After stewing over the game on Super Bowl Sunday, I have officially decided that the loss didn't bother me much. It bothered me that we let someone IN OUR HOUSE come in and show more heart in the last 5 minutes, and it bothered me that we packed it in with a 10 point lead with 5 minutes left. These things were basically the only things that bothered me, Sasha Kaun's game didn't really bother me because he is so hot and cold. Super Mario's game bothers me a little, but that would have been there regardless of the outcome.
Who Played Well?
Sherron Collins
Is this kid serious? He is our best player right now, at least scoring wise without a doubt. It seems that on will he can walk into the lane and knock down a layup, and if someone like RR does it and the defense collapses who is on the outside to make a 3? Sherron Collins. Without this kid we get blown out on Saturday night and that fact isn't disputable. One interesting note, the poll to the right has him starting over RR. Through 4 votes (there is 9 votes right now) it was 100% Russell, now the most recent 5 votes have all been for Collins. A lot of those have come since the A&M game and I must say, if I could have my vote over again (I voted for RR early on) I would have to vote for SC. Maybe not to start over the kid from New York, New York but at least get the most playing time of the guards.
Julian Wright
Granted, it wasn't a game where he went into "Beast Mode" but he played a nice, solid basketball game. Really, that is all I expect from Jules night in and night out. 11 points and 10 rebounds is always solid, especially considering it was against a solid defensive team such as Texas A&M.
Who Didn't Play Well?
Brandon Rush
I know he scored 10 points but that was on 3-13 shooting. I like the fact that when we were struggling offensively he stepped up and took shots, but he needs to make at least some of them and shooting worse than 25% doesn't help out the team.
Russell Robinson and Mario Chalmers
In their combined 61 minutes (SC had 23...TRAVESTY!) they only scored 16 points on 7-14 shooting. 50% isn't bad but it is clear that these guys aren't playing at the top of their game. They are both fine players and probably still deserve starting slots, but Self needs to be more willing to bench one if they aren't playing well and put in who is (SC in just about every game). The thing that upsets me about these two though is their assist:turnover ratio. I think that is the MOST IMPORTANT stat for point guards and considering both of them are combo guards and could be considered PG's it is an extremely valuable stat for both. RR had 3 assists and 5 turnovers and SM had 2 assists and 2 turnovers. That is a combined 5:7 TO ratio, an absolutely horrible ratio for a Final Four contender's starting backcourt.
Basically, only SC and Julian Wright played well. These 3 stuck out as not playing well while Sasha Kaun, Darrell Arthur and Darnell Jackson played about average games.
Average doesn't cut it against solid competition like A&M, who I think is the best team we've played all year.
Unlike football there isn't an entire week to stew about it and we come out on Wednesday and play a suddenly Tournament-caliber team, Kansas State. Bobby Huggins has his team playing well, we can't let them sneak out of AFH with a victory.
Rock Chalk!