Editor’s note: When we started this year’s X-Factor for the men’s basketball team, we upped KU players’ ratings for the first game, which turned into 39-point blowout for the Jayhawks over the Vermont Catamounts (and we all know how that turned out in real life). So, we fell back on the out-of-the-box ratings, hoping the people at Electronic Arts had a better idea of how good the Jayhawks were than we did.
Of course, they didn’t. The virtual KU team lost five games it shouldn’t have (TCU, South Carolina, Kentucky, Texas and Missouri) and won the only game the real team lost (Villanova). So, starting with this week’s simulation against Colorado, we’ve made the Jayhawks a bit better (moving most ratings up to the next either 5- or 10-point mark, like 83 to 85 or 56 to 60). We also made some players who have stepped up recently, like Keith Langford and Sasha Kaun, a little better than that.
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We also upped the fatigue and foul frequency settings in the game, hoping to get more substitutions from both teams. We’re not done tweaking, but hopefully, this game will be a bit more realistic. Of course, the last KU-CU sim was way off, so it may take a game or three to work out all the details.
The virtual Jayhawks started slow against the Buffaloes, but took control midway through the first half and held on for a 73-64 victory in this week’s X-Factor simulation.
Colorado kept the game close by shutting down KU’s inside game. The Buffaloes held Jayhawk big men Wayne Simien, Christian Moody, Sasha Kaun, Moulaye Niang and Darnell Jackson to just eight combined points in the first half, and 20 in the game.
Jackson did give KU the lead for good, though, with a monster dunk that made the score 16-15 with eight minutes left before halftime.
KU’s staunch defense – only M. Hall scored more than 10 points for Colorado – and perimeter players made up for the lack of inside scoring.
Aaron Miles was named KU’s player of the game with a team-high 16 points and five assists, Michael Lee scored 13 points, and J.R. Giddens had 10 points. All 11 Jayhawks who played in the game scored.
Along with Hall’s 18 points, R. Roby had seven points, four assists and six blocks. C. Copeland chipped in with six points, nine boards and two blocks.
Colorado shot seven more free throws than KU (21 to 14), but hit three fewer (8 to 11). The Buffaloes also outrebounded the Jayhawks, 27-18, but hit just two three-pointers and had two more turnovers (10 to 8).
Get the stats: KU-CU virtual box score
Giddens beats two defenders for a fast-break slam
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