KU-MU notebook
Early deficit
Kansas University’s players were puzzled by their poor play early in falling behind 11.
“If you look at the game, everybody did bonehead things now and then,” said J.R. Giddens, who hit three of six threes and scored 15 points in KU’s victory over Missouri.
“We knew if we shut down the little things like that, we’d be in the game.”
“We may have felt some fatigue from the Texas game,” Christian Moody said of Saturday’s hyped 25-point win over Texas, “but that’s no excuse. We have to be ready every night.”
Halftime chat
KU coach Bill Self inspired the Jayhawks at halftime, KU down, 36-28.
“He just told us to go out and play hard. We got the message,” Giddens said. “We knew we couldn’t just hit one basket and be back in the game.”
“We came out lackadaisical,” senior Wayne Simien said, “a little bit nonchalant. Coach fired us up in the locker room.”
Kansas University's Christian Moody, second from left, and Keith Langford (5) scramble for a possession against Missouri's Jason Conley, left, and Jason Horton. The Jayhawks rallied for a 73-61 victory over the Tigers on Monday at Allen Fieldhouse.
“Coach said the sense of urgency had to be there,” Moody said. “He said it would come down to one possession with three minutes to go. He knew it’d be a close game.”
Loose Tigers
Missouri entered 10-10 overall and 2-5 in the league and, of course, unranked compared to KU’s No. 3-rating.
“They came into the game worry-free,” Giddens said.
Lob talk
Aaron Miles said it, of his back-to-back lob passes to Giddens (dunk) and Moody the second half: “I’ll catch J.R. or Moody paying attention sometimes. It’s a connection.”
6Sports video: Jayhawks defeat Tigers
Hear Bill, players: Missouri postgame comments
Photo Gallery: KU vs. Missouri
Scorecard: Grade KU’s performance against Missouri
X-Factor Game 11: Missouri 70, Kansas 68
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Bumps, bruises
Simien said he hoped to shed the splint on his left thumb before Saturday’s game against Nebraska in Lincoln. “I’d like to get out of it as soon as I can,” he said. … Self said he hoped C.J. Giles (bruised foot) would be able to play in the 11 a.m. game at NU, but wasn’t as hopeful Alex Galindo (groin strain) could go in that game.
Faces in crowd
Former KU players Jeff Boschee, at left in photo above, and Jeff Graves, who are members of the Kansas City Knights, attended. Graves and Simien hugged outside the locker room as Simien left the court victoriously. … Nationally known poet and KU alumnus B.H. Fairchild and his son, Paul, sat with Chancellor Robert Hemenway.
Final dish counts
Miles now has 19 double-figure assist games. He has moved into sole possession of first on the all-time double figure assist game list. Jacque Vaughn had 18 at KU.
His 10th and final assist came on a feed to Simien with just a tick remaining.
“I didn’t even know,” Miles said of the record. “The thing is, we had to shoot (because shot clock was running out). Wayne was isolated down there, so why not give it to him?”
“He said he didn’t know what was goin’ on. I knew he was trying to bait those guys,” Simien said of the Tiger defenders on the final play. “I say congratulations to Aaron. He’s a great player.”
Extra curricular activity
Ref Curtis Shaw whistled Missouri’s Linas Kleiza for a technical foul for complaining to the refs after fouling out in the late going.
Tough MU crowd
The Web site “firequinsnyder.com” is calling for the ouster of sixth-year MU coach Quin Snyder. As of mid-afternoon Monday, a poll on the Web site had 341 fans voting to keep Snyder and 313 wanting his dismissal. A check of the site after Monday’s KU game had 390 votes for his firing, 370 to keep him.