Scott McClurg/Journal-World PhotoJournalism major Keith Langford likes to come up with original thoughts in all his interviews with sports reporters.
“No cliches. I hate the cliches,” said Langford, Kansas University’s senior guard from Fort Worth, Texas.
He was forced to put his own spin on an age-old cliche — the one about “tossing the records out the window when archrivals meet” — when asked about tonight’s on-paper mismatch between No. 6-ranked Kansas (16-1 overall, 6-0 Big 12 Conference) and unranked Missouri (10-10, 2-5).
Tipoff is 6 p.m. at Allen Fieldhouse, with a live telecast on ESPN (Sunflower Broadband Channel 33).
“Kansas-Missouri … adrenaline and animosity for one another throw a lot of things out the window,” Langford said, referring to “all stats, percentages, tendencies, everything.
Scott McClurg/Journal-World Photo“(In this rivalry) guys who aren’t shooters are shooters. Guys who can’t drive can drive. Everything is totally flip-flopped.”
The Tigers, who have dropped five of their past six games, including Saturday’s 64-53 loss to Kansas State in Columbia, Mo., tonight will face a KU team that grabbed sole possession of first place in the Big 12 after Saturday’s 90-65 home rout of Texas.
“We want to play and are ready to play. As far as it’s Missouri, energy and adrenaline won’t be a problem,” Langford said.
The Jayhawks enter as 18-point favorites against a Mizzou team that defeated Gonzaga, 63-61, and Indiana, 56-54, and gave No. 1 Illinois perhaps its toughest game of the season in a 70-64 loss. MU also has lost to Davidson and Houston, plus five of seven Big 12 foes.
“I don’t think anybody expects us to win. We’re big underdogs. That’s how it is from now on,” said MU sophomore forward Linas Kleiza, who averages 16.0 points and 7.5 rebounds a game. “We don’t have anything to lose. We’ve just got to go out there and relax and play. We believe in ourselves. We believe that we can get that win.”
Mostly because of the Gonzaga victory and close calls versus the Illini and Oklahoma State (78-68 loss Jan. 11 in Stillwater).
“We’ve done things this year that are weird,” said MU senior Jason Conley. “We’ve lost to teams we’re not supposed to lose to. We’ve beaten teams we’re not supposed to beat. Anything’s possible with this team.
“I’m sure there’s a lot of people who doubt us going there, but it’s exactly like we approach every game. We’re just going to go and give it our best shot,” Conley added.
Coach Quin Snyder, whose program was slapped by the NCAA for violations right before the start of the season, was not a happy camper Saturday.
“Our team’s devastated right now,” said Snyder, still hopeful of snatching an upset victory tonight.
“We do get a chance to play on Monday and pull off something that no one expects us to be able to do,” he said. “For our team, to be honest, adversity externally like that has been something that we’ve really rallied behind. We’ve got to find a way to get our confidence back.”
KU coach Bill Self is wary of the Tigers.
“They were struggling last year when they came here, if I’m not mistaken,” Self said, recalling MU came to Lawrence with a 9-8 record and played the Jayhawks tough in a 65-56 setback Feb. 2.
“I remember them fired up, playing great. That was anybody’s game, a one possession game with four minutes left.
“They’ll play very hard. Hopefully they won’t play great because we’ll do some things well ourselves. Look at Conley, (Thomas) Gardner, (Jimmy) McKinney and Kleiza. There are four guys that can get you 15, 20, 25 any night.”
¢
Bumps, bruises: Freshman Alex Galindo re-injured his groin Saturday and likely will not play tonight.
“He slid on a TV cord in pregame last night and re-injured his groin. I don’t think he’ll be able to play,” said Self who said the injury was not believed serious. … C.J. Giles will not play because of his bruised right foot. … Self said Wayne Simien might be able to play without the splint on his left thumb Saturday at Nebraska.
¢
Seniors superlative vs. MU: KU’s senior class is 7-1 against Missouri, including a 3-0 mark last season.
“It’s a big rivalry. It’s the last home game against Missouri for myself and other seniors. I hope we can come out and have the same result,” Simien said.
¢
Nothing personal: Self was asked if the KU-MU game meant more to him since he interviewed for the job six years ago, but the offer to replace Norm Stewart going to Snyder instead.
“No, no, not at all. A lot of people have said that. It does not work into the occasion at all,” Self said.
In general, however, the game means “plenty,” Self said. “When I went to Illinois it meant plenty. I knew how much it meant to people there, and it means every bit as much to people here or more.”
He said this rivalry was more intense than the Oklahoma-Oklahoma State rivalry which he played in at Okie State.
“I almost think there’s more hatred in this series,” Self said. “OSU and OU don’t like each other. Deep down at the core there is mutual respect because you’ve got two teams from the same state. They are united. There are Oklahoma kids. This goes back way before college athletics. Our players and coaches have no ill will toward Missouri except it’s a rival game. It goes back to parents, grandparents, great grandparents.”
¢
X-Factor final: The final score of the X-Factor for this game was Missouri 70, Kansas 68. Simien had 10 points and nine rebounds, and Giddens scored 15 points. Jason Conley scored 22 for Missouri. For more on the computer simulation, go to KUsports.com
¢
This, that: Missouri’s student fan group, The Antlers, have made phone calls to the Self house this year. KU senior Aaron Miles, however, said he hasn’t received any unsolicited calls. The calls usually get worse the week of the game in Columbia. … Self is 6-0 versus Missouri; Quin Snyder is 3-9 against KU, 0-5 in Allen Fieldhouse.
¢
Cole Aldrich, a 6-10, 235-pound high school sophomore forward from Bloomington, Minn., had a great time over the weekend on his second unofficial recruiting trip to KU.
Aldrich, the No. 6 rated player in the Class of 2007, says he’s considering giving a very early oral commitment to KU coach Bill Self.
“I wore my Paul Pierce jersey on Saturday night,” Aldrich told Shay Wildeboor of rivals.com. “All the players were cool and treated me great. I also had a chance to spend time with coach Self.
“I still need to talk to my parents this week, but I am thinking about giving a commitment to Kansas. That is the direction I am leaning right now, but I haven’t made a decision yet.”
He’s also considering in-state school Minnesota, Duke, North Carolina, Kentucky, Wisconsin and others.
X-Factor Game 11: Missouri 70, Kansas 68
‘Hawks Hoops Forecaster – Kansas vs. Missouri
Tigers coming to town
Sign up for cell phone updates
Sign up for e-mail updates