What stands in the way of another banner?

[Jason Spencer]

The Jayhawks are back up to #2 in the latest polls coming off wins at Baylor and a throttling of Kansas State. They seem to have begun to settle down and gel as a team. This makes Jayhawk fans ask themselves this question. Can this team cut down the nets?

No doubt this team has the talent, the athletic ability, the coaching certainly. But what are the potential roadblocks? What stands in our way? Defense? Rebounding? Free throws right? It's gotta be free throws?

Nope. The one thing that stands in our way is the specific action of two players. And not what they do but it is when they don't do this is when we can flourish. Let me give you a hint...

[img width=337 height=600]http://media.lawrence.com/img/photos/2010/11/23/ku_bkc_tamcc_09_t640.jpg?a6ea3ebd4438a44b86d2e9c39 ecf7613005fe067[/img]

The one thing that will stop us from cutting down the nets is when the Morris twins start raining threes from the outside. Are they terrible at three-point shooting? Not really. Not really that good either. But when you think about it. Who is underneath the basket when they start tossing up threes? Tyrel? Brady? Tyshawn?

The twins are the heart and soul of this team. The heart and soul of the Bill Self offense is getting the ball inside. That is where the twins belong. This is where they dominate.

But but but can’t we spread the defense by having them outside? I believe Bill Self might have seen this article coming. In the last two games, Marcus and Markieff combined have not shot one single three-point shot. Yes that’s right, not one single one. They stayed down low and they went to work.

The Jayhawks will probably never shoot the lights out from behind the arc this year. But with the twins inside, they don’t have to.

Jason Spencer is a writer for WavingTheWheat.com and can be reached at [email protected] and followed on Twitter @SpenceSports

[gravyshanks]

Re: What stands in the way of another banner?

is this a post or merely some kind of sports writing?

[Oobers]

Re: What stands in the way of another banner?

I'm never sure.

[Jason Spencer]

Re: What stands in the way of another banner?

Think it's pretty valid. Everytime they toss one up I find myself saying NO! They are not terrible at it but you can tell the offense runs a lot better with them staying down low especially Markieff. We rebound much better with them down there and we get away from just passing it around the perimeter. We already shoot around 36% as a team from outside, take these guys out of the mix and we improve that percentage. Not to mention we shoot less of them because we can pass it inside to the twins if they stay there.

[Oobers]

Re: What stands in the way of another banner?

Considering together they average less than two three point attempts per game I don't see it making a huge difference.

[Jason Spencer]

Re: What stands in the way of another banner?

[quote author=Oobers link=topic=3447.msg39650#msg39650 date=1296590892]
Considering together they average less than two three point attempts per game I don't see it making a huge difference.
[/quote]

they have shot 76 comined threes this year which comes out to about 3.6 a game. so it is significant and since they stopped shooting (or were told to stop) the team's offense and rebounding have improved.

[Oobers]

Re: What stands in the way of another banner?

I just don't see the correlation between them shooting the occasional three and rebounding. They both average about 2.3-2.4 offensive rebounds a game.

The past two games where they didn't shoot any threes Markieff had 6 offensive rebounds, which is slightly higher than average, and Marcus had 3, slightly worse. There just isn't enough evidence to prove the point.

[Jason Spencer]

Re: What stands in the way of another banner?

i appreciate your opinion. just let me explain myself a little better. here is what i see. on offense up to this point we have been sort of jekyl and hyde. sometimes real good and sometimes we lose focus and just pass the ball around the perimeter and forget about passing it inside. the reason is because the twins put themselves out on the perimeter too much. now this wouldnt be so bad if we had depth at those position but we clearly dont. we have morris, morris, robinson, and little. thats it. self has no confidence in withey and releford has not quite made it back yet. so if we have the morris twins outside who is there to pass to on the inside? there isnt anyone. that is why they get stuck just passing the ball around and that is why the zone has killed us at times. the last two games they both have not taken a single shot and ya gotta admit that we look better on offense. the reason is the guards are looking for the twins on the inside where they should be. we are beating the zone by either looking for the twins inside or driving and kicking out to our spot up shooters. we are not a good three point shooting team and to watch them chuck up so many just pains me to watch. also if one twin is shooting a three we have only one true rebounder on that shot since we are so thin at that position. reason i think this whole issue is the difference is that we are coming together as a team. we are one of the teams that has a shot. and if we can fix something that can net us 6 extra points a game and 4 extra boards. that could be the difference. if they chuck up a bunch of threes tonight i will gladly eat crow. but i have a feeling that self has talked to them about them being 4-18 in conference play so far. the best interest of the team is for them to be inside.

[filmfanatic24]

Re: What stands in the way of another banner?

ZOMG ICT, he stole your embedding power!


