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| Courtesy: www.sprintcenter.com |
The Kansas Jayhawks faced off today against the Utes of Utah. Stage was set at the Sprint Center in KCMO. Utah coming off two big wings against BYU and WSU, hoped to add another top-10 ten win notch in their belt. The Jayhawks, lead by Coach Bill Self, hoped to have an answer for Utah's stellar defense and 7-footer Jakob Poeltl.
Utah started off strong. Getting up by 4 points early. Kansas Junior Perry Ellis answered with two quick buckets but for the next 5 minutes it was all Utah. Just like I feared, Utah had turned its defense up to full power. 3 turnovers, missed buckets and Utah playing like the 15th ranked team they are, were up 10-5 on the Jayhawks. Sophomore Brannen Greene had only attempted one shot so far. The Utah defense was was like glue. Not just any glue, the "sticky wont let Greene shoot" type glue!
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| Courtesy: kusports.com |
Finally with just under 13 minutes left, Kansas's Wayne Selden Jr. nailed a much needed 3! Until now, Ellis has all of Kansas's 6 points. Ellis answered with another bucket and just like that its all tied up.
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| Courtesy: kusports.com |
It was all KU after that. 3's from Ellis, Selden, Frank Mason and Kelly Oubre Jr. and some killer free-throw shooting, had Kansas on an amazing run. Utah had no answer for anything or anyone. In the remaining 9 minutes of the game, Utah would only put up 9 points. Utah's defense in the paint, which had stunned the Jayhawks in the first few minutes, had all but melted down. KU was playing like a well oiled machine. At the end of the 1st half, the Utes trailed 21-39.
Some of us are superstitious. This writer fits that bill to a T! Going into the half up on a team has its greats and then its not-so-greats. I did everything I could to keep quite and not gloat, but it didn't help. I love these Jayhawks to death, but every once in awhile I am left scratching my head.
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| Courtesy: ESPN Sports |
Kansas Junior Jamari Traylor started the half off with a strong bucket. Traylor was playing like the old animal he has always been. Traylor had just come off a one game suspension and no one, not even Traylor knew how much he was going to be needed today. The next 5 minutes went like this: Foul on Kansas......Turnover on Kansas......Missed shot by Kansas.....rinse and repeat. 4 minutes into the 2nd half, KU's 18 point 1st half lead and been dwindled down to 11 causing Self to call time. The Jayhaws came back strong, but Utah kept cutting away at the lead.
Halfway through the 2nd half Kansas seemed flat, soft like they didn't care. I didn't want to say it, but Kansas had caught the "meltdowns." Meltdowns, are like a virus, they just show up, no one can figure them out. Utah's defense had completely shut Kansas down. Greene was double and triple teamed each possession, Alexander and Traylor could not get anything past Poeltl. With under 5 minutes left in the game, Utah had completely erased their deficit. Game was tied up at 53. Utah called for a timeout.
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| Courtesy: kusports.com |
Unlike in the movie "Tin Cup". Self didn't have to make Roy McVoy turn his hat upside down, switch the change in his pockets all the other crazy stuff to ward off the "shanks" Whatever happened in that timeout, gave Kansas some life.
A costly turnover on Utah, led to a bucket by Ellis with just under 2 minutes left to play. The Sprint Center rose to life, I lost my voice and Twitter exploded! Another costly foul by Utah sent Traylor to the line. With both free throws made, Utah was now facing a two possession game with less that 40 seconds left. Utah answered with a huge 3 by Dakarai Tucker putting the Utes within one.
Cue the "Foul Game". Greene stepped up big time. Going to the line 4/4 on two more trips and a defensive rebound by Traylor would seal the deal for Utah. KU grinding it out to the end handed Utah their 2nd loss on the season. Kansas is now 8-1 on the season and 2-0 all time on the Utes.
The Sprint Center has a strange affect on teams. The "meltdowns" are almost impossible to shake, but when you're the Kansas Jayhawks nothing is impossible.
The Jayhawks next match up is against the Leopards of Lafayette. The Jayhawks will return to Allen Fieldhouse on December 20th at 2pm central time.
!!!ROCK CHALK JAYHAWK!!!
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