Scott McClurg/Journal-World PhotosKansas City, Mo. ? Wherever David Harrison was late Sunday afternoon in Boulder, Colo., he had to be smiling.
Harrison is the Colorado University freshman basketball player who has had a running feud with Kansas all season. Harrison fired the latest salvo during the Big 12 Conference tournament when he stated, and then reiterated, that Oklahoma was a better team than Kansas.
Kansas flogged Colorado three times this season and the Jayhawks owned a 74-67 win over Oklahoma in Lawrence, but Sunday was different. Oklahoma was clearly better than Kansas in the championship game of the conference tourney, just as Harrison said.
Without mentioning any names, KU’s Drew Gooden, who qualifies as Harrison’s chief antagonist after snubbing the CU player during Thursday’s pregame introductions, felt impelled to address the issue.
“A lot of people are saying Oklahoma is the best team in the conference, that they’re tougher and more physical,” Gooden said following Sunday’s 64-55 loss to the Sooners, “but it went both ways today. We’re not a cocky team. We knew it would be a war and they won.”
By both ways, Gooden meant the Jayhawks were just as tough and physical as the Sooners. Maybe. Maybe not. KU coach Roy Williams didn’t think so.
“They played tougher today,” Williams said of the Sooners, “and that means we’ve got to hear it again.”
Williams’ basketball teams have been accused of playing soft in the past. In fact, it seems like every time they lose a big game, somebody writes they lack toughness and the radio talk shows jump on the notion like vultures on roadside carrion.
Remember last year’s one-sided loss to Illinois in the Sweet 16 at the Alamodome? Maybe the Fightin’ Illini did out-muscle the Jayhawks, but Illinois had a lot more depth, too, and fatigue can make you look passive.
Three-point goals: 4-13 (Price 3-7, White 1-1, Ere 0-1, Detrick 0-1, Selvy 0-3). Assists: 9 (White 2, Price 2, Selvy 2, McGhee, Brown, Ere). Turnovers: 9 (White 4, Ere 2, McGhee, Brown, Detrick). Blocked shots: 4 (Brown 4). Steals: 10 (Brown 4, Price 2, Detrick 2, White, Selvy). |
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Three-point goals: 3-18 (Langford 1-2, Gooden 1-4, Boschee 1-5, Miles 0-1, Hinrich 0-6). Assists: 14 (Hinrich 6, Miles 5, Collison 2, Boschee). Turnovers: 20 (Gooden 6, Miles 6, Hinrich 3, Langford 3, Collison, Boschee). Blocked shots: 6 (Gooden 3, Collison 2, Hinrich). Steals: 5 (Hinrich 3, Gooden, Langford). |
| Oklahoma | 29 | 35 | 64 |
| Kansas | 19 | 36 | 55 |
Officials: Rick Hartzell, Steven Pyatt, Rob Wolff.Attendance: 16,300.
To tell the truth, I’ve seen Duke aka God’s gift to college basketball play on TV a couple of times and the Dukies don’t look any more physical to me than Kansas. Duke looks smooth and athletic, just like the Jayhawks. They don’t look like a physical team to me.
Oklahoma is the type of team that relies almost entirely on its athleticism and quickness. The Sooners are, in fact, arguably the best team in the country that doesn’t shoot very well.
Oklahoma is the type of team nobody wants to play in the NCAA Tournament because the Sooners will frustrate the hell out of you if you’re not ready. Kansas wasn’t ready Sunday, as KU forward Nick Collison, said, “for whatever reason.”
There are those who say it is better to go into the NCAA Tournament on the heels of a defeat than it is to go in on a wave of postseason tourney euphoria. No better example exists than Kansas. Each of the Jayhawks’ last three trips to the NCAA Final Four 1993, 1991 and 1988 were preceded by league tourney defeats.
Yet many other Kansas teams that failed in league tourneys didn’t reach the Final Four, so that’s a little bit like saying Williams burps because he drinks Coca-Cola. Sometimes he does, sometimes he doesn’t.
Thus, those who would speculate Sunday’s loss takes the pressure off the Jayhawks may be right, but they may be wrong, too.
“We didn’t drop a game just to get the pressure off,” Collison said, “but it was good to see we need to be that much sharper. It was good to see we need to get better.”
Still, Kansas must avoid taking out all its frustrations on Holy Cross next Thursday in St. Louis. Yeah, I know you’re supposed to play ’em one game at a time, but you also have to remember to you can score 90 points one day and only 55 the next if you’re not smart.
