UAB’s ‘hell’ hath no fury
Kansas shreds press, rolls into Elite Eight
St. Louis ? Alabama-Birmingham didn’t exactly put Kansas University through 40 minutes of hell Friday night.
It was more like 40 minutes of hilarity for the No. 4-seeded Jayhawks, who shredded UAB’s vaunted press in racing to a 100-74 victory over the No. 9-seeded Blazers — KU’s most lopsided win in 23 Sweet 16 appearances.
“It was like playing in the rec center — attack, take it to the hole when you’re not guarded and score,” KU junior guard Keith Langford said after scoring nine points at the Edward Jones Dome. “We had a lotta, lotta easy baskets tonight.”
The Jayhawks (24-8), who easily advanced to Sunday’s Elite Eight meeting with third-seeded Georgia Tech, converted 30 baskets in 56 attempts (53.6 percent) and 36 free throws in 44 tries. The outmanned Blazers resorted to 40 minutes of hacking KU junior forward Wayne Simien.
Simien, 6-for-8 on field goals, hit 18 of 20 free throws. He collected 30 points, nine boards and five assists.
His 18 free throws made were the most by a Jayhawk since Wilt Chamberlain converted 18 of 23 against Nebraska in 1958. He was four off the school record of 22, set by Vern Long in 1911. In those days, just one player on a team shot free throws, so there’s an asterisk by Long’s name.
Kansas’ 36 made free throws were a school record for the NCAA Tournament.
“It’s nice to be up there with somebody as great as Wilt,” Simien said. “I knew I was up there, but didn’t know I had 18. I’m a pretty big load inside for them to handle matchup-wise.
“I think that (fouling) is all they could do to prevent me from getting to the basket.”
Kansas University's Aaron Miles (11) blows past UAB's Gabe Kennedy for an easy basket in the Jayhawks' 100-74 rout of the Blazers. Miles finished with 13 points and 10 assists in KU's win Friday in St. Louis.
Simien, who had 12 points the first nine minutes as KU blazed to a 28-13 lead, was recipient of pinpoint passes from his teammates, who had 21 assists against 17 turnovers against the press.
KU had just nine turnovers the first half in rolling to an insurmountable 56-41 halftime lead.
“Collectively we did a great job handling their pressure,” Simien said of pressure that UAB used to oust top-seeded Kentucky in the second round. “We went against seven or eight guys on the court all week. You take away three … and it’s like cake with five.”
Indeed, KU coach Bill Self looked like a mastermind Friday. His week-long practice tactic of having his starting unit go against eight players at a time prepared the Jayhawks for the Blazers’ pressure.
“Our scout team busted our tails all week. They killed us at practice. I give them credit for this win,” KU freshman J.R. Giddens said after scoring 18 points off 8-of-14 shooting.
Jeff Graves and Aaron Miles also were in double digits with 13.
“They were on defense the whole time at practice,” Giddens added. “They never let up in giving it to us. Tonight when we saw five guys pressing, it was a lot easier.”
Point guard Miles, who had 10 assists, six turnovers and four steals, agreed.
Kansas' David Padgett, left, and J.R. Giddens celebrate a late basket.
“One of the first things I did in the locker room was thank the guys who scrimmaged against us for getting us ready,” Miles said. “We were ready for their press, and it’s a tough one.”
Self realizes a key to the victory was the shredding of the press.
“I was pleasantly surprised,” he said. “We didn’t look near that good in practice attacking it as we did today. I told the guys the floor would get awfully spaced when there’s no longer eight guys out there.”
KU’s strategy included having Langford take the ball out of bounds after UAB baskets and letting the ball bounce a couple of times as the Jayhawks gave their big men time to position themselves to help the guards break the press.
“If we took it out quickly, we’d have two outlets. We thought we’d be more effective giving our big guys a chance, too,” Self said.
Langford was cool, calm and collected in taking the ball out versus the pressure.
“It was an adjustment coach made,” Langford said. “He wanted me as a backup ball-handler in case Aaron couldn’t bring it up. I think we attacked their pressure. I don’t think they expected us to attack like we did. We did a good job looking for Wayne and understanding where the ball needed to go.”
KU’s defense was outstanding, holding the Blazers to 32.4-percent shooting. UAB hit eight of 33 threes.
Langford, Michael Lee and others harassed Mo Finley into 3-of-13 trey shooting.
“When you don’t make shots,” UAB coach Mike Anderson said, “it’s hard to put on the pressure like we usually do. It’s hard to get into your pressure defense when you are not making shots.”
Perhaps, but KU looked mighty comfortable in running and gunning to victory. It was the most points KU scored in a game this season.
“It was 40 minutes of ecstasy,” Giddens said. “We did that against a very, very good team, a team that beat Kentucky.”
UAB’s ‘hell’ hath no fury
6Sports video: Jayhawks blaze past UAB
Hear Bill: KU-UAB postgame comments
See the photos: KU-UAB photo gallery