**Jesse Newell:** Welcome back to the GameDay Cram Session, as Kansas is taking on Long Beach State on Tuesday at Allen Fieldhouse.
Tom, what was one thing you thought Tyshawn Taylor did especially well against South Florida on Saturday?
**Tom Keegan:** He showed he’s so quick he can get a shot off any time he wants to and it’s always important to have a guard who can do that, especially when the shot clock’s dwindling and when the team goes into a scoring drought and this team will go into them more than recent KU teams.
**JN:** He also showed nice shooting touch from the outside.
I wouldn’t think Taylor is better than KU’s third-best option for shooting threes, but he made a career-high four (out of six attempts) to give the Jayhawks an even greater boost offensively.
So far this year, Taylor has made 11 of 19 threes to shoot an unsustainable 58 percent. KU should be plenty happy at the end of the year if he’s able to stay in the 38- to 40-percent range.
Tom, KU’s offense has looked sluggish at times early in the season. Which player from last year’s team do you think KU misses the most offensively?
**TK:** Marcus Morris because he was so versatile, a threat to score anywhere on the court and could create space with his moves to get shots off.
But more than any one player’s scoring ability, the offense suffers because Kansas had such great ball movement last year and such good passers who were confident to feed the post and had a good knack for doing it. Plus the team’s interior passing was so good, thanks largely to the Morris twins. They almost reminded me of Bill Walton’s Portland championship team in that way.
**JN:** We’re also starting to see a bit of the hidden value that both Tyrel Reed and Brady Morningstar brought to last year’s team.
Though both were limited in what they could do offensively, both fit into their roles well. The two zipped the ball quickly around the perimeter and also always seemed prepared to knock down an open three when it was there.
With KU shooting just 33.6 percent from three this year (compared to 38.2 percent last year), it’s no wonder the Jayhawks’ scoring is down a bit from what fans are used to.
OK, Tom, what’s your prediction for this game?
**TK:** Kansas by 11.
Long Beach State’s a good team, but facing Thomas Robinson, Tyshawn Taylor and the Allen Fieldhouse crowd is a daunting task. West Coast crowds don’t bring the same juice.
JN: I’ll go KU by 21.
KU coach Bill Self has his team’s attention when talking up Long Beach State, which defeated Pittsburgh on the road by 10 earlier this season.
Not only are the 49ers the third-most experienced team in the nation according to KenPom, they’re also ranked 59th, which is better than three Big 12 schools (Oklahoma, Iowa State, Texas Tech).
Even after taking that into account, I think KU will come out focused in front of a lively Fieldhouse atmosphere.
Though KU’s last two games were blowouts, Self wasn’t too complimentary of his team’s effort in either game.
I just see this as a game where the Jayhawks play with a lot of energy — and it’s those games where KU plays its best.
All right, Tom, who’s your Hawk to Rock?
**TK:** Elijah Johnson.
It’s always darkest right before the dawn.
**JN:** I’ll go with Thomas Robinson.
Long Beach State might have experience, but it doesn’t have overwhelming size. Look for Robinson to score effectively against an LBSU defense that has been a weakness so far this season.
The junior also should control the glass and might even grab a few extra offensive rebounds facing a team that has struggled on the defensive glass.
Tracking the picks
——————
**Predictions tally (through seven games)**
Tom: 6-1 record, 55 points off (7.9 points off/game)
Jesse: 6-0 record, 49 points off (7 points off/game)
Hawk to Rock
————
**Tom Keegan**
Towson: Tyshawn Taylor (4th in Keegan ratings)
Kentucky: Tyshawn Taylor (1st in Keegan ratings)
Georgetown: Elijah Johnson (4th in Keegan ratings)
UCLA: Tyshawn Taylor (2nd in Keegan ratings)
Duke: Elijah Johnson (4th in Keegan ratings)
FAU: Jeff Withey (4th in Keegan ratings)
South Florida: Tyshawn Taylor (1st in Keegan ratings)
**Average: 2.9th in Keegan ratings**
**Jesse Newell**
Towson: Conner Teahan (6th in Keegan ratings)
Kentucky: Elijah Johnson (4th in Keegan ratings)
Georgetown: Kevin Young (9th in Keegan ratings)
UCLA: Elijah Johnson (1st in Keegan ratings)
Duke: Thomas Robinson (1st in Keegan ratings)
FAU: Tyshawn Taylor (7th in Keegan ratings)
South Florida: Elijah Johnson (6th in Keegan ratings)
**Average: 4.9th in Keegan ratings**
Kansas forward Thomas Robinson pulls in a pass as he is defended by South Florida forward Ron Anderson Jr. during the first half Saturday, Dec. 3, 2011 at Allen Fieldhouse.