Scott McClurg/Journal-World PhotosKansas City, Mo. ? Wherever David Harrison was late Sunday afternoon in Boulder, Colo., he had to be smiling.
Harrison is the Colorado University freshman basketball player who has had a running feud with Kansas all season. Harrison fired the latest salvo during the Big 12 Conference tournament when he stated, and then reiterated, that Oklahoma was a better team than Kansas.
Kansas flogged Colorado three times this season and the Jayhawks owned a 74-67 win over Oklahoma in Lawrence, but Sunday was different. Oklahoma was clearly better than Kansas in the championship game of the conference tourney, just as Harrison said.
Without mentioning any names, KU’s Drew Gooden, who qualifies as Harrison’s chief antagonist after snubbing the CU player during Thursday’s pregame introductions, felt impelled to address the issue.
“A lot of people are saying Oklahoma is the best team in the conference, that they’re tougher and more physical,” Gooden said following Sunday’s 64-55 loss to the Sooners, “but it went both ways today. We’re not a cocky team. We knew it would be a war and they won.”
By both ways, Gooden meant the Jayhawks were just as tough and physical as the Sooners. Maybe. Maybe not. KU coach Roy Williams didn’t think so.
“They played tougher today,” Williams said of the Sooners, “and that means we’ve got to hear it again.”
Williams’ basketball teams have been accused of playing soft in the past. In fact, it seems like every time they lose a big game, somebody writes they lack toughness and the radio talk shows jump on the notion like vultures on roadside carrion.
Remember last year’s one-sided loss to Illinois in the Sweet 16 at the Alamodome? Maybe the Fightin’ Illini did out-muscle the Jayhawks, but Illinois had a lot more depth, too, and fatigue can make you look passive.
Three-point goals: 4-13 (Price 3-7, White 1-1, Ere 0-1, Detrick 0-1, Selvy 0-3). Assists: 9 (White 2, Price 2, Selvy 2, McGhee, Brown, Ere). Turnovers: 9 (White 4, Ere 2, McGhee, Brown, Detrick). Blocked shots: 4 (Brown 4). Steals: 10 (Brown 4, Price 2, Detrick 2, White, Selvy). |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Three-point goals: 3-18 (Langford 1-2, Gooden 1-4, Boschee 1-5, Miles 0-1, Hinrich 0-6). Assists: 14 (Hinrich 6, Miles 5, Collison 2, Boschee). Turnovers: 20 (Gooden 6, Miles 6, Hinrich 3, Langford 3, Collison, Boschee). Blocked shots: 6 (Gooden 3, Collison 2, Hinrich). Steals: 5 (Hinrich 3, Gooden, Langford). |
| Oklahoma | 29 | 35 | 64 |
| Kansas | 19 | 36 | 55 |
Officials: Rick Hartzell, Steven Pyatt, Rob Wolff.Attendance: 16,300.
To tell the truth, I’ve seen Duke aka God’s gift to college basketball play on TV a couple of times and the Dukies don’t look any more physical to me than Kansas. Duke looks smooth and athletic, just like the Jayhawks. They don’t look like a physical team to me.
Oklahoma is the type of team that relies almost entirely on its athleticism and quickness. The Sooners are, in fact, arguably the best team in the country that doesn’t shoot very well.
Oklahoma is the type of team nobody wants to play in the NCAA Tournament because the Sooners will frustrate the hell out of you if you’re not ready. Kansas wasn’t ready Sunday, as KU forward Nick Collison, said, “for whatever reason.”
There are those who say it is better to go into the NCAA Tournament on the heels of a defeat than it is to go in on a wave of postseason tourney euphoria. No better example exists than Kansas. Each of the Jayhawks’ last three trips to the NCAA Final Four 1993, 1991 and 1988 were preceded by league tourney defeats.
Yet many other Kansas teams that failed in league tourneys didn’t reach the Final Four, so that’s a little bit like saying Williams burps because he drinks Coca-Cola. Sometimes he does, sometimes he doesn’t.
Thus, those who would speculate Sunday’s loss takes the pressure off the Jayhawks may be right, but they may be wrong, too.
“We didn’t drop a game just to get the pressure off,” Collison said, “but it was good to see we need to be that much sharper. It was good to see we need to get better.”
Still, Kansas must avoid taking out all its frustrations on Holy Cross next Thursday in St. Louis. Yeah, I know you’re supposed to play ’em one game at a time, but you also have to remember to you can score 90 points one day and only 55 the next if you’re not smart.
