One day delay on the recap from Texas Tech. We took a brief pause from basketball to run through the signing day festivities which yes for all of you Kansas basketball only fans might seem a bit excessive. Then again, if you're Kansas basketball only then you're part of the problem(I kid) - Denver
KU's return to the portion of the schedule vs. teams who can actually beat them and whose fans don't try to manufacture rivalries went splendidly as the Jayhawks managed to squeak out a 22 point win. Texas Tech, not a great offense but a decent one, was held to .1 PPP under their season average as the Jayhawks surrendered just .94 points per trip. Some of that was helped by the Red Raiders' dismal shooting from beyond the arc (27.3%), but Kansas held them to 42% shooting from two as well.
But Kansas won this game on the other end of the floor. A 1.25 PPP which is actually over our season average in which we managed to do almost everything well: shoot from three (40%), from two (56%), and not turn it over (8.6%, which by the way is beyond phenomenal). Unfortunately the Memphisian free throw shooting reared its ugly head again (53%), but if Kansas plays anywhere in this neighborhood during the tournament it won't matter anyways.
70 possessions for this game, right at our season average (well, our average is 70.8). I would like to see us play even more quickly, but the game obviously slowed down quite a bit once things got out of hand and we started to eat some shot clock.
An interesting subplot will be to see when the team actually leaves Lubbock. They won't be tomorrow and it's possible that they won't get to on Thursday either. At Nebraska is a very losable game so we'll see if the weird travel schedule screws them up. Though they seem to be pretty used to it by now unfortunately.
- Thomas Robinson finishes with 17 and 9 for the second game in a row, and this time he did it in just 21 minutes of play. Robinson takes quite a few shots when he's in there, but I haven't minded at all this year. He was 6-9 from two and 5-5 from the line, which, given that he shoots 46% on the season, probably won't be repeated.
- Marcus was 8-11 from two in collecting his 18 points, but he missed both his 3s and was just 2-4 from the line. He added 4 rebounds, an assist and a steal. Maybe I am being ridiculously picky, but this wasn't one of his better games.
- Markieff played just 18 minutes (though shockingly not because of foul trouble), and had 11 points on 4-7 shooting from two, and he made his only 3 point attempt. Oh and he grabbed 12 rebounds. No big deal.
- Another nice game for Brady Morningstar. He was 3-4 from two and 2-3 from three and he added 4 assists and 3 steals.
- Tyshawn was 0-4 from the field, but had 2 rebounds, a steal and 3 assists without turning it over. I didn't watch his defense too closely because how you guard a guy in a throwaway game vs. Texas Tech doesn't mean anything but I assume it was good. I also assume someone will try to contradict me on this.
- Selby had 14 points and was 4-8 from two and 2-4 from three. He had 3 boards, 4 assists and only 1 turnover. He also played pretty active defense and I think is (hopefully) starting to adapt to college basketball a bit.