:runaway:

[Milo]

Re: What stands in the way of another banner?

Shemale's aside, it appears that Marcus and Markieff tend to pop out for the occasional 3. It adds an extra dimension to their games, and they don't appear to be abusing that power. Yes, if they miss it leads to an easy defensive rebound, but it stretches the defense out a bit. Marcus is real good off the dribble, by being able to take that show, he might be able to break down the guy on the dribble.

What stands in the way of another banner in my opinion is slightly worse defense than we've exhibited in the past, freethrow shooting, poor decision making (turnovers and stupid technical fouls), and poor guard play. If Tyshawn and Selby are good, then if Reed doesn't get the job done, then we're okay. If Selby and Reed are good, then we can overcome an off night by Tyshawn, if all three are off, we aren't very good. Brady and EJ are what they are, sometimes very good, sometimes so so, and sometimes terrible.

[ICThawk]

Re: What stands in the way of another banner?

Article was posted the morning before the TTech game.

[Hoopo]

Re: What stands in the way of another banner?

[quote author=Jason Spencer link=topic=3447.msg39664#msg39664 date=1296596291]
i appreciate your opinion. just let me explain myself a little better. here is what i see. on offense up to this point we have been sort of jekyl and hyde. sometimes real good and sometimes we lose focus...
[/quote]

That's the essence of this team's flaw: focus. The Morris brothers stepping out for a three once a game may be a symptom, but it's not enough of a flaw to doom the team, unless both Morris brothers go Gooden-vs-Maryland at the same time.

It's the focus that's the heart of the team's dysfunctional play. We see it every game. One minute they're scoring at will, the wham! it seems like their intensity level just evaporates. Beyond that you could say that the team's de facto floor leaders, the Morris brothers and Reed and Morningstar, all four became accustomed to having a strong floor leader in Collins. This year, leadership by committee is not as desirable because it leads to "Jeckyll/Hyde" focus and intensity changes. But right now there's no changing the fact that there's no cliched Floor General type on this team. And maybe that's a good thing. As we saw last year, as went Collins so went KU, ultimately down in flames to Ali Faroukmanesh and Northern Iowa.

I'd still like to see this team at full 100% concentration for forty minutes. I'm not holding my breath, however.

[Jason Spencer]

Re: What stands in the way of another banner?

good point with the focus. i too would love to see what they can do being focused for an entire game. what i was looking for was something that they could change that is feasible. they are not going to suddenly shoot 85% from the line. taylor and selby are not going to suddenly turn into chalmers and russrob. but if the twins stay inside and forget that outside business it could net us a few point and a few rebounds per game. which could be the difference. im excited to see how this season turns out. i have a feeling that this team COULD come together and make a run.


[quote author=Hoopo link=topic=3447.msg40061#msg40061 date=1296832901]
[quote author=Jason Spencer link=topic=3447.msg39664#msg39664 date=1296596291]
i appreciate your opinion. just let me explain myself a little better. here is what i see. on offense up to this point we have been sort of jekyl and hyde. sometimes real good and sometimes we lose focus...
[/quote]

That's the essence of this team's flaw: focus. The Morris brothers stepping out for a three once a game may be a symptom, but it's not enough of a flaw to doom the team, unless both Morris brothers go Gooden-vs-Maryland at the same time.

It's the focus that's the heart of the team's dysfunctional play. We see it every game. One minute they're scoring at will, the wham! it seems like their intensity level just evaporates. Beyond that you could say that the team's de facto floor leaders, the Morris brothers and Reed and Morningstar, all four became accustomed to having a strong floor leader in Collins. This year, leadership by committee is not as desirable because it leads to "Jeckyll/Hyde" focus and intensity changes. But right now there's no changing the fact that there's no cliched Floor General type on this team. And maybe that's a good thing. As we saw last year, as went Collins so went KU, ultimately down in flames to Ali Faroukmanesh and Northern Iowa.

I'd still like to see this team at full 100% concentration for forty minutes. I'm not holding my breath, however.
[/quote]

[Hoopo]

Re: What stands in the way of another banner?

I think your point IS valid, Jason. In fact, when was the last time a Morris hoisted a 3?

[Jason Spencer]

Re: What stands in the way of another banner?

that was my entire point with writing what i did. since the texas game they both combined literally did not shoot one single three point basket until the texas tech game. and even then the shot together only three. and since the texas game our offense looks better because they are starting to look for the twins down low first. before and including the texas game we would get caught just passing back and forth around the perimeter. not a good way to beat a zone. now i think with them not getting three happy we will GAIN a couple of points and rebounds per game which could be the difference in march.


[quote author=Hoopo link=topic=3447.msg40173#msg40173 date=1296853725]
I think your point IS valid, Jason. In fact, when was the last time a Morris hoisted a 3?
[/quote]