The Jayhawks had it easy against the struggling Mountaineers of West Virginia though they fought hard and made it a game at the end. Kansas got out early with an 11 point lead which they extended to as many as 15 points leading 29 to 14 with 5:52 to go in the first half. That’s when you thought the most exciting aspect of the game was the West Virginia Powerball lottery that kept flashing the 151 Million prize. However, after a few Jayhawk turnovers, West Virginia chopped the lead down to eight with a score of 38 to 30 by half-time.
In the second half, Kansas let the game get close as West Virginia battled within five points and eventually cut it to 42 – 40. Collectively Kansas wasn’t their sharpest offensively and eventually turned the ball over 16 times, but nonetheless they never seemed threatened nor panicked. What they did do right was make the next pass, made the defense work longer and moved the ball around until the best shot was taken. A totally unselfish display of teamwork, confidence in the system and constant ball movement which kept them a few paces ahead even on their off day.
Final score was Jayhawks 61, Mountaineers 56, but you still have to tip your hat to the Mountaineers as they never gave up and fought for an upset though it wasn’t to be. You get the feeling that Coach Huggins really got to his team at half-time because they responded well, made defensive adjustments and forced enough turnovers to make it interesting. However, their talent level just couldn’t match that of the Jayhawks who are now 19-1 and the second ranked team in the nation. Come March Madness time, the Jayhawks should find themselves around the Elite 8 level as we haven’t seen their best just yet.
PLAYER ROSTER/STATS AREA
| # | Player | Pos | Ht | Wt | Class | PPG | RPG | APG | TO | BLK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | Elijah Johnson | G | 6’4′ | 195 | Sr. | 6 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 0 |
| 24 | Travis Releford | G | 6’6′ | 210 | Sr. | 15 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| 1 | Naadir Tharpe | G | 5’11’ | 170 | So. | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 40 | Kevin Young | F | 6’8′ | 185 | Sr. | 7 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 5 | Jeff Withey | C | 7’0′ | 235 | Sr. | 15 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| 34 | Perry Ellis | F | 6’8′ | 225 | Fr. | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 23 | Ben McLemore | G | 6’5′ | 195 | Fr. | 13 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| 3 | Andrew White | G | 6’6′ | 210 | Fr. | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 31 | Jamari Traylor | F | 6’8′ | 220 | Fr. | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
TEAM SCHEDULE AREA
| Date | Opponent |
|---|---|
| Feb. 2 | Oklahoma State |
| Feb. 6 | at TCU |
| Feb. 9 | at Oklahoma |
| Feb. 11 | Kansas State |
| Feb. 16 | Texas |
| Feb. 20 | at Oklahoma State |
| Feb. 23 | TCU |
| Feb. 25 | at Iowa State |
| Mar. 2 | West Virginia |
| Mar. 4 | Texas Tech |
| Mar. 9 | at Baylor |
MARCHVEGAS 2013
To catch the Kansas Jayhawks for March Madness, why not take a break, “March to Vegas” and see all the excitement at once for the first round of the tournament? Watch hoops and gamble by day, play and party by night for 4 blissful days; it’ll feel just like a 4-day™ holiday.
MARCHVEGAS 2013 is from Thursday March 21st till Sunday March 24th. Though visiting Las Vegas is the greatest during this time, it is only optional. You must think real hard young Jedi and decide if you want to “work” or take the MARCHVEGAS 4-day Holiday. If you choose the later, then Sign the Petition, “Make MARCHVEGAS a 4-day holiday and check out our travel options to Las Vegas.
By Roy George
[MARCHVEGAS] – noun 1. “March to Vegas” symbolizes the humanistic tendency to march, migrate, or advance as a deliberate or organized body in a habitual manner back to Las Vegas. 2. Marriage of March Madness and Las Vegas, especially during tournament time. 3. The “MARCHVEGAS 4-day™ Holiday” (March 21 – 24, 2013) – Sign the Petition.