**Jesse Newell:** Welcome back to the GameDay Cram Session, as Kansas is taking on Boston University on Friday night its opening game of the NCAA Tournament in Tulsa, Okla.
Tom, 6-foot-6 Patrick Hazel is Boston’s best defender. What more can you tell us about him?
*[Ed. note — Skip ahead to the 43-second mark of the video above.]*
**Tom Keegan:** I’m at every Kansas game in person, but other than Kansas, Marquette is the team I watch most because that’s where I went to school. Hazel played two years at Marquette and didn’t get to see much action. When he did play, he proved he’s a really explosive jumper, a natural shot-blocker, albeit an undersized one, and an active defender who rebounds well. He didn’t seem to have much of a feel offensively, as far as knowing how to post up and having confidence in his shot, but now that he’s gotten a lot of playing time, I’m sure he’s made strides there. He’s definitely a springy jumper and a fearless competitor though.
**JN:** He’ll have to be fearless for Boston to have a chance against KU.
The Terriers don’t have a player on the active roster taller than 6-8, so he and fellow starter Dom Morris (6-7) will have quite a challenge trying to keep KU’s Marcus Morris, Markieff Morris and Thomas Robinson away from the offensive glass.
Speaking of the Jayhawks, KU is 32-2 — the same record as last year’s team at this point. What do you think are the main differences between the two teams?
**TK:** I think the biggest difference is that last year, Sherron Collins felt as if he needed to rescue the team every time it got into trouble and he came through almost every time. Two Elite Eight teams — Baylor and Kansas State — can attest to that. He was sensational in both of those games. He came up empty against Northern Iowa (5 for 16, five turnovers) and when a team relies that heavily on one player at crunch time, it’s asking too much of that one player. This year, with co-stars Marcus and Markieff Morris leading the way and doing so by being as good passing as scoring, this team is more upset-proof.
**JN:** Collins was great for KU last year, but his efficiency isn’t close to what Marcus’ is this year.
Consider this: In 36 games last season, Collins scored 558 points while putting up 434 field goal attempts.
This year, in 34 games, Marcus has scored 588 points while putting up 366 field goal attempts (68 fewer than Collins).
Some other numbers factor into the statistics above (Collins had 15 fewer free throws than Marcus, while Marcus made 45 fewer threes than Collins), but it just goes to show how good of a scorer Marcus has been this season without having to take a majority of his team’s shots.
All right, Tom, what’s your prediction for this game?
**TK:** Kansas 89, Boston University 61. Kansas is locked and loaded, ready for a blowout.
**JN:** I’ll go KU by 20. Interestingly, Boston is ranked 170th in KenPom’s ratings, while last year’s first-round opponent, Lehigh, finished at 171st in the KenPom rankings.
America East player of the year John Holland has the size and quickness to give the Jayhawks some problems, but I just don’t see how Boston stays close on the boards to KU. This might not be a laugher blowout, but it’ll be plenty good enough to get the Jayhawks safely to the Round of 32.
OK, Tom, who’s your Hawk to Rock?
**TK:** Thomas Robinson.
He’s too much for BU’s undersized big men to handle.
**JN:** I’ll go with Markieff Morris for the same reason.
(By the way, that thumping you hear is me patting myself on the back for predicting a 14-point, six-assist, one-turnover game for Brady Morningstar against Texas. He had 13 points, six assists and two turnovers. Blind squirrel meet acorn.)
Markieff hasn’t had a double-digit rebounding effort in his last five games. He’ll break that streak against Boston on Friday.
Tracking the picks
——————
**Predictions tally (through 34 games)**
Tom: 29-5 record, 364 points off (10.7 points off/game)
Jesse: 32-2 record, 388 points off (11.4 points off/game)
Hawk to Rock
————
**Tom Keegan**
Longwood: Tyrel Reed (6th in Keegan ratings)
Valparaiso: Marcus Morris (1st)
North Texas: Tyrel Reed (6th)
Texas A&M-CC: Marcus Morris (5th)
Ohio: Markieff Morris (3rd)
Arizona: Marcus Morris (1st)
UCLA: Tyshawn Taylor (1st)
Memphis: Markieff Morris (4th)
Colorado State: Tyshawn Taylor (2nd)
USC: Tyrel Reed (6th)
Cal: Marcus Morris (6th)
UT Arlington: Tyrel Reed (8th)
Miami: Marcus Morris (3rd)
UMKC: Markieff Morris (9th)
Michigan: Thomas Robinson (8th)
Iowa State: Tyshawn Taylor (7th)
Nebraska: Josh Selby (9th)
Baylor: Josh Selby (3rd)
Texas: Marcus Morris (3rd)
Colorado: Markieff Morris (5th)
Kansas State: Marcus Morris (4th)
Texas Tech: Markieff Morris (4th)
Nebraska: Mario Little (7th)
Missouri: Tyrel Reed (7th)
Iowa State: Markieff Morris (2nd)
Kansas State: Brady Morningstar (2nd)
Colorado: Marcus Morris (3rd)
Oklahoma State: Marcus Morris (1st)
Oklahoma: Tyrel Reed (3rd)
Texas A&M: Tyrel Reed (1st)
Missouri: Tyrel Reed (3rd)
Oklahoma State: Josh Selby (7th)
Colorado: Thomas Robinson (7th)
Texas: Marcus Morris (2nd)
**Average Hawk to Rock: 4.4th in Keegan ratings**
**Jesse Newell**
Longwood: Markieff Morris (1st in Keegan ratings)
Valparaiso: Brady Morningstar (8th)
North Texas: Tyrel Reed (6th)
Texas A&M-CC: Thomas Robinson (2nd)
Ohio: Tyshawn Taylor (4th)
Arizona: Brady Morningstar (8th)
UCLA: Markieff Morris (6th)
Memphis: Thomas Robinson (1st)
Colorado State: Markieff Morris (1st)
USC: Thomas Robinson (2nd)
Cal: Markieff Morris (2nd)
UT Arlington: Brady Morningstar (10th)
Miami: Tyshawn Taylor (8th)
UMKC: Josh Selby (1st)
Michigan: Tyrel Reed (4th)
Iowa State: Marcus Morris (1st)
Nebraska: Thomas Robinson (3rd)
Baylor: Tyshawn Taylor (6th)
Texas: Josh Selby (8th)
Colorado: Jeff Withey (7th)
Kansas State: Tyrel Reed (8th)
Texas Tech: Thomas Robinson (1st)
Nebraska: Tyrel Reed (5th)
Missouri: Markieff Morris (3rd)
Iowa State: Brady Morningstar (4th)
Kansas State: Marcus Morris (4th)
Colorado: Josh Selby (6th)
Oklahoma State: Elijah Johnson (2nd)
Oklahoma: Markieff Morris (2nd)
Texas A&M: Thomas Robinson (7th)
Missouri: Markieff Morris (6th)
Oklahoma State: Tyshawn Taylor (4th)
Colorado: Marcus Morris (1st)
Texas: Brady Morningstar (4th)
**Average Hawk to Rock: 4.3rd in Keegan ratings**
