Will KU respond to setback?

? Ring, ring, ring. Wait, donâÂÂt hit the snooze bar. This is a real wake-up call.

Maybe Kansas doesnâÂÂt have as good a menâÂÂs basketball team as everybody seems to think âÂÂ: not after a North Carolina team that starts three freshmen and two sophomores carved the Jayhawks like you-know-what turkey on Wednesday night.

All you Kansas fans who watched this one in horror on ESPN2 had to have been wondering why the large throng of North Carolina fans in Madison Square Garden wasnâÂÂt chanting âÂÂOverrated, overratedâ late in the Tar Heelsâ stunning 67-56 victory in a Preseason NIT semifinal.

Well, you wonâÂÂt have to watch the Jayhawks on Friday night. The third-place game wonâÂÂt be televised. Too bad WednesdayâÂÂs wasnâÂÂt, because the Jayhawks obviously came in wearing their headlines on their foreheads.

âÂÂIâÂÂve been concerned about our bench. They didnâÂÂt give us anything,â a chagrined Roy Williams said following the one-sided defeat that was reminiscent of that 64-55 loss to Oklahoma in the championship game of last MarchâÂÂs Big 12 Tournament. âÂÂBut our starters and our coaches didnâÂÂt, either.âÂÂ

So much hoopla had been generated about the meeting between Williams and former aide Matt Doherty, who was now coach at Williamsâ alma mater. In this case, the pupil taught the teacher a lesson by spreading the floor on offense, figuring the Jayhawks couldnâÂÂt guard his quicker players one-on-one.

They couldnâÂÂt.

Keith Langford, in particular. The 6-foot-5 Langford was eaten up by CarolinaâÂÂs Rashad McCants, a 6-4 freshman who, irony of ironies, hails from Williamsâ hometown of Asheville, N.C. At one point, KU had only three team fouls and all were against Langford. McCants finished with a game-high 25 points and instant immortalization on ESPNâÂÂs SportsCenter.

Was this, I asked Williams, a wake-up call for the Jayhawks?

âÂÂI had hoped that we didnâÂÂt have to have this kind of wake-up call,â he answered, âÂÂbut I guess weâÂÂll find out in the next three or four weeks. If we play like we did tonight, it doesnâÂÂt make any difference if itâÂÂs a wake-up call or not.âÂÂ

By now itâÂÂs apparent the Jayhawks have not replaced two of the linchpins on last yearâÂÂs NCAA Final Four team Ãi¿½” Drew Gooden and Jeff Boschee.

Last year it seemed that when the Jayhawks needed a big basket, Gooden produced. Wayne Simien, GoodenâÂÂs replacement, was embarrassed underneath by the less bulky but quick Tar Heels, making only five of 14 shots.

And who has replaced Boschee as a complementary three-point shooter to Kirk Hinrich? No one.

Last year it didnâÂÂt matter if point guard Aaron Miles didnâÂÂt score. Now it does, and Miles isnâÂÂt scoring. He was blanked in last FridayâÂÂs UNC Greensboro game, and he scored only two points in 37 minutes on Wednesday night. Worse, Miles was guilty of six turnovers.

Nick Collison was solid with 19 points and, hard to believe, not a single personal foul in 34 minutes of duty. Last season Collison battled foul trouble. This season, as a senior, Collison is battling along with Williams to find the right buttons to push during practice sessions.

âÂÂSome days are good, and some days are not as good,â Collison said. âÂÂItâÂÂs not as easy as last year, but we do have winners on this team. I think we will bounce back.âÂÂ

If not, Florida, a more experienced team with much the same speed and quickness as North Carolina, could slice and dice the Jayhawks, too.

The buck stops with Williams.

âÂÂItâÂÂs my job to get them to be a better basketball team,â he said.

Right now it appears Williams has a much tougher job than anyone had predicted.