Woodling: C’mon, Keith, cheer up
Consecutive impressive victories in the ESPN2 Zone have brought smiles to the faces of Kansas University men’s basketball players.
Or at least most of the faces.
While those lopsided wins over Saint Joseph’s and Nevada on the Deuce have placed Kansas back into national prominence, Keith Langford was down in the dumps Monday night.
“I just really haven’t felt in the flow of things,” said Langford, who has been accustomed to rowing one of the biggest oars in the Jayhawks’ scull over the last couple of seasons.
Reminded that he had 12 points and seven rebounds in Monday’s 85-52 thumping of the Wolf Pack, Langford bowed his head and said: “It was still a very, very mediocre day.”
C’mon, Keith, cheer up.
Heck, the senior southpaw wasn’t even buoyed by avenging last season’s stunning loss to the Wolf Pack in Reno, Nev.
“They had a different team last year than they did this year,” Langford said.
If anybody should have been thrilled about a payback for the Wolf Pack, it should have been Langford. In last year’s meeting, the 6-foot-4 senior made only four of 16 shots and posted just one rebound while playing 37 minutes.
Langford had plenty of reason to be bummed after that outing — and he was — but he needn’t have been so glum Monday night.
Kansas University's Michael Lee, center, and Wayne Simien, right, try out a custom handshake in the waning moments of the Jayhawks' 85-52 rout of Nevada. Kansas hammered the Wolf Pack on Monday at Allen Fieldhouse.
C’mon, Keith, cheer up.
Perhaps Langford was pained by his poor free-throw shooting. He missed his first four charities Monday night. When he finally hit a free throw with 5:23 remaining, he was visibly relieved, staring at the basket for an extra moment or so as if to say, “It’s about time.”
But, no, Langford says he isn’t concerned about his free-throwing.
“It’s a little frustrating because it’s an easy shot, but it’ll come along,” he said. “If it’s a problem a month from now, it’ll be an issue.”
Chances are, a month from now Keith Langford will be the Keith Langford of old. People forget he had offseason knee surgery, that even when you’re young it still takes time to heal, particularly in a full-speed, full-combat sport like basketball.
“He’s not quite where he was health-wise,” KU coach Bill Self said, “but he’s better than he was a month ago.”
C’mon, Keith, cheer up.
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During the break, Langford resorted to an old superstition. He changed shoes, shedding a natty two-tone blue-and-white pair in favor of solid black footwear.
Langford had five points and five rebounds in the first half, then seven points and two rebounds in the second half. Notably, he was slashing to the basket more after intermission than he had been in the first 20 minutes, an indication he had rediscovered the strength of his game.
Well, maybe not.
“We were in control, and they were kind of garbage points,” Langford rebutted. “I’m just trying to find my way. The positive thing is, the team is winning.”
C’mon, Keith, cheer up.
As knock-your-socks off dynamic as the Jayhawks have been against Nevada and St. Joseph’s, the truth is they haven’t needed to draw water from Langford’s well because the bench has been as deep as the Marianas Trench. Eleven KU players scored Monday night.
Still, the time certainly will come when the Jayhawks will need Langford to slash to the basket, nail open jumpers and hit free throws.
And, according to Self, Langford plays better defense when he’s clicking on offense.
“His defense has been good,” the KU coach said, “but he’s more energized on defense when he’s making baskets.”
One of these days — heck, it may be Saturday against Pacific — Langford will make it through an entire game using one pair of shoes, and he’ll be ringing the bell on the smile-o-meter afterward.