 3-0 in the Big 12, while Oklahoma is 14-1, 3-0.
“It should be a good day for the Big 12,” Oklahoma coach Kelvin Sampson said of the nationally-televised battle (channels 9, 49).
His Sooners enter with a glossy portfolio that includes a 13-game winning streak and victories at Arkansas (69-54), at Connecticut (69-67) and a home blowout of No. 3 Maryland (72-56).
“I think they’ve accomplished the most,” KU coach Roy Williams said, asked if OU rates as KU’s toughest opponent to date. “They had the early loss at Michigan State in the preseason NIT (67-55 on Nov. 14) and that’s it.
“I was extremely impressed watching their Maryland game at the Minneapolis airport. I don’t want to say they made it look easy, but they made it look easy. To me, there was never any doubt they were going to win that game. They took a Texas Tech team that I think has been playing really good basketball and made it a 25- to 30-point game.”
The Sooners blitzed previously red-hot Tech, 98-72, on Jan. 16 in Norman, and followed that with Wednesday’s 78-51 rout at Nebraska.
The Sooners, who average 82.9 points per game, do not resemble some of Sampson’s more deliberate yet successful teams of the past.
“In year’s past they’ve been a slowdown-type team,” Boschee said. “It seems like they’d set up a play every time down court. I’m not sure they are still like that.
“Hollis Price is ridiculously quick,” Boschee said of the 6-foot-1 junior guard who averages 17.1 points a game. “I saw them play UConn on TV and they looked very athletic and got out and defended the court extremely well.”
Oklahoma definitely prefers a quicker pace.
“In the past we’d hem you in a corner and slug you. Now we can dance in the middle of the ring and do some things there. We can score more,” Sampson said. “We’ve got a bigger hammer. We have five positions we can get baskets from.”
Four newcomers are main contributors.
Ebi Ere, 6-5 from Barton County Community College, averages 16.7 points and 6.3 boards. Quannas White, 6-1 from Midland Community College, averages 6.5 points a game, while Florida International transfer Jabahri Brown, a 6-10 sophomore, grabs 8.4 boards per contest and reserve Jason Detrick, 6-5 from West Plains Junior College, averages 10.9 points.
Aaron McGhee, a 6-8 senior, contributes 13.6 points and 6.5 boards.
“The infusion of the junior college talent, three or four guys at the same time, is a little unusual,” Williams said. “To get those guys to buy into it as quickly as they have, the style and what Kelvin wants them to do and adjusting to this level of play, I think it is an amazing job for him.”
Some are wondering whether this is Sampson’s best team at OU.
“I think it has the potential to be,” said Sampson, whose team has reached the NCAA Tournament seven straight years. “Last year’s team won the Big 12 championship at the end (in Kansas City) and won 26 games. I don’t make light of what last year’s team did. The year before that we won 27. The year before that we made the Sweet 16. I am not boasting about past performances. My point is this team has to be really good to be better than some of our past teams. It has the potential to be one of our best teams.”
He realizes today’s test is “the biggest we’ve faced. I like Roy’s team. It may be Roy’s best team. We’d feel better playing this game on a neutral court. Going to Allen Fieldhouse to play, Kansas starts the game out 8-0 (lead). That’s OK. We’ve been to UConn, Arkansas, Michigan State. The kids are looking forward to it. It makes the game fun. If we win, great. If we don’t, we still have to play Missouri regardless on Monday night (in Norman).”
The goal, Jeff Boschee says, is to be fitted for a Big 12 title ring in six weeks or so.
“Since I’ve been here, I’ve not won a conference championship, only a (postseason) tournament championship,” said Boschee, Kansas University’s senior shooting guard from Valley City, N.D.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
“It’s about time it comes back to Lawrence.”
The Big 12 regular-season title won’t be decided today when No. 4 Kansas and No. 5 Oklahoma square off in a high-noon men’s basketball showdown at Allen Fieldhouse.
Yet it’s the kind of game that begins to separate contenders from pretenders, that is for sure.
“It is going to be a man’s game,” KU junior forward Drew Gooden said.
Kansas enters with a 14-2 overall record, 3-0 in the Big 12, while Oklahoma is 14-1, 3-0.
“It should be a good day for the Big 12,” Oklahoma coach Kelvin Sampson said of the nationally-televised battle (channels 9, 49).
His Sooners enter with a glossy portfolio that includes a 13-game winning streak and victories at Arkansas (69-54), at Connecticut (69-67) and a home blowout of No. 3 Maryland (72-56).
“I think they’ve accomplished the most,” KU coach Roy Williams said, asked if OU rates as KU’s toughest opponent to date. “They had the early loss at Michigan State in the preseason NIT (67-55 on Nov. 14) and that’s it.
“I was extremely impressed watching their Maryland game at the Minneapolis airport. I don’t want to say they made it look easy, but they made it look easy. To me, there was never any doubt they were going to win that game. They took a Texas Tech team that I think has been playing really good basketball and made it a 25- to 30-point game.”
The Sooners blitzed previously red-hot Tech, 98-72, on Jan. 16 in Norman, and followed that with Wednesday’s 78-51 rout at Nebraska.
The Sooners, who average 82.9 points per game, do not resemble some of Sampson’s more deliberate yet successful teams of the past.
“In year’s past they’ve been a slowdown-type team,” Boschee said. “It seems like they’d set up a play every time down court. I’m not sure they are still like that.
“Hollis Price is ridiculously quick,” Boschee said of the 6-foot-1 junior guard who averages 17.1 points a game. “I saw them play UConn on TV and they looked very athletic and got out and defended the court extremely well.”
Oklahoma definitely prefers a quicker pace.
“In the past we’d hem you in a corner and slug you. Now we can dance in the middle of the ring and do some things there. We can score more,” Sampson said. “We’ve got a bigger hammer. We have five positions we can get baskets from.”
Four newcomers are main contributors.
Ebi Ere, 6-5 from Barton County Community College, averages 16.7 points and 6.3 boards. Quannas White, 6-1 from Midland Community College, averages 6.5 points a game, while Florida International transfer Jabahri Brown, a 6-10 sophomore, grabs 8.4 boards per contest and reserve Jason Detrick, 6-5 from West Plains Junior College, averages 10.9 points.
Aaron McGhee, a 6-8 senior, contributes 13.6 points and 6.5 boards.
“The infusion of the junior college talent, three or four guys at the same time, is a little unusual,” Williams said. “To get those guys to buy into it as quickly as they have, the style and what Kelvin wants them to do and adjusting to this level of play, I think it is an amazing job for him.”
Some are wondering whether this is Sampson’s best team at OU.
“I think it has the potential to be,” said Sampson, whose team has reached the NCAA Tournament seven straight years. “Last year’s team won the Big 12 championship at the end (in Kansas City) and won 26 games. I don’t make light of what last year’s team did. The year before that we won 27. The year before that we made the Sweet 16. I am not boasting about past performances. My point is this team has to be really good to be better than some of our past teams. It has the potential to be one of our best teams.”
He realizes today’s test is “the biggest we’ve faced. I like Roy’s team. It may be Roy’s best team. We’d feel better playing this game on a neutral court. Going to Allen Fieldhouse to play, Kansas starts the game out 8-0 (lead). That’s OK. We’ve been to UConn, Arkansas, Michigan State. The kids are looking forward to it. It makes the game fun. If we win, great. If we don’t, we still have to play Missouri regardless on Monday night (in Norman).”
