Woodling: Q&A from Kemper Arena

By Chuck Woodling     Mar 19, 2004

Unanswered questions about Kansas University’s men’s basketball team on the cusp of the NCAA Tournament:

What are the odds Illinois-Chicago, a No. 13 seed, will upend the Jayhawks tonight?

The Flames’ chances aren’t good unless you believe the law of averages eventually will catch up with Kansas. Since the NCAA began the seeding process in 1979, the Jayhawks never have lost to a double-digit seed.

Putting it another way, the Jayhawks have compiled a 21-0 record against teams seeded 10 through 16.

There have been close calls, like last year’s 64-61 squeaker over Utah State, a 15th seed, in Oklahoma City. The closest a double-digit seed has come to shocking KU occurred in 1984 when the fifth-seeded Jayhawks edged 12th-seeded Alcorn State, 57-56, in Lincoln, Neb.

What do the Flames have to do to hand the Jayhawks their initial first-round defeat since the seeding process began?

Hit their threes. Coach Jimmy Collins’ club is guard-oriented — most quality mid-major teams are — and the Flames will have to nail a high percentage of shots from beyond the arc to negate the Jayhawks’ clear-cut inside advantage. Cedrick Banks, the Flames’ stud guard, shoots almost as good from three-point range (43.7 percent) as overall (44.6 percent).

What’s the personnel match to watch?

Arguably, point guards Martell Bailey and Aaron Miles. Each is among the NCAA leaders in assists, and each shoots under 40 percent from the field. Miles has the edge in two departments, however. The Kansas junior is three inches taller and a better free-throw shooter. Miles shoots 68.1 percent from the line; Bailey only 54.5 percent.

Will Jeff Graves show up?

Of course he will. The real question is whether the Jayhawks’ 6-foot-9 senior board basher will stay out of foul trouble. Graves has had difficulty guarding smaller, quicker players in the past, and he clearly has an edge in size and bulk over the Flames’ front-liners. Graves averages only about 17 minutes on the floor because he leads the team in fouls (92) and foul-outs (5).

Will the Jayhawks receive any production from the bench?

It sure wouldn’t hurt if Michael Lee cranked it up a notch. In eight previous NCAA Tournament games, the 6-foot-3 Lee has made half of his three-point attempts (6-of-12), but he hasn’t shot well this season (35 percent; 31 percent from three-point range). Look for a contribution from freshman David Padgett, too, who seems to perform at a higher level against under-sized clubs.

What about Christian Moody, Jeff Hawkins and Bryant Nash?

Moody has averaged nearly 10 minutes on the floor during the last eight games. He can board and hold his own on defense, yet he’s not an offensive threat. Hawkins is the perpetrator of this season’s strangest anomaly. The sophomore guard has nine three-point goals this season, and five were in one game (TCU). Nash has two field goals since late December and each came in the Missouri game in the Big 12 Tournament.

Who has been the Jayhawks’ best player?

Wayne Simien is the MVP without doubt. At the same time, Keith Langford deserves votes. And where would the Jayhawks be without Miles at the point? Don’t forget freshman J.R. Giddens, either. Without him the Jayhawks would have no outside attack. After a slow start, Giddens has climbed over the coveted 40 percent three-point shooting plateau. In stark contrast, his teammates are shooting a lackluster 30 percent from behind the arc.

How far can the Jayhawks advance in this tournament?

Historically, when Kansas has been accorded a No. 4 seed (1994 and 2001), the Jayhawks have tumbled in the Sweet 16, but that’s probably more of a coincidence than anything else because in the NCAA Tournament the past hardly can be described as prologue.

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