Scott McClurg/Journal-World PhotosNew York ? It’s been an ordeal for Kansas University’s Kirk Hinrich just to get dressed the past couple of days.
“I can’t even put on my shoes. I have to lie down on my bed,” said Hinrich, KU’s senior guard.
He was in a world of hurt both physically and mentally Friday night after the Jayhawks’ 83-73 loss to Florida in the Preseason NIT consolation finals at Madison Square Garden.
The loss was KU’s second in three days in the Big Apple, making Hinrich and his teammates feel rotten to the core.
“I feel really sore,” said Hinrich, who hit just one of seven threes and scored five points in 31 minutes against the Gators.
The 6-foot-3 preseason All-American suffered a back sprain in the first half of KU’s 67-56 semifinal loss to North Carolina on Wednesday.
Kansas dropped to 2-2 on the season, its worst start since 1987-88.
“If you told me we’d come in here 2-0 and come out 2-2, I’d have told you you are crazy,” said Hinrich.
The Jayhawks arrived as the country’s No. 2-ranked team, but figure to drop somewhere between 10 and 20 next week.
The good news Friday, if there was any good news, is that doctors believe Hinrich does not have a serious injury.
“They think he’ll be fine. There’s some inflammation in there (back),” KU coach Roy Williams said, noting an orthopedic specialist and spinal specialist both believe Hinrich has a sprain.
He’ll undergo tests in Lawrence with results expected Monday.
More positive news is the Jayhawks showed some gumption in slicing a 19-point second-half deficit to two.
The bad news is that Florida cashed 14 of 31 threes compared to KU’s three of 16.
Also, the Jayhawks canned just 37.5 percent of their shots and hit 22 of 36 free throws, including a 10-of-20 effort in the first half that proved costly as the No. 7-ranked Gators built a 38-26 halftime lead.
“They are very good shooters. The problem we had, we didn’t do a good job guarding the basketball, guarding the dribble,” Williams said. “They’d penetrate and pitch to an open guy. The first half we had trouble guarding screens at the top of the key. (Justin) Hamilton was able to get inside and pitch out.”
Also, the Gators hit some bombs with a hand in the face. Matt Walsh and Matt Bonner hit three threes apiece, each scoring 22. Anthony Roberson and Brett Nelson also cashed three treys each.
KU cut a 55-36 deficit with 16:15 left to 61-59 at 7:31, but Walsh calmly iced at three.
Keith Langford’s bucket ” he had a team-leading 17 points ” sliced the gap to 64-61 at 6:53, but Nelson respond with a three.
After Nick Collison hit a pair of free throws to cut the gap to 71-66 at 3:38, Bonner and Walsh buried consecutive threes to give the Gators an insurmountable 77-66 bulge at 2:37.
“You have to congratulate them for making some big plays when we had them running,” Williams said.
He was willing to congratulate his team for one positive.
“I do believe we competed tonight,” Williams said. “We cut it to six and they made three in a row, and the guys could have folded their tents. We got it to a two-point game. I’m pleased how we competed. If we do that, we’ll be all right.”
Of KU’s three-point shooting woes, the coach was asked if he longed to see, say, former Jayhawk Jeff Boschee on the court.
“You do, but you can’t do anything about that,” he said. “I’d like to say we can get Mike Newlin or some of those great NBA guys, or Calvin Murphy, but we can’t draft anybody. We’ll try to coach the guys we have. They’ve got to try to become better shooters and we’ll see what they can do.”
He said Hinrich’s misfiring was clearly because of the player’s back woes. “He doesn’t miss those shots,” Williams said. “You look down : he’s 1-for-7. At worst he’s the second or third best shooter in Kansas history percentage-wise.
“He wanted to play. He’s a senior. We talked to his mom and dad about it. He tells me he’s not going to hurt himself, and the doctors tell me he’s not going to hurt himself, and he tells me he wants to play and thinks he can help us, I’ll play him.
“The kids get so much strength from him,” Williams said.
Hinrich and the rest of the Jayhawks had a miserable first half.
KU hit eight of 25 shots and 50 percent of its free throws in lagging by 12 at the break.
Collison took just two shots the first 20 minutes, though he did finish with 16 off 5-of-12 shooting. KU missed six threes with no makes, while Florida iced five of 13 treys.
“At halftime I was concerned. I don’t think our pressure had done anything, whereas the second half I think our pressure did some things,” Williams said. “We did some things the second half that helped us give me some hope on that part of it.
“The first half I think we lost a little confidence. You miss free throws and do some of the things we did : you can’t do that and beat a team like Florida.”
The Jayhawks will return today to try to regroup for Wednesday’s 7 p.m. battle against Central Missouri State.
“I didn’t think we’d come here and be 0-2,” Collison said. “I was shocked yesterday (after North Carolina game). Today we just got beat. North Carolina was the most embarrassed I’ve been in basketball after a game. We’ve just to figure out how to play. Everybody is trying to figure it out, too, but at least we competed down the stretch. It’s a matter of being comfortable. We’re definitely not clicking right now.”
Kansas regained some of its swagger after half
6Sports video: Jayhawks struggle at Preseason NIT
