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Since phog.net went into "quarantine" mode and KU fans are still lurking around here (you all are more than welcome to, by the way), I just wanted to share my insights on how I think this game was won.
1) Speed.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0GdQyIm7DU
Chasing Joey Rodriguez around the floor is like trying to tackle a cat covered in bacon fat. Our players are quick and can hit shots from anywhere if you give them an open look. Kansas had to extend their defense and when they did, our players took advantage of matchups either with their speed (Rozzell, Rodriguez on Morningstar) or their quickness (Skeen and Burgess on the Morris twins).
2) Interior presence.
Skeen is a wizard in the post. He's a big man with moves like a shooting guard. We weren't going to bang it inside against KU's bigs, but we got the ball to Skeen and let him work around them, or draw fouls similar to what he did against Drexel in the CAA Tournament.
3) Long range shooting.
This is what everyone focuses on. If a team extends their defense, it opens things up for options 1 and 2. If a team plays in tight, we just shoot over them. Of course, we had to make shots and we did just that. Clutch 3s by Rodriguez, Burgess, Rozzell and Skeen kept the Jayhawks on their heels the entire first half, and shut the door on them late in the game.
4) The disrespect factor.
Our players know what the media thinks of them. They've been hearing nothing but how they can't hold a candle to KU for the past 36 hours, and they fed off of that disrespect. They've been playing with a chip on their collective shoulder for the past two weeks, turning that negativity into motivation. KU had something to prove against U of Richmond ("No Kansas don't choke!!!" said the talking heads), but it was clear they couldn't match our intensity the entire first half.
Well that's my (four?) cents. Any thoughts?
1) Speed.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0GdQyIm7DU
Chasing Joey Rodriguez around the floor is like trying to tackle a cat covered in bacon fat. Our players are quick and can hit shots from anywhere if you give them an open look. Kansas had to extend their defense and when they did, our players took advantage of matchups either with their speed (Rozzell, Rodriguez on Morningstar) or their quickness (Skeen and Burgess on the Morris twins).
2) Interior presence.
Skeen is a wizard in the post. He's a big man with moves like a shooting guard. We weren't going to bang it inside against KU's bigs, but we got the ball to Skeen and let him work around them, or draw fouls similar to what he did against Drexel in the CAA Tournament.
3) Long range shooting.
This is what everyone focuses on. If a team extends their defense, it opens things up for options 1 and 2. If a team plays in tight, we just shoot over them. Of course, we had to make shots and we did just that. Clutch 3s by Rodriguez, Burgess, Rozzell and Skeen kept the Jayhawks on their heels the entire first half, and shut the door on them late in the game.
4) The disrespect factor.
Our players know what the media thinks of them. They've been hearing nothing but how they can't hold a candle to KU for the past 36 hours, and they fed off of that disrespect. They've been playing with a chip on their collective shoulder for the past two weeks, turning that negativity into motivation. KU had something to prove against U of Richmond ("No Kansas don't choke!!!" said the talking heads), but it was clear they couldn't match our intensity the entire first half.
Well that's my (four?) cents. Any thoughts?
It got tense for a second.