Scott McClurg/Journal-World PhotosKansas City, Mo. ? Wherever David Harrison was late Sunday afternoon in Boulder, Colo., he had to be smiling.
Harrison is the Colorado University freshman basketball player who has had a running feud with Kansas all season. Harrison fired the latest salvo during the Big 12 Conference tournament when he stated, and then reiterated, that Oklahoma was a better team than Kansas.
Kansas flogged Colorado three times this season and the Jayhawks owned a 74-67 win over Oklahoma in Lawrence, but Sunday was different. Oklahoma was clearly better than Kansas in the championship game of the conference tourney, just as Harrison said.
Without mentioning any names, KU’s Drew Gooden, who qualifies as Harrison’s chief antagonist after snubbing the CU player during Thursday’s pregame introductions, felt impelled to address the issue.
“A lot of people are saying Oklahoma is the best team in the conference, that they’re tougher and more physical,” Gooden said following Sunday’s 64-55 loss to the Sooners, “but it went both ways today. We’re not a cocky team. We knew it would be a war and they won.”
By both ways, Gooden meant the Jayhawks were just as tough and physical as the Sooners. Maybe. Maybe not. KU coach Roy Williams didn’t think so.
“They played tougher today,” Williams said of the Sooners, “and that means we’ve got to hear it again.”
Williams’ basketball teams have been accused of playing soft in the past. In fact, it seems like every time they lose a big game, somebody writes they lack toughness and the radio talk shows jump on the notion like vultures on roadside carrion.
Remember last year’s one-sided loss to Illinois in the Sweet 16 at the Alamodome? Maybe the Fightin’ Illini did out-muscle the Jayhawks, but Illinois had a lot more depth, too, and fatigue can make you look passive.
Three-point goals: 4-13 (Price 3-7, White 1-1, Ere 0-1, Detrick 0-1, Selvy 0-3). Assists: 9 (White 2, Price 2, Selvy 2, McGhee, Brown, Ere). Turnovers: 9 (White 4, Ere 2, McGhee, Brown, Detrick). Blocked shots: 4 (Brown 4). Steals: 10 (Brown 4, Price 2, Detrick 2, White, Selvy). |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Three-point goals: 3-18 (Langford 1-2, Gooden 1-4, Boschee 1-5, Miles 0-1, Hinrich 0-6). Assists: 14 (Hinrich 6, Miles 5, Collison 2, Boschee). Turnovers: 20 (Gooden 6, Miles 6, Hinrich 3, Langford 3, Collison, Boschee). Blocked shots: 6 (Gooden 3, Collison 2, Hinrich). Steals: 5 (Hinrich 3, Gooden, Langford). |
| Oklahoma | 29 | 35 | 64 |
| Kansas | 19 | 36 | 55 |
Officials: Rick Hartzell, Steven Pyatt, Rob Wolff.Attendance: 16,300.
To tell the truth, I’ve seen Duke aka God’s gift to college basketball play on TV a couple of times and the Dukies don’t look any more physical to me than Kansas. Duke looks smooth and athletic, just like the Jayhawks. They don’t look like a physical team to me.
Oklahoma is the type of team that relies almost entirely on its athleticism and quickness. The Sooners are, in fact, arguably the best team in the country that doesn’t shoot very well.
Oklahoma is the type of team nobody wants to play in the NCAA Tournament because the Sooners will frustrate the hell out of you if you’re not ready. Kansas wasn’t ready Sunday, as KU forward Nick Collison, said, “for whatever reason.”
There are those who say it is better to go into the NCAA Tournament on the heels of a defeat than it is to go in on a wave of postseason tourney euphoria. No better example exists than Kansas. Each of the Jayhawks’ last three trips to the NCAA Final Four 1993, 1991 and 1988 were preceded by league tourney defeats.
Yet many other Kansas teams that failed in league tourneys didn’t reach the Final Four, so that’s a little bit like saying Williams burps because he drinks Coca-Cola. Sometimes he does, sometimes he doesn’t.
Thus, those who would speculate Sunday’s loss takes the pressure off the Jayhawks may be right, but they may be wrong, too.
“We didn’t drop a game just to get the pressure off,” Collison said, “but it was good to see we need to be that much sharper. It was good to see we need to get better.”
Still, Kansas must avoid taking out all its frustrations on Holy Cross next Thursday in St. Louis. Yeah, I know you’re supposed to play ’em one game at a time, but you also have to remember to you can score 90 points one day and only 55 the next if you’re not smart.
