photo by: Nick Krug

Lawrence’s Dorian Green elevates for a bucket in this Feb. 13, 2009 file photo against SM West at LHS.

Jesse Newell: Welcome back to the GameDay Cram Session, as KU is taking on Colorado State in Kansas City, Mo. Tom, what impressed you about the Jayhawks’ last performance against Memphis?
Tom Keegan: They didn’t hit free throws, turned it over 22 times and still won big, which tells you they did a ton of stuff right.

http://www2.kusports.com/videos/2010/dec/07/33619/

Same stuff as usual: Great in transition in both directions, super quick inside, good perimeter defense and accurate shooting. As you noted when picking Thomas Robinson as your Hawk to Rock, opponents without traditional post players tend to bring out the best in the quick, springy Thomas Robinson.

JN: KU should have more of a defensive challenge in the post today, as Colorado State comes in as one of the best shooting teams in the nation, led by its forwards. The Rams have made 60.7 percent of their two-pointers (third nationally). KU, coincidentally, is No. 1 in the nation in two-point shooting percentage (62.8 percent).

The game also will be a homecoming of sorts for Colorado State sophomore guard Dorian Green, who played his high school basketball at Lawrence High. Tom, what do you remember most about Colorado State’s Dorian Green from his playing days at Lawrence High?

photo by: Nick Krug

Lawrence’s Dorian Green elevates for a bucket in this Feb. 13, 2009 file photo against SM West at LHS.

TK: I remember the first game I saw him play as a sophomore. He had played in the JV game and came off the bench in the varsity game. He completely changed the game the moment he came in. He was so smooth, penetrated so subtly yet relentlessly and had that instinct of knowing where the ball should go when. He scored maybe five points in the game and easily was its MVP. The game was at Free State.

JN: KU will have to respect Green’s shooting ability tonight.

Colorado state guard Dorian Green, right, races past University of San Francisco defender Dontae Bryant in this Nov. 29, 2009, photo taken at Moby Arena in Fort Collins, Colo.

The 6-foot-2 guard, who has started all six of CSU’s games this year, has made 50 percent of his field goals (13 of 26) but also 50 percent of his threes (8 of 16).

All right, Tom, what’s your prediction for this game?

TK: Kansas 94, Colorado State 74. The Rams have a nice forward tandem of Andy Ogide, a 6-9, 245-pound bruiser who started his college career at Mississippi, and Travis Franklin, but KU’s depth of talent should be too much for them.

photo by: Nick Krug

Kansas forward Thomas Robinson gets physical with Memphis forward Tarik Black during the second half of the Jimmy V Classic Tuesday, Dec. 7, 2010 at Madison Square Garden in New York. Robinson had a double-double: 10 points, 10 boards.

JN: I’ll go KU by 29. Most of my predictions this year haven’t given the Jayhawks enough credit, so I’ll say KU has a comfortable victory here. KU coach Bill Self is still trying to get his team to play with more effort defensively, and I see the Jayhawks picking up the D against the high-scoring Rams, who average 81.3 points per game.

photo by: Nick Krug

Kansas guard Tyrel Reed defends Memphis guard Antonio Barton's shot during the first half of the Jimmy V Classic Tuesday, Dec. 7, 2010 at Madison Square Garden in New York.

OK, Tom, who’s your Hawk to Rock?

TK: Tyshawn Taylor.

photo by: Nick Krug

Kansas guard Tyshawn Taylor soars in for a dunk on a breakaway against Memphis during the first half of the Jimmy V Classic at Madison Square Garden in New York on Tuesday, Dec. 7, 2010.

He’s one of the quickest players in the country and not nearly as wild as in previous seasons.

JN: I’ll steal your pick from last game and say Markieff Morris.

photo by: Nick Krug

Kansas forward Markieff Morris fights for the ball with Memphis guard Chris Crawford during the first half of the Jimmy V Classic Tuesday, Dec. 7, 2010 at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Colorado State has fouled a ton defensively this year, as opponents are averaging 28.3 free throws per game against the Rams.

Markieff — if he can avoid his own fouls — is one of the Jayhawks’ best players at drawing whistles. He and his brother Marcus should get plenty of chances at the free-throw line and should get the chance to rack up the points there tonight.

Tracking the picks

Predictions tally (through eight games)
Tom: 7-1 record, 137 points off (17.1 points off/game)
Jesse: 8-0 record, 132 points off (16.5 points off/game)

Hawk to Rock

Tom Keegan
Longwood: Tyrel Reed (6th in Keegan ratings)
Valparaiso: Marcus Morris (1st in Keegan ratings)
North Texas: Tyrel Reed (6th in Keegan ratings)
Texas A&M-CC: Marcus Morris (5th in Keegan ratings)
Ohio: Markieff Morris (3rd in Keegan ratings)
Arizona: Marcus Morris (1st in Keegan ratings)
UCLA: Tyshawn Taylor (1st in Keegan ratings)
Memphis: Markieff Morris (4th in Keegan ratings)
Average Hawk to Rock: 3.4th in Keegan ratings

Jesse Newell
Longwood: Markieff Morris (1st in Keegan ratings)
Valparaiso: Brady Morningstar (8th in Keegan ratings)
North Texas: Tyrel Reed (6th in Keegan ratings)
Texas A&M-CC: Thomas Robinson (2nd in Keegan ratings)
Ohio: Tyshawn Taylor (4th in Keegan ratings)
Arizona: Brady Morningstar (8th in Keegan ratings)
UCLA: Markieff Morris (6th in Keegan ratings)
Memphis: Thomas Robinson (1st in Keegan ratings)
Average Hawk to Rock: 4.5th in Keegan ratings