Kansas Preview: The Toughest Test

Kansas is the single toughest test on the Mocs schedule this year. They were the nationl runners-up last year, losing in the national championship game to Kentucky. So far, the Jayhawks have beaten Southeast Missouri, 74-55 and lost to Michigan State 67-64. They are currently ranked number seven in the Coaches Poll, and are number fourteen in the Pomeroy Rankings.

This is one gigantically tall task for the Mocs.

Speaking of tall, the Jayhawks have plenty of size. Jeff Withey is the seven footer in the middle. He is not particularly quick, and his offensive game is not as far along as I expected it to be heading into the season. However, that being said, he leads the Jayhawks in scoring with 12.5 points per game. He's also averaging 9.5 rebounds and 3.5 blocks per game. He's also playing 29 minutes per game. He scored 17 points with 12 rebounds and five blocks against Southeast Missouri. So the Mocs are going to have a very difficult time matching up with Withey.

Elijah Johnson is averaging 10 points per game. He is only shooting 35% from the floor, but he shot 43% from the floor last year while averaging 10.2 points per game. He is a very important senior on this team. He and Withey provide the senior leadership.

The really interesting players for the Jayhawks is the two freshman big guys, Jamari Traylor and Perry Ellis. Ellis is averaging 9.5 points and 5.5 rebounds. Ellis scored fifteen points and had eight rebounds against Southeast Missouri. Traylor is averaging 5.5 points and 2.5 rebounds and two blocks per game. He had more points, rebounds and blocks against Michigan State than against SE Missouri.

Ben McLemore is another freshman for Kansas. He is averaging 11.5 points per game and 7.5 rebounds per game, along with four assists per game. He had twelve rebounds and five assists against Southeast Missouri, while scoring 14 against Michigan State. He looks like one of the next great Jayhawk players.

Remember how the Mocs shot 2 of 22 from three point range against Tennessee Temple and 40% from the field? Well, Kansas can relate. Against Southeast Missouri, they shot 38.7% from the floor while making 2 of 21 from three point range. But they held the RedHawks to 29% from the floor and 25% from three point range. They also dominated the boards against them. They shot only nine threes against Michigan State, making four of them. They shot 50% from the floor. Ironic that they won the first game and lost the second one. The Spartans shot 52.1% from the floor, 40% from three, and outrebounded the Jayhawks by one.

There are a couple of questions that highlight how close the Mocs can keep this game. First of all, Drazen Zlovaric and Z Mason may or may not match up inside with the Jayhawks. The Jayhawks are bigger, but there is a chance that Zlovaric and Mason may be able to hold their own. If they do, then the Mocs will be able to hang around in this game. Jared Bryant and Lance Stokes will need to step up their game as well.

The second key is the shooting. The first game jitters for the freshman certainly contributed to the lack of shot making. So, will the Mocs shoot better in the second game? Will Farad Cobb, Gee McGhee, Eric Robertson, and Casey Jones be able to shoot well from three point range to open up the inside game for the Z Men? This is a night that the freshman need to shine. On top of that, Rico White needs to play like the experienced player that he is as a sophomore.

LEAD PIPE LOCK PREDICTIONS THAT ARE SURE TO GO WRONG

--The Jayhawks will win the battle of the boards by somewhere in the neighborhood of ten rebounds.
--Withey won't have a huge game.
--Ellis and Traylor will have big games in the paint.
--Mason will show that he belongs on the floor with these guys.
--A freshman will step up and provide a couple of big moments, and show the Mocs that there are a lot of big nights ahead in the coming months.
--The Mocs will not force over thirty turnovers like they did against Tennessee Temple.
--The Mocs will shoot better than 2 of 22 from three poitn range.
--Kansas 78, Mocs 62. There may be some advantage to the Mocs that they played a physical game against Michigan State on Tuesday night in Atlanta, had to go back to Kansas, and then play again on Thursday night. Normally, teams show a lot of improvement between games one and two, and the Mocs could do that here to. The Mocs shots almost have to be falling better than they were in the first game. They will make more shots, but will struggle to rebound against the much bigger Kansas team. This game has potential to be closer than expected. It is not completely out of the realm of possibility that the Mocs pull off the stunner here. If the shots start falling and the Z Men hold up, then they can win this one. Also, I'm very interested to see if they try to go with the pressure like they did in the first half against Tennessee Temple, which helped them force over thirty turnovers against the Crusaders. That could make the game even more interesting.