Jayhawks downplay win streak

By Gary Bedore     Feb 8, 2003

? There will be talk of stopping Pervis Pasco and Matt Siebrandt on the inside and Gilson DeJesus and Tim Ellis from three-point range.

There will be mention of rebounding and using good judgment on primary and secondary breaks.

But you can bet Kansas University’s men’s basketball players and coaches will spend few pregame moments discussing KU’s 19-game win streak against Kansas State in Manhattan — site of today’s Sunflower Showdown. Tipoff is 12:45 p.m. at Bramlage Coliseum.

“We know about the streak. That’s about the extent of it,” KU senior Nick Collison said. “The streak is good. It means we’ve been winning. I hope we keep it up. Other than that, it’s no big deal.”

It’s a big deal to fans and history buffs, because it has been a long, long time since KU lost in Manhattan. Six of KU’s players had not been born on Jan. 29, 1983, when K-State beat KU 58-57 at Ahearn Fieldhouse.

How has KU avoided a slip-up since the early ’80s?

“I guess other (KU) teams in the past have stayed focused and played their game — not worrying about the winning streak,” said KU red-shirt freshman guard Jeff Hawkins, who was 3 months old the last time the Wildcats beat KU in Manhattan.

“If you worry about the winning streak you’ll probably slip up. I think we have to just go in and play. If we just play, everything will work out.”

The Wildcats (11-9 overall, 2-5 Big 12 Conference), who at Bramlage beat Texas Tech by 24 points on Jan. 11 and fell by two points in overtime to Oklahoma last Saturday, believe they have a shot today against No. 12 KU (16-5, 6-1) if they focus on the game, not the streak.

KSU coach Jim Wooldridge addressed the issue following the Wildcats’ 63-55 loss to Oklahoma State on Wednesday in Stillwater, Okla. It was KSU’s third straight loss and fourth in five games since an 81-64 loss Jan. 18 at Allen Fieldhouse.

“To a man, they (Wildcats) said, ‘Coach, we’re just looking forward to the next game,'” Wooldridge said. “They don’t put any relevance to streaks. They’re just looking forward to the game.

When: 12:45 today.Where: Bramlage Coliseum, Manhattan.Television: Sunflower Broadband channels 4, 13.Records: Kansas 16-5 overall, 6-1 Big 12; Kansas State 11-9, 2-5.

“Worrying about things like long streaks like that can take you off your focus. But I really don’t see that happening. … I don’t think any of us are concerned about that. We’re focused on playing a good game and providing ourselves an opportunity to win the game.”

The Jayhawks have also won 25 games overall against KSU, their last loss a 68-64 defeat Jan. 17, 1994, at Allen Fieldhouse.

“We must hit them in the face before they hit us. We can’t spot them 14 or 15 points,” KSU freshman forward Marcus Hayden told the Manhattan Mercury, bemoaning the fact KU jumped to an early 15-0 lead in the game Jan. 18.

KU’s Kirk Hinrich led the way with 26 points in that first meeting, Collison and Keith Langford added 16 and 14 and Jeff Graves’ 13 rebounds marked a career high. KSU was led by guards Gilson DeJesus and Tim Ellis, who had 15 and 13 points, and forward Pervis Pasco’s 10.

“We have to start off playing as the aggressors,” Ellis said. “We can’t allow them to make us do what they want us to do. We must limit turnovers and play great defense.”

The Wildcats average 72.1 points a game; the high-flying Jayhawks 85.5.

“We have to get back and get them in a half-court game,” power forward Matt Siebrandt said. “We can not let them run up and down the court.”

Siebrandt, a 6-foot-8, 240-pound senior who averages 10.5 points and 5.2 boards, has been solid. He scored 17 at Oklahoma State, 23 versus OU and 18 in a 77-53 home win against Nebraska on Jan. 22.

“He’s a tough matchup because they run their offense through him,” Collison said. “We have to make sure he catches the ball high on the floor. That helps a lot. He is tough to stop.

“He basically plays everything left-handed, but shoots right-handed. You have to be ready for both ways. He shoots quickly. You have to go straight up and hope he misses.”

Collison, who is 9-0 versus KSU, said this year’s Wildcats are the best he’s seen.

“Definitely,” he said. “It’s the hardest team we’ve had to play. They’ve got talented players.”

KU coach Roy Williams, who is 34-4 versus KSU, agrees.

“I think there’s no question in my mind that it’s the best team since Jimmy’s (Wooldridge, who is 0-6 versus KU) been there and probably since the first couple years when Tom (Asbury) was there,” Williams said. “It’s a solid lineup at every position. They have some size. They have some shooting. They have some defensive guys. I think it’s a well-rounded squad for them.”

Today’s game conceivably could be the closest in Manhattan since the Jayhawks’ 62-59 victory on Jan. 4, 1997. Since then, KU has won by 15, 23, 29, 12 and 27 points.

“I wouldn’t want to be on the team to slip up and lose the winning streak,” said Hawkins, a Kansas City Sumner graduate. “We just have to make sure the team stays real focused and that won’t happen. They are a good team and will be fired up to play Kansas. We just have to play focused and hard the entire game.”