Scott McClurg/Journal-World PhotosKansas City, Mo. ? Wherever David Harrison was late Sunday afternoon in Boulder, Colo., he had to be smiling.
Harrison is the Colorado University freshman basketball player who has had a running feud with Kansas all season. Harrison fired the latest salvo during the Big 12 Conference tournament when he stated, and then reiterated, that Oklahoma was a better team than Kansas.
Kansas flogged Colorado three times this season and the Jayhawks owned a 74-67 win over Oklahoma in Lawrence, but Sunday was different. Oklahoma was clearly better than Kansas in the championship game of the conference tourney, just as Harrison said.
Without mentioning any names, KU’s Drew Gooden, who qualifies as Harrison’s chief antagonist after snubbing the CU player during Thursday’s pregame introductions, felt impelled to address the issue.
“A lot of people are saying Oklahoma is the best team in the conference, that they’re tougher and more physical,” Gooden said following Sunday’s 64-55 loss to the Sooners, “but it went both ways today. We’re not a cocky team. We knew it would be a war and they won.”
By both ways, Gooden meant the Jayhawks were just as tough and physical as the Sooners. Maybe. Maybe not. KU coach Roy Williams didn’t think so.
“They played tougher today,” Williams said of the Sooners, “and that means we’ve got to hear it again.”
Williams’ basketball teams have been accused of playing soft in the past. In fact, it seems like every time they lose a big game, somebody writes they lack toughness and the radio talk shows jump on the notion like vultures on roadside carrion.
Remember last year’s one-sided loss to Illinois in the Sweet 16 at the Alamodome? Maybe the Fightin’ Illini did out-muscle the Jayhawks, but Illinois had a lot more depth, too, and fatigue can make you look passive.
Three-point goals: 4-13 (Price 3-7, White 1-1, Ere 0-1, Detrick 0-1, Selvy 0-3). Assists: 9 (White 2, Price 2, Selvy 2, McGhee, Brown, Ere). Turnovers: 9 (White 4, Ere 2, McGhee, Brown, Detrick). Blocked shots: 4 (Brown 4). Steals: 10 (Brown 4, Price 2, Detrick 2, White, Selvy). |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Three-point goals: 3-18 (Langford 1-2, Gooden 1-4, Boschee 1-5, Miles 0-1, Hinrich 0-6). Assists: 14 (Hinrich 6, Miles 5, Collison 2, Boschee). Turnovers: 20 (Gooden 6, Miles 6, Hinrich 3, Langford 3, Collison, Boschee). Blocked shots: 6 (Gooden 3, Collison 2, Hinrich). Steals: 5 (Hinrich 3, Gooden, Langford). |
| Oklahoma | 29 | 35 | 64 |
| Kansas | 19 | 36 | 55 |
Officials: Rick Hartzell, Steven Pyatt, Rob Wolff.Attendance: 16,300.
To tell the truth, I’ve seen Duke aka God’s gift to college basketball play on TV a couple of times and the Dukies don’t look any more physical to me than Kansas. Duke looks smooth and athletic, just like the Jayhawks. They don’t look like a physical team to me.
Oklahoma is the type of team that relies almost entirely on its athleticism and quickness. The Sooners are, in fact, arguably the best team in the country that doesn’t shoot very well.
Oklahoma is the type of team nobody wants to play in the NCAA Tournament because the Sooners will frustrate the hell out of you if you’re not ready. Kansas wasn’t ready Sunday, as KU forward Nick Collison, said, “for whatever reason.”
There are those who say it is better to go into the NCAA Tournament on the heels of a defeat than it is to go in on a wave of postseason tourney euphoria. No better example exists than Kansas. Each of the Jayhawks’ last three trips to the NCAA Final Four 1993, 1991 and 1988 were preceded by league tourney defeats.
Yet many other Kansas teams that failed in league tourneys didn’t reach the Final Four, so that’s a little bit like saying Williams burps because he drinks Coca-Cola. Sometimes he does, sometimes he doesn’t.
Thus, those who would speculate Sunday’s loss takes the pressure off the Jayhawks may be right, but they may be wrong, too.
“We didn’t drop a game just to get the pressure off,” Collison said, “but it was good to see we need to be that much sharper. It was good to see we need to get better.”
Still, Kansas must avoid taking out all its frustrations on Holy Cross next Thursday in St. Louis. Yeah, I know you’re supposed to play ’em one game at a time, but you also have to remember to you can score 90 points one day and only 55 the next if you’re not smart.
