KU gets back in saddle – Kansas 97, CMSU 70
Hinrich watches Jayhawks flog Mules
Kirk Hinrich looked rather dapper in his tan suit coat and slacks on Wednesday night at Allen Fieldhouse.
“Actually he was pretty funny. He was saying some of the same things the coaches were saying,” Kansas University sophomore guard Keith Langford said after the Jayhawks downed Central Missouri State, 97-70, with their injured senior leader playing the role of assistant coach/cheerleader on the bench.
“Hopefully he’s not wearing a suit on Saturday (at Oregon),” added Langford, who scored a game-high 23 points off 10-of-15 shooting and had seven rebounds and five assists against no turnovers.
Forwards Nick Collison and Wayne Simien scored 22 points apiece, and Langford’s backcourt mate, Aaron Miles, added 20 as the four starters picked up the scoring slack for the 6-foot-3 Hinrich, who sat out the first game of his career nursing a back strain.
“I talked to him a lot. I told him I wish he’d get his butt out there. I don’t need him over here with me,” KU coach Roy Williams said. “He said it was frustrating sitting out.
“He could have played tonight, no doubt in my mind,” added Williams, who decided to rest Hinrich against a Div. II foe while giving valuable minutes to his bench players, who responded with just eight points off 1-of-14 shooting. “In the long term, if this helps Bryant Nash, Jeff Hawkins, Michael Lee and those guys, it’ll help our team, too.”
The bench didn’t produce many points, but at least one unexpected source, did.
Sophomore point guard Miles hit six of 12 shots, including two of three three-pointers. He passed his old career-high scoring mark of 16 set against Princeton last season.
Kansas University's AARON MILES, left, fights for a rebound with Central Missouri State's Mark Debaun. KU routed CMSU, 97-70, on Wednesday at Allen Fieldhouse.
What’s more, he busted a slump.
He had scored just 21 points in KU’s first four games combined off 6-of-26 shooting. That’s 23.1 percent marksmanship, including 2-of-8 three-point shooting.
“Me and Aaron talked after the Florida game. I was like, ‘Aaron, keep shooting,”’ Langford said. “I’ve seen him make outside shots hundreds of times. I said, ‘You can shoot it. If somebody sags off, shoot.’ I think he took it to heart.”
Williams had similar words for his point guard.
“I told him, ‘I think you can shoot the ball well. Keep playing hard and aggressive,”’ Williams said of Miles, who scored 13 points the first half as KU survived seven CMSU threes in building a 49-36 halftime lead.
“He hears the whispers he’s not shooting or can’t shoot. He’s human. I like the fact he’s aggressive and trying. Aaron is a tough little nut.”
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He admits he has heard grumbling about his offensive game.
“I mean, I hear that a lot. I can score, man,” Miles said. “We’ve got great scorers on our team now.
“I feel good about my shot now. I’ve been shooting a little after practice with coach Miller (Ben, assistant). My confidence is high. Personally, it feels better to score like tonight, but from a team aspect a win is a win.”
Simien’s 22 points also were a personal-best mark on a night the Jayhawks didn’t build a 20-point advantage until 8:46 when KU went up, 78-58. That’s 16 seconds after KU notched its first bench points when Lee hit a driving layup and was fouled.
Central Missouri State hit five threes and trailed just 18-15 early. The Mules’ first basket that wasn’t a three came at 10:39, slicing the deficit to 25-22.
The Jayhawks used a 17-5 run to boost its 30-25 lead to a comfy 47-30 with 2:17 left in the half.
“I think you gain more confidence the more shots you make, and their first six baskets were threes. That gives you confidence,” Williams said.
He was hoping KU, which entered with a two-game losing streak, would regain its “bounce” versus the Mules.
“I don’t think you can get it all back in one day,” the coach said. “There’s no reason we should be scared or doubting. It’s a basketball game. Whether we’ve got the whole thing back, I don’t believe that.”
KU will leave tonight for Portland, where the Jayhawks will tangle with No. 7 Oregon at 2:30 p.m. CST Saturday at the Rose Garden.