Kansas looking to ‘turn it around’ at Oklahoma
Norman, Okla. ? Kansas University’s two-game cushion in the Big 12 Conference is long gone, lost following last week’s overtime losses to Texas Tech and Iowa State.
Yet, the Jayhawks, who take a 20-3 overall record and 10-2 league mark into today’s 8 p.m. game at Oklahoma (19-6, 8-4), still share a piece of first place with Oklahoma State with four games to play.
“We still can control what happens,” KU senior Keith Langford said of the Jayhawks, who tonight will try to avoid their first three-game losing streak since the 1993-94 season.
“There’s a little more drama down the stretch now. We’ve made it harder on ourselves,” Langford added.
The Jayhawks, who have said winning the regular-season league title was an important goal this season, suffered a damaging loss at home Saturday. How damaging?
“Pretty damaging,” senior Wayne Simien said. “We let one loss turn into two. Now we have to play an upper half conference team at Oklahoma. It would have been nice to go in there with some momentum. Now we’ve got to turn it around there.”
And that is possible, Simien noted.
“I think our destiny still is in our own hands,” he said. “We have to concentrate on taking care of our own business.”
The Jayhawks will be facing an Oklahoma team full of momentum following Saturday’s 69-68 victory at Kansas State.
In that game, 5-foot-7 Drew Lavender went the length of the court to hit a five-foot, left handed runner high off the glass as the buzzer sounded.
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Sign up for e-mail updatesOU officials are calling it the most dramatic finish to a game during the 11-year Kelvin Sampson era at OU.
“It was a heck of a play by Drew. That’s the story,” Sampson said. “I called time out and called Drew over and said, ‘Drew, go coast to coast.”‘
The Sooners trailed by 13 at halftime before rallying.
“They won a miraculous game yesterday,” KU coach Bill Self said on his weekly TV show. “For Lavender’s shot to go in without anybody tipping it in off the rim is really unbelievable. They’ll have all the momentum and energy. We are on the flip flop. We’ve got to be men and turn this around.”
Self realizes the Jayhawks will have to play some of their best ball tonight to stand a chance against the Sooners, who are tied for third in the league with Texas Tech.
The Jayhawks also will have to forget their past two OT losses.
“We can’t dwell on it. If we do that we won’t play well,” Self said. “We have to look at it and improve on it. It may have a lingering effect. I don’t think it will. I will say this, when Oklahoma is playing well they play as well as any team in America.”
Added guard Jeff Hawkins: “We’ve got to change our mindset. We have to show everybody we’re tough and able to bounce back.”
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Moody doubtful: Junior Christian Moody is listed as doubtful for tonight’s game because of his infected left knee.
“Unfortunately for us and Christian, he’s out indefinitely. He has an infected knee (from a floorburn) sustained at Texas Tech and it swelled up like a melon,” Self said on his weekly coach’s television show. “We don’t think he’ll play. There’s always a chance, but the antibodies would have to kick in and do some things pretty quick.”
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Top frontcourt: OU has one of the best frontcourts in the league in Taj Gray and Kevin Bookout.
“It’s great competition,” Simien said. “Taj being from Kansas, I want to play against him. I’ve known Kevin for years. I’m looking forward to playing against him.”
Bookout, a native of Stroud, Okla., chose OU over KU in recruiting. Kansas wasn’t involved in the recruitment of Wichita native Gray.
Simien is looking forward to playing against the physical Sooners.
“I guess they have that reputation, but coach Self has brought that style here as well, too,” Simien said. “Bang up, play rough … I think we’re tough.”
Added Self: “When they make shots on the perimeter, it makes their big guys that much more effective. We’ve got to do a good job on their perimeter guys.”
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Tough week: KU plays Oklahoma State at 3 p.m. Sunday.
“These are probably our two toughest games in our league (schedule),” Self said. “We are very capable. We have to right the ship and play with unbelievable energy and passion. This past weekend was deflating. We can’t let two become three. We have to come out fighting, and I think our players will.”
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NBA talk: J.R. Giddens was the subject of a feature story in his hometown Daily Oklahoman on Sunday.
Of talk about his possibly leaving for the NBA after this season, he said: “Whenever I decide to go, then I’ll go. I don’t think it’s that big a deal whether it’s this year, next year or my fourth year. I’m just focusing on winning and getting better.”