Jayhawks downplay win streak

By Jim Baker     Feb 8, 2003

? There will be talk of stopping Pervis Pasco and Matt Siebrandt on the inside and Gilson DeJesus and Tim Ellis from three-point range.

There will be mention of rebounding and using good judgment on primary and secondary breaks.

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But you can bet Kansas University’s men’s basketball players and coaches will spend few pregame moments discussing KU’s 19-game win streak against Kansas State in Manhattan — site of today’s Sunflower Showdown. Tipoff is 12:45 p.m. at Bramlage Coliseum.

“We know about the streak. That’s about the extent of it,” KU senior Nick Collison said. “The streak is good. It means we’ve been winning. I hope we keep it up. Other than that, it’s no big deal.”

It’s a big deal to fans and history buffs, because it has been a long, long time since KU lost in Manhattan. Six of KU’s players had not been born on Jan. 29, 1983, when K-State beat KU 58-57 at Ahearn Fieldhouse.

How has KU avoided a slip-up since the early ’80s?

“I guess other (KU) teams in the past have stayed focused and played their game — not worrying about the winning streak,” said KU red-shirt freshman guard Jeff Hawkins, who was 3 months old the last time the Wildcats beat KU in Manhattan.

“If you worry about the winning streak you’ll probably slip up. I think we have to just go in and play. If we just play, everything will work out.”

The Wildcats (11-9 overall, 2-5 Big 12 Conference), who at Bramlage beat Texas Tech by 24 points on Jan. 11 and fell by two points in overtime to Oklahoma last Saturday, believe they have a shot today against No. 12 KU (16-5, 6-1) if they focus on the game, not the streak.

KSU coach Jim Wooldridge addressed the issue following the Wildcats’ 63-55 loss to Oklahoma State on Wednesday in Stillwater, Okla. It was KSU’s third straight loss and fourth in five games since an 81-64 loss Jan. 18 at Allen Fieldhouse.

“To a man, they (Wildcats) said, ‘Coach, we’re just looking forward to the next game,'” Wooldridge said. “They don’t put any relevance to streaks. They’re just looking forward to the game.

When: 12:45 today.Where: Bramlage Coliseum, Manhattan.Television: Sunflower Broadband channels 4, 13.Records: Kansas 16-5 overall, 6-1 Big 12; Kansas State 11-9, 2-5.

“Worrying about things like long streaks like that can take you off your focus. But I really don’t see that happening. … I don’t think any of us are concerned about that. We’re focused on playing a good game and providing ourselves an opportunity to win the game.”

The Jayhawks have also won 25 games overall against KSU, their last loss a 68-64 defeat Jan. 17, 1994, at Allen Fieldhouse.

“We must hit them in the face before they hit us. We can’t spot them 14 or 15 points,” KSU freshman forward Marcus Hayden told the Manhattan Mercury, bemoaning the fact KU jumped to an early 15-0 lead in the game Jan. 18.

KU’s Kirk Hinrich led the way with 26 points in that first meeting, Collison and Keith Langford added 16 and 14 and Jeff Graves’ 13 rebounds marked a career high. KSU was led by guards Gilson DeJesus and Tim Ellis, who had 15 and 13 points, and forward Pervis Pasco’s 10.

“We have to start off playing as the aggressors,” Ellis said. “We can’t allow them to make us do what they want us to do. We must limit turnovers and play great defense.”

The Wildcats average 72.1 points a game; the high-flying Jayhawks 85.5.

“We have to get back and get them in a half-court game,” power forward Matt Siebrandt said. “We can not let them run up and down the court.”

Siebrandt, a 6-foot-8, 240-pound senior who averages 10.5 points and 5.2 boards, has been solid. He scored 17 at Oklahoma State, 23 versus OU and 18 in a 77-53 home win against Nebraska on Jan. 22.

“He’s a tough matchup because they run their offense through him,” Collison said. “We have to make sure he catches the ball high on the floor. That helps a lot. He is tough to stop.

“He basically plays everything left-handed, but shoots right-handed. You have to be ready for both ways. He shoots quickly. You have to go straight up and hope he misses.”

Collison, who is 9-0 versus KSU, said this year’s Wildcats are the best he’s seen.

“Definitely,” he said. “It’s the hardest team we’ve had to play. They’ve got talented players.”

KU coach Roy Williams, who is 34-4 versus KSU, agrees.

“I think there’s no question in my mind that it’s the best team since Jimmy’s (Wooldridge, who is 0-6 versus KU) been there and probably since the first couple years when Tom (Asbury) was there,” Williams said. “It’s a solid lineup at every position. They have some size. They have some shooting. They have some defensive guys. I think it’s a well-rounded squad for them.”

Today’s game conceivably could be the closest in Manhattan since the Jayhawks’ 62-59 victory on Jan. 4, 1997. Since then, KU has won by 15, 23, 29, 12 and 27 points.

“I wouldn’t want to be on the team to slip up and lose the winning streak,” said Hawkins, a Kansas City Sumner graduate. “We just have to make sure the team stays real focused and that won’t happen. They are a good team and will be fired up to play Kansas. We just have to play focused and hard the entire game.”

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