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| #9 17-3 |
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| 14-5 |
7-1 all time over the Horned Frogs, 3-1 since joining the Big XII and only 3 total conference wins. One would think heading down to Fort Worth would be more of a scrimmage than a conference match up. Tell that to the 2012-2013 team that was handed a 62-55 loss and they will tell you to never underestimate the Horned Frogs of TCU.
The Jayhawks came out strong winning the tip and a quick jumper by Junior Perry Ellis. Less than a
minute later, Ellis hit another jumper getting fouled and finishing off an old fashion 3pt play. Two dumb fouls on Ellis would send him to the bench, with just over 2.5 minutes played.
The next four minutes included 3 missed shots, 2 turnovers and 0 buckets for the Jayhawks. Two back to back buckets by TCU's Kenrich Williams and Kyan Anderson had the Frogs up 7-5 on the Jayhawks. With just over 16 minutes left Sophomore Frank Mason III finally ended the Jayhawks little drought with a quick jumper.
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| Courtesy: kcstar.com |
Alexander followed with another jumper and Freshman Devonte Graham nailed a huge 3, along with a quick jumper. Sophomore Landen Lucas was fouled earning him a trip to the line. Hitting both free throws, Lucas followed them with a quick jumper. Kansas had hit a stride, TCU had gone ice cold and fans had to be wondering when this would stop. After a huge 3 by Sophomore Wayne Selden Jr., TCU finally called time. By then the damage had been done. KU had a commanding 23-10 lead with just over 10 minutes left to play.
Just when you think the Jayhawks would erase that TCU home win from their minds, it came back and it came back hard. Missed shots, turnovers and fouls started to plague the Jayhawks. Ellis was sitting on the bench with 2 early fouls. Alexander had picked up 2 fouls as well. Just like that, foul trouble had taken over the Jayhawks very early in the 1st half. While Kansas wasn't able to commit on either end of the court, TCU was. TCU's Anderson, Karviar Shepard and Williams each hit good buckets. When Chris Washburn hit another layup with just under 7 minutes left to play, Coach Bill Self had enough and called time. The tempo had completely switched in favor of the Horned Frogs. The Jayhawk lead had been cut from 13 down to 5.
I often wonder where this team would be without the leadership of one Frank Mason. Mason exploded with 2 quick layups. What made these even more impressive was Mason's bulldog like play. Mason powering to the rim, had TCU rethinking their whole defensive strategy. With Lucas, Ellis, Traylor and Alexander all in foul trouble, Self reached deep down in the bench. Junior Hunter Mickelson had earned some minutes. Mickelson had earned two quick back to back fouls, but stayed in. Off an assist by Selden, Mickelson channeled his inner "Withey" and slammed one home. Selden's drive in was full force, grabbing his own missed shot and slamming another dunk home. The Kansas fans were pleased! So when Mickelson pulled off a great block, it gave both the crowd and the bench some well needed excitement.
TCU never gave up in the first half. While KU had gotten some momentum going with all the foul trouble plaguing them, TCU stayed right there like a little mutt nipping at their heals. With just under 4 minutes left in the first half, Freshman Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk checked in. A quick turnover by Mykhailiuk resulted in a fast break by TCU. The Basketball Gods were looking down on the 17 year old, as TCU's Anderson missed the layup. Selden grabbed the rebound and found Mykhailiuk open behind the arc. He answered with a gorgeous 3, bringing the Jayhawk lead back up to 12.
TCU would not lay down. TCU had complete control of the boards on both ends. Stupid fouls on KU's end and blocked shots by TCU had the Jayhawks sitting ice cold. For almost 3 minutes the Jayhawks went scoreless. Fouls, turnovers and missed shots were starting to become the norm. Mickelson ended the shooting drought with a short jump shot. The first half came to a close. TCU had cut the Kansas lead down to just 6 going into the locker room.
TCU came out stronger in the 2nd half than I have seen them play all year long. 2 Kansas turnovers and missed shots paved the way for a Horned Frog run. 2.5 minutes into the 2nd half, KU was scoreless while TCU had hit 3 shots taking the lead by 1. The last TCU lead was at the 17:43 mark in the first half. Self was livid and called for a timeout.
Kansas would retake the lead off a jumper by Mason, but TCU's Williams would answer with one of his own. Ellis, who had sat all but a couple minutes in the first half, hit a quick jumper giving KU another lead. Williams would answer back to give TCU the lead. Thank the lord for a TV Timeout to slow the back and fourth. Coming out the timeout, TCU would hit a layup, giving the Horned Frogs a now 3 point lead. Mason was quick to answer with a bucket, as well as Sophomore Brannen Greene. TCU would lead no longer. The little mutt had been contained for now.
Lucas had been seeing some good minutes due to KU's foul trouble. After the under 12 TV timeout, Lucas got right to work with a blocked shot and 2 trips to the line. Lucas was aggressively attacking the rim and earned all 4 made free throws, giving the Jayhawks a 5 point lead. Mason and Graham would each hit a bucket, bringing the lead to 9. TCU called for a timeout. The tempo was slowly flowing towards the Jayhawks.
TCU's Anderson would hit a quick jumper bringing the KU to down to 7. For almost the next 3 minutes both teams were scoreless. Missed shots, turnovers and fouls would plague both teams. Ellis would end the drought after hitting 1 of 2 free-throws.
