“What, you think we can’t hang on?” Kansas University coach Bill Self quipped after Saturday’s 64-58 loss to Stanford in the Wooden Classic at The Pond.

In a word, coach, no.

The top-ranked Jayhawks will sink several slots in the rankings after turning in their worst offensive performance since a 56-point stinker against North Carolina at last year’s Preseason NIT in New York.

“Losing the No. 1 rating doesn’t matter,” KU point guard Aaron Miles said. “What matters is we lost.”

Scott McClurg/Journal-World Photo

It’s easy to see why the Jayhawks (3-1) lost to No. 21 Stanford (4-0), which won despite the absence of injured guard Josh Childress.

KU’s offensive stats were as miserable as the quality of air in Southern California.

• The Jayhawks, who hit 64 percent of their shots and 10 three-pointers in Monday’s win at TCU, hit 36.7 percent of their shots against Stanford’s zone defense and just three of 20 threes.
• The normally unselfish Jayhawks collected just six assists, the lowest team total since a five-assist outing in a shocking loss to Long Beach State in 1993 at Allen Fieldhouse.
• KU had more than three times as many turnovers as assists, bobbling the ball 19 times.

“Stanford defended us well. They defended us very smart. They made us play to some weaknesses,” Self said of the Cardinal, which decided to back off KU’s perimeter players and sag on big men Wayne Simien, Jeff Graves and David Padgett.

Those three post players combined for 23 points off 7-of-12 shooting.

Cardinal ends KU’s No. 1 run Woodling: ‘Classic’ painful to watch Stanford unimpressive in win Jayhawks: Simien must get ball more WIBW video: Stanford tops KU Get the stats: KU-Stanford box score See the photos: KU-Stanford photo gallery Hear Bill: KU-Stanford postgame comments

Scott McClurg/Journal-World Photo

“We shot it miserably. We were 2-for-19 in the teeth of the game. I don’t know if you can shoot it much worse than that,” Self said. “We were scared to make a mistake passing the ball. Our passing was horrendous. The ball was stuck in everybody’s hands a little too long.”

It’s not as if the Jayhawks hadn’t worked against the zone in practices.

“The problem,” Self surmised, “was not so much the point of attack in attacking the zone, it’s guys having the confidence to throw the ball inside so guys can catch the ball inside and score.

“How many times did we catch balls outside the NBA three (-point line), and then guys back up? All of a sudden we can’t get it in the post. We don’t catch in gaps. I think we played so passive against the zone.

“We passed it worse than we shot it.”

Not that the Jayhawks shot it worth a darn.

• Keith Langford, who played with his left thumb wrapped after banging it in a fall at practice last week, missed seven of 11 shots and scored 10 points with four turnovers. He missed three of four threes.
• Miles, who missed four threes without a make, hit three of nine shots total.
• Jeff Hawkins, who hit five of seven threes at TCU, made one of seven threes and two of nine shots total for five points.
• J.R. Giddens missed three threes without a make and had two points off free throws.

“To beat a zone, you’ve got to have good shooting from the floor. We didn’t shoot it well,” Self said.

• angford offered the TCU game as an explanation.

“We were fooled by the last game. We shot the ball so well, we came and jacked up a lot of shots,” he said. “(Stanford) really challenged them well.”

Kansas had just five steals and five points off the fast break.

“At home, it’s easier to pressure,” Self said. “Away from home, pressure usually is not as good. We can pressure three spots. We can’t pressure five.”

Stanford was led by guard Matt Lottich, who opened the scoring by hitting a three and a free throw after a foul by Miles and finished with 18 points off 5-of-10 three-point shooting.

He had a three in a 9-2 Stanford spurt that opened a 22-13 lead with 7:27 left in the half. Kansas missed nine straight shots in that run.

The half ended just as badly as it opened for KU. Stanford guard Chris Hernandez hit three free throws after getting fouled by Hawkins while hoisting a halfcourt three at the buzzer.

Down 36-29 at the break, KU nabbed its first lead of the day at 46-45 after a Langford basket with 8:23 left.

• ottich, however, answered with a three at 7:59, and KU suffered a shot-clock violation on its next possession.

Stanford led by just one, 56-55, after a Miles free throw at 3:45.

KU’s offense totally broke down after that, however, and Kansas didn’t score until Omar Wilkes’ three at the end, after Stanford had opened a 64-55 lead following an 8-0 run.

• angford had a pass stolen and Hawkins a three-pointer rejected, while Giddens drove the lane only to hoist an airball during the late going, which also included a Langford three rimming in and out and Miles missing a jumper.

“Our offense,” Self said, “is not yet a well-oiled machine. … The thing that bothers me is, you can’t control shooting from game to game, (but) you can control playing smart and can control passing the ball and feeding the post, not making bonehead plays. These are the things I’ll leave here most frustrated about.”

KU will meet Fort Hays State at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Allen Fieldhouse.