KU’s two All-Americans – Thomas Robinson is and Tyshawn Taylor – were big time off their games yesterday…
And Kansas looked like a sure loser against Purdue the entire game until the very end, when a point guard named Elijah led Kansas to the promised land.
Elijah Johnson – who is likely to be the star of next year’s team – saved the day.
Robinson and Taylor could just not score, hitting only six shots from the field.
So how did Kansas beat a good Purdue team? Bill Self.
In what was maybe Self’s best coaching job since the national title game in 2008, he was making more moves to stop Purdue and get Kansas scoring than Republicans trying to find someone to challenge Obama.
Early on Self could see Robinson was unable to get the ball to go down and Taylor was headed for foul trouble, so he put the bench guys in EARLY.
Names like Naadir Tharpe (who hit a three), Justin Wesley, Kevin Young and the more-often-used senior guard Conner Teahan.
But the night belonged to Elijah – he led Kansas with 18 big points.
Kansas trailed until the last minute when Elijah put KU up by one, 61-60. Then Kansas got a rare offensive rebound for the night, scored and it was bye, bye Purdue.
The Boilermakers, Robbie Hummel had been unstoppable in the first half with 22 points until Self’s genius moves slowed him down in the second half and gave KU a chance to come back. Hummel only had four second half points.
Kansas fell way behind early and looked like the CHOKE Missouri team of a few days earlier.
Most of the game KU was behind by 5-10 points until they closed with good D and timely shots in the last two minutes.
By the way Norfolk State – the team that beat MU and looked so great two days ago – was crushed and NEVER in the game against 7th-seeded Florida and lost 84-50. Florida did whatever it wanted to and could have even beaten Norfolk worse had it desired.
Making it lo
ok kinda like Missouri got beaten by Shawnee Mission East.
Damn.
The tough Purdue win may give KU some confidence.
And North Carolina coach Roy Williams lost his No 1 guy Kendall Marshall to a wrist injury. Marshall may not play another game. So if KU beats North Carolina State Friday, its Roy’s boys and North Carolina against KU maybe on Sunday for the trip to the Final Four.
How sweet would that be? A chance for KU to extract a pound of revenge flesh from Benedict Roy.
Come on Thomas Robinson, dump the Mike Sweeney imitation and get rolling son!
Rare offensive rebound? Nice work, Scoop…KU had 21 offensive rebounds, the most in 2 years.
This is so bad.
“Rare offensive rebound?”
Did you watch the game? Or even peruse the boxscore before writing this.
“A chance for KU to extract a pound of revenge flesh from Benedict Roy.”
Probably splitting hairs here, but KU got revenge in 2008 in the Final Four. KU beating Roy again would just be gravy.
“Making it look kinda like Missouri got beaten by Shawnee Mission East.”
No. No. Not all. The difference in talent between suburban Kansas high school basketball and D1 hoops is immense.
Good Try Fool
I see the clowns have escaped the circus and making idiot posts
Best Coaching Job?
You’ve got to be kidding. Self got out-coached. In the end the Purdue players lost their poise and the KU ballers did what they do best, they found a way to win. The last 90 seconds of that game had nothing to do with coaching. If it did, Purdue would have won. The last 90 seconds was about balls, heart, passion and desire. You can’t coach that.
Out Coached
Smartman, I’m with you. KU had no business winning a game that they were out-coached, outplayed and out-shot in. But, they did what KU does. They grind and scrap and fight and out-athlete the competition. You have to admire a team that simply refuses to lose. What self did best was put his athletes out there and let them do what they do. Regarding X’s and O’s ? it doesn’t happen very often, but he got his ass handed to him. I’m thrilled with the victory. It was a classic survive and advance that makes this the greatest sporting event of the year.
No revenge needed?
Pretty sure KU already got all the revenge it needed thumping Roy and NC in 2008.
super dave: you wuss..
glazer shot you down like a dog. Now go back to your doghouse. Whaaa Whaaaa!
Poor little dog. Get your feeling hurt. Super Dave is a circus clown fool!
That Pic of Roy on the front page…
…looks like he’s taking a dump, so keep Glazer far, far away from him.
Bill Self…
Bill Self is my next husband – he just doesn’t know it yet!