UNCG awed by KU intensity

By Chuck Woodling     Nov 23, 2002

For 20 minutes, an obscure guard from UNC Greensboro named Jay Joseph did an uncanny impression of Kobe Bryant.

Joseph. a 6-foot-4 junior from New Wales, Pa., made nine of 11 shots, including four of five from three-point range, and scored 22 points in Friday night’s Preseason NIT quarterfinal in Allen Fieldhouse.

“That’s happened to me in a couple of games,” Joseph said. “I felt I was in a zone. I got in a rhythm.”

Not in the last 20 minutes. Kansas exploded from a 48-31 halftime bulge and routed the Spartans, 105-66.

“In the second half, I ran out of gas a little,” Joseph said. “They’re a big, physical team, and they take a lot out of you. They get down the court so quick. They play you at both ends and make it a long game.”

In the second half, Joseph made two of seven shots and settled for five points. Still, he collected a career-high 27 points.

“I’m proud of him. He kept us in it,” UNCG coach Fran McCaffery said, “but we needed to do a better job of diversifying the offense. We got no offense from virtually anyone else.”

No other Spartans scored in double figures even though few were bashful about launching shots.

“You can’t go into Allen Fieldhouse and quick-shoot the basketball,” McCaffery said. “We talked about that for three days. Don’t quick-shoot the basketball. That’s what upset me. We came in here and did it anyway.”

Not only did the Spartans quick-shoot, they quickly turned the ball over – 25 giveaways in all with 17 coming in the second half. Back-up point guard Ray Bristow was charged with seven gaffes and starting point guard Ronnie Taylor five.

“Kansas gets down the floor as fast as any team in America,” McCaffery said. “Their big guys run so well, and we couldn’t stop the tide.”

Or as center Luke Boythe said: “It’s a lot different running down the court on the break than it is running back on defense on the break.”

Boythe, a 6-7 senior from Charlotte, N.C., was just one of the UNCG big men who couldn’t handle the Jayhawks inside.

“They’re tough guys,” Boythe said. “It’s all you can do to keep your position underneath. And we wilted under their pressure a little bit. Their intensity is unbelievable. It’s whole different level.”

It’s different than what UNCG is accustomed to seeing in the Southern Conference, that’s for sure.

“They battle on every possession,” McCaffery said of the Jayhawks. “For us, it’s an education of what championship basketball is all about.”

While KU’s intensity wore UNCG down in the second half, Keith Langford’s shooting ruined McCaffery’s plans in the first half. Langford made six of seven shots, including a couple of three-pointers.

“Langford is known as a slasher, but I think he’s expanded his game. He looks like he worked on it this summer,” McCaffery said. “He really got their offense going. We felt if we do a good job on (Nick) Collison and (Kirk) Hinrich, we’ve got a shot.”

Still, it was the Jayhawks’ patented relentless defense that prevented the Spartans from having any shot at all.

“In my opinion,” said Boythe, “they’re the best team in America.”

Moreover, Boythe added, Kansas has the best arena he’s ever seen.

“I’ve been to Duke and I’ve been to New Mexico and played in The Pit,” he said. “And I’ve been to Ohio State. I’m from North Carolina, and this place is unbelievable.”

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