Fouls were the Jayhawks kryptonite this evening, more so towards the end of the 2nd half. If Self had more Bigs to pull off the bench, he would have. TCU went back to back 4/4 from the foul line and kept cutting away at the lead. Mason answered with two buckets and Alexander slammed another one home to pull further away. TCU's Anderson would go back to the line hitting both shots and Williams would hit a layup bringing KU's lead back down to 5, with 1:27 left. Self called for another timeout, slowing this late TCU run. TCU's Trey Zeigler would earn a trip to the line with an and-one, cutting the lead to 2. With the his 5th foul. Ellis was done. Ellis would log only 15 minutes but put up 8 points.
With 32 seconds left, TCU would Que the foul game. By the grace of God, Greene would go to the line 3 times. Greene has been clutch all season at the line. Having only missed 1 free-throw all season, Greene would go 5/6 in the last 30 seconds. TCU's Zeigler would hit a layup and Washburn would slam one down to pull the Horned Frogs within 3.
Mason was fouled by TCU's Charles Hill with 4 seconds left to play. TCU was down by 3 and Mason had the chance to make it a two possession game. I've said it a million times, but Free-Throws win games. Mason would not be able to commit. Mason missed both shots giving TCU one last hope of a tie.
TCU's Charles Hill would attempt one last long 3 pointer, but came up short. KU grabbed the rebound with .1 seconds left. That would be it for the Horned Frogs. KU had narrowly edged the Horned Frogs 64-61 preventing another KU upset in Fort Worth.
The Jayhawks would pull to 17-3 on the season and 6-1 in conference play. This win would give the Jayhawks a one game pad over the rest of the Big XII.
The Wildcats of Kansas State will travel to Lawrence on Saturday January 31st. Tip off in Allen Fieldhouse is set for 1pm central time. The un-ranked Wildcats are looking for bragging rights. Allen Fieldhouse hasn't been friendly to the Wildcats and given two recent close losses to Iowa State and West Virginia, the Cats will be looking for blood. Perry Ellis is due for a breakout game and the Jayhawks will need everything has inside.
Just when you think the Jayhawks would erase that TCU home win from their minds, it came back and it came back hard. Missed shots, turnovers and fouls started to plague the Jayhawks. Ellis was sitting on the bench with 2 early fouls. Alexander had picked up 2 fouls as well. Just like that, foul trouble had taken over the Jayhawks very early in the 1st half. While Kansas wasn't able to commit on either end of the court, TCU was. TCU's Anderson, Karviar Shepard and Williams each hit good buckets. When Chris Washburn hit another layup with just under 7 minutes left to play, Coach Bill Self had enough and called time. The tempo had completely switched in favor of the Horned Frogs. The Jayhawk lead had been cut from 13 down to 5.
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| Courtesy: kusports.com |
TCU never gave up in the first half. While KU had gotten some momentum going with all the foul trouble plaguing them, TCU stayed right there like a little mutt nipping at their heals. With just under 4 minutes left in the first half, Freshman Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk checked in. A quick turnover by Mykhailiuk resulted in a fast break by TCU. The Basketball Gods were looking down on the 17 year old, as TCU's Anderson missed the layup. Selden grabbed the rebound and found Mykhailiuk open behind the arc. He answered with a gorgeous 3, bringing the Jayhawk lead back up to 12.
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| Courtesy: TCU sports |
TCU came out stronger in the 2nd half than I have seen them play all year long. 2 Kansas turnovers and missed shots paved the way for a Horned Frog run. 2.5 minutes into the 2nd half, KU was scoreless while TCU had hit 3 shots taking the lead by 1. The last TCU lead was at the 17:43 mark in the first half. Self was livid and called for a timeout.
Kansas would retake the lead off a jumper by Mason, but TCU's Williams would answer with one of his own. Ellis, who had sat all but a couple minutes in the first half, hit a quick jumper giving KU another lead. Williams would answer back to give TCU the lead. Thank the lord for a TV Timeout to slow the back and fourth. Coming out the timeout, TCU would hit a layup, giving the Horned Frogs a now 3 point lead. Mason was quick to answer with a bucket, as well as Sophomore Brannen Greene. TCU would lead no longer. The little mutt had been contained for now.
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| Courtesy: kusports.com |
TCU's Anderson would hit a quick jumper bringing the KU to down to 7. For almost the next 3 minutes both teams were scoreless. Missed shots, turnovers and fouls would plague both teams. Ellis would end the drought after hitting 1 of 2 free-throws.
Fouls were the Jayhawks kryptonite this evening, more so towards the end of the 2nd half. If Self had more Bigs to pull off the bench, he would have. TCU went back to back 4/4 from the foul line and kept cutting away at the lead. Mason answered with two buckets and Alexander slammed another one home to pull further away. TCU's Anderson would go back to the line hitting both shots and Williams would hit a layup bringing KU's lead back down to 5, with 1:27 left. Self called for another timeout, slowing this late TCU run. TCU's Trey Zeigler would earn a trip to the line with an and-one, cutting the lead to 2. With the his 5th foul. Ellis was done. Ellis would log only 15 minutes but put up 8 points.
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| Courtesy: kusports.com |
Mason was fouled by TCU's Charles Hill with 4 seconds left to play. TCU was down by 3 and Mason had the chance to make it a two possession game. I've said it a million times, but Free-Throws win games. Mason would not be able to commit. Mason missed both shots giving TCU one last hope of a tie.
TCU's Charles Hill would attempt one last long 3 pointer, but came up short. KU grabbed the rebound with .1 seconds left. That would be it for the Horned Frogs. KU had narrowly edged the Horned Frogs 64-61 preventing another KU upset in Fort Worth.
The Jayhawks would pull to 17-3 on the season and 6-1 in conference play. This win would give the Jayhawks a one game pad over the rest of the Big XII.
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| Courtesy: kusports.com |
!!!ROCK CHALK JAYHAWK!!!
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