OMAHA, NE. -- Two things KU had going for it over UNLV tonight was a big disparity in height and a much deeper bench.
Well it turns out they didn't really need either of them.
KU used a 14-3 run midway through the second half and some lock-down defense for all 40 minutes to quell any upset hopes for the Runnin' Rebels tonight, in a 75-56 win in Omaha.
Continue reading "Omaha Regional- Kansas goes small, moves on." »
OMAHA, NE. -- Yep, I'm calling my shot now. There's only four minutes left in UNLV's season. It's now 65-51 KU and from this rather dark picture below you can see that people are already heading for home en masse. Oh well, it was good while it lasted.
(Wait! Wait for me!)
OMAHA, NE. -- With 7:33 remaining, the Jayhawks have built up a 60-46 advantage. UNLV's best shouter, Josh Barger has exited the game with five fouls and the Reb fans behind me are starting to blame the refs more and more... just like good fans are supposed to do.
Yep, this one is nearly over. But I'm saving room for a blistering comeback by UNLV. But that light at the end of the tunnel is very likely an on-coming train.
How did these ne're-do-wells get seats at mid-court, five rows up?
Really now, Mr. Pirate.
OMAHA, NE. -- It's still KU's game... but there's still hope for a good finish.
The whole arena can feel ole Mo' putting on Jayhawk white. Their energy is still much better and are filling the passing lanes very well. Long and lean Sasha Kaun just came in to give Darnell Jackson a breather. He's got fresh legs, so it won't be a drop off.
After a timeout, it was deflating for the Rebs to give up an easy layup to Sherron Collins. That puts KU up 46-37 with 13 and a half remaining.
Again, if UNLV can just hit more of their shots (still shooting just 31% compared to KU's 56%, this could still become a game.). But UNLV is having to work much harder for their points, being outscored 22-8 in the paint.
OMAHA, NE. -- The Omaha Regional really needs a ball game. No, I mean one of those Ew-mah-Gawd! finishes. Maybe this will be the one that goes down to the wire. Right now, KU leads - expected - by 34-29 - unexpected.
(UNLV point forward Curtis Terry leads the Rebs with nine points so far)
And get this... if UNLV would just hit a few more shots, they'd be ahead in this bad boy. So far UNLV is just 8-for-27 from the field, including just 3-for-13 from beyond the arc.
KU is using its significant size advantage to garner 16 points in the paint. It's been pretty even scoring for KU as well since Mario Chalmers leads them with a team-high nine points. But Darnell Jackson is the beast under the glass, grabbing a game-high nine caroms so far. Fourteen of the 18 KU rebounds have come on the defensive end.
No one is in serious foul trouble so far. KU has only made one three-pointer.
OMAHA, NE. -- The Omaha Regional really needs a ball game. No, I mean one of those Ew-mah-Gawd! finishes. Maybe this will be the one that goes down to the wire. Right now, KU leads - expected - by 34-29 - unexpected.
(UNLV point forward Curtis Terry leads the Rebs with nine points so far)
And get this... if UNLV would just hit a few more shots, they'd be ahead in this bad boy. So far UNLV is just 8-for-27 from the field, including just 3-for-13 from beyond the arc.
KU is using its significant size advantage to garner 16 points in the paint. It's been pretty even scoring the KU as well since Mario Chalmers leads them with a team-high nine points. But Darnell Jackson is the beast under the glass, grabbing a game-high nine caroms so far. Fourteen of the 18 KU rebounds have come on the defensive end.
OMAHA, NE. -- Because the post-game press conference after the Wisconsin-Kansas State game went so long (and still nothing of real worth was said) I didn't get to this Kansas-UNLV game until halfway through the first half
(As you can tell by his sleepy eyes, press conferences bore Michael Beasley too)
Anyway, UNLV is not just hanging with the top-seed Jayhawks, they're leading the Big 12ers by a 19-17 margin here at the eight minute mark of the first half. Maybe THIS will be a ballgame. Since we haven't had any here in Omaha worth cooing about. Dammit.
OMAHA, NE.-- Today is day two of the Omaha Regional and the two biggest questions going into today's action have to be...
1- Will K-State revert to typical freshman form and play great one day, but awful the next?
When you consider they'll be going against the best defensive team in the country in Wisconsin, this could be the case.
2- Will Kansas be pushed at all by the much-shorter, matchup-challenged UNLV Walkin' Rebs?
Judging by the looks of things, my guess is that Kansas will come out looking better than anybody in today's action. Just my hunch of course.
OMAHA, NE.-- Two games. Two deflating endings to a championship teams' season.
On the way to to locker room at halftime of today's second game, Kent State's Mike McGee furled up his jersey to his chin and let out a brusque expletive. Immediately, teammate Jordan Mincy came over and said, "Hold on. Hold on. Don't worry 'bout it. Let's just do what we gotta do and win the second half."
Well, KSU won the second half alright, 48-40. Problem was the first half was so terrible that there was no hope of salvaging the last game of Kent's season. UNLV won both haves combined 71-58.
Continue reading "Omaha Regional- Second disastrous game of the day" »
OMAHA, NE.-- It's now UNLV 66-45 with 2:32 left in the game.
So since there's nothing new going on, here's a picture of Larry Johnson in the crowd behind UNLV's bench...
Kent State had another great 20+ win season, but this was a lowlight, unfortunately.
OMAHA, NE.-- Hafta say, the player I've been most impressed with in this game has been UNLV point-forward Curtis Terry. And it's not just because I'm jealous of his wild Australian Outback hair that I'd never be able to grow.
(Curtis Terry, making another point to a teammate)
He's constantly talking, extolling his teammates, letting them know picks are coming, what play is called and most of all, during timeouts and stoppages in play, he's giving them a pat on the back and positive words.
I guess he's also talking to himself a lot so maybe he borders on brilliance and madness.
Terry's great passing has been impressive too. Healways seems to make the right pass at the right time. So far in this game, he's got seven assists and 425 words of encouragement.
OMAHA, NE.--It's halftime here in The O and the score is 31-10 UNLV.
It's been a pretty frustrating first half the the Flashes. In fact, I can't think of it going much worse after scoring 10 points at the midway point. Yep, ten.
Here's the ugly truth:
5-for-24 from the field
0-for-7 from three-point land
17 turnovers
Scoreless from the 11:20 mark to the 3:53 mark
UNLV has 9 steals
That's why you get a football score like this at halftime.
This has been some ugly basketball. And UNLV has been awful at times too, going just 13-for-33 with nine turnovers of their own.
Does anyone want to switch regional assignments with me? Palm? Herwitt? Dad?
OMAHA, NE.-- Ladies and gentlemen... this is the look you get when your team is down 29-8.
(Kent State coach Jim Christian, ready to rip someone's head off)
Kent State has 14 turnovers and is 4-for-21 from the field. It seems like nothing can go right. The KSU fans behind me are taking everything out on the zebras of course, but their boys just ain't playin' man.
I don't want to be in that locker room at halftime.
OMAHA, Ne.-- KSU is showing early nerves. Coach Christian looking pretty hacked.
Kent State just called a timeout at the 15:51 mark and the look on Jim Christian's face could've seared metal.
Forcing passes, dribbling balls a ball into traffic, missing a pair of layups and most egregious of all, getting called for a 10-second violation. That's what Kent State has done in the first five minutes of this game. Five turnovers already, to be exact.
UNLV has jumped out to a quick 9-2 lead.
