#12 Kansas @ #21 Baylor

[CloneinWDSM]

Selden saved KU last night. As did that Greene kid.

KU had no idea how to get the ball inside the last 5 minutes. I can't tell you how many possessions were spent passing the ball along the perimeter and then hitting a shot with 5 seconds left on the clock.

 

[CyTwins]

I think Niang could score at will on KU this year. I know he's in a mini funk now but I don't know who will be able to guard him

 

[wonkadog]

Big win for Kansas. It will be tough for ISU to keep pace and win at Baylor. Man, KU looks likely to be 3 - 0 in conference coming into Hilton in a week-and-a-half. Makes me mad. Hope we can trounce them. If they somehow win in Hilton, I think they're likely in the driver's seat once again and would likely be 4 - 0.

Riveting analysis, if KU goes to 4-0 they are in the driver's seat, got it. They aren't winning in Ames btw.

 

[ChampFantana]

Ku isn't winning the conf this year. Their luck can ony go so far and yes luck. Last night Baylor completely blew it. Like I've said for three weeks now...Shut down Seldon and Ellis and u beat ku this year. Alexander isn't a threat and Oubre can't guard me. Seldon has won how many games for ku this year with his shooting? A ton. I have a feeling Mckay and Edozie cover Ellis all night and Niang guards Alexander.

Selden and Ellis combined for 13 points last night. KU won.

 

[VeloClone]

I don't think KU will win it this year either but Oubre is a good defender who is looking better every week. His defense with his 7+ wingspan was a big reason they won the game at the end. KU just doesn't have a post defender. The sooner the younger players take the minutes away from Ellis* the better. Right now I think OU looks like the best team but with KU winning at Baylor and Texas going down at home KU has more of a shot than I thought they would. There's some really good teams in this conference but very few teams with NBA players on their roster and because of that this race is wide open.

*Big 12 unanimous preseason first team.

 

[trajanJ]

I think Niang could score at will on KU this year. I know he's in a mini funk now but I don't know who will be able to guard him

That will be an interesting matchup. I think KU struggles more with size but Niang causes matchup problems for everybody.

 

[trajanJ]

*Big 12 unanimous preseason first team.

I don't think preseason polls mean anything. Ellis is a great player against weaker opponents without size but struggles against good teams with size. If he was playing in the Missouri Valley he would put up huge numbers but with the Big 12 being as good as it is this year, that's trouble for Ellis.

 

[VeloClone]

I don't think preseason polls mean anything.

Agreed. At the time I thought it was more a nod to the Kansas streak of championships than anything else - we've got to put a KU player on there, who is coming back? Nothing has made me change my opinion.

That being said, it seems that Ellis almost always has a big game against the 'Clones.

 

[twocoach]

Ku isn't winning the conf this year. Their luck can ony go so far and yes luck. Last night Baylor completely blew it. Like I've said for three weeks now...Shut down Seldon and Ellis and u beat ku this year. Alexander isn't a threat and Oubre can't guard me. Seldon has won how many games for ku this year with his shooting? A ton. I have a feeling Mckay and Edozie cover Ellis all night and Niang guards Alexander.

Baylor shut down SeldEn and Ellis and Oubre and Alexander and KU still won. Oubre's defense last night was very good, it was SeldEn's D that was atrocious. At some point maybe he'd realize that Chery was hitting anything he put up and he'd stop going under screens and leaving him open.

 

[twocoach]

Agreed. At the time I thought it was more a nod to the Kansas streak of championships than anything else - we've got to put a KU player on there, who is coming back? Nothing has made me change my opinion. That being said, it seems that Ellis almost always has a big game against the 'Clones.

Ellis will play great against all teams that don't have big size. He just doesn't have the explosiveness or the mindset to succeed against taller, more physical players. If he gets guarded by McKay he will be invisible. If he is guarded by Niang, he will have a good game.

 

[CyTwins]

That will be an interesting matchup. I think KU struggles more with size but Niang causes matchup problems for everybody.

Niang scored the ball well (ton of TO's though) against KU last year when Embiid was out, it'll be interesting to see how he plays this year or who defends him

 

[twocoach]

I think Niang could score at will on KU this year. I know he's in a mini funk now but I don't know who will be able to guard him

I expected Niang to score at will on South Carolina and Okie State as well. You just never know how things are going to play out. The Big 12 has never been more up for grabs than it is this year.

 

[Cyclonepride]

If Kansas wins conference outright, I'm gonna start thinking the Big 12 isn't as hot as everyone thinks it is. This is Bill Selfs worst team at KU.

They show flashes of serious potential, but then it goes away. What you would expect from a young team I suppose. I could see them being really good by March. Just a question of how many they lose early.

 

[inCyteful]

I expected Niang to score at will on South Carolina and Okie State as well. You just never know how things are going to play out. The Big 12 has never been more up for grabs than it is this year.

Why would you expect that out of Niang? Georges can handle length but not strength. When there are big bodies inside that take away his ability to stay under control when going to hoop he struggles. He is usually good at realizing that (he did that better against OSU) and dishing it out. I expect him to have the same trouble against Oklahoma and WV as he did against OSU and SC. He will do better in other games. Question is if he can adapt better and figure out how to get someone else involved.

 

[VeloClone]

I believe that part of (not all of) Niang's struggles are related to ISU's struggles from the arc. When ISU is hitting from the arc there is less helping on Niang and he is more apt to pass out to an open shooter as well. Niang has been playing long enough to always find the hot hand. It is frustrating to watch him try to score in the post against a triple or quadruple team.

He has had periods where he has struggled in the past. He will snap out of if against a team that he matches up well with and will be back on a roll again.

 

[GTO]

Baylor gave that away. Ugh.

How I felt watching the last play of that game:

 

[The_Architect]

That's why we (other conference contenders) can't have nice things. Thanks a lot Baylor.

 

[bigdaddykane]

I think Niang could score at will on KU this year. I know he's in a mini funk now but I don't know who will be able to guard him

Hopefully, but do you remember last year at home against KU, yikes.

 

[76Jayhawk]

Riveting analysis, if KU goes to 4-0 they are in the driver's seat, got it. They aren't winning in Ames btw.

I hear this every year. I guess eventually you will be right.

 

[CyTwins]

Hopefully, but do you remember last year at home against KU, yikes.

That was with Embiid there though.