Big 12 semifinal blog: Kansas vs. K-State
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It’s a Sunflower Showdown in the Big 12 semifinals for the Udoka Azubuike-less Kansas Jayhawks, who got past Oklahoma State with relative ease on Thursday. Top-seeded KU (25-7) will look to beat rival Kansas State (22-10) for the third time this season to earn a spot in Saturday’s tournament championship game.
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Malik Newman yesterday on how much KU's poor showing at Okla. St. to end the regular season fueled them in opening round of Big 12:I mean, it had a lot to do with it. We wanted to come out and be aggressive and play tough because the last two times we haven't played tough against those guys, so we wanted to come out, execute the game plan and be tough.
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Svi Mykhailiuk yesterday on what KU's win without Udoka Azubuike showed:I would say we just showed that we can play without Udoka, and we can win and he is a force for us whenever we want to and he can score, but right now he can't play and it's a little bit different team. We drove a lot more and we shot a little bit more threes and just a little bit different to play. We play a little bit faster and I would say a little bit more scrappy on defense, but it just changed us a little bit.
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Bill Self on Malik Newman's 30-point effort vs. Okla. St.:To be down 10 early when they just kicked us last week and they were making everything it seems like and we're struggling. To have him put us on his back and get us to halftime with a 1-point lead and in the second half we just kind of pieced it together but that was big for us. Going forward without Udoka, especially, we're going to have to have some perimeter player play great, maybe two to play great to give us the best chance.
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This reason for winning this game is we don't know how effective Dok will be or if he will be back at all. This game is for Mitch and Silvio to get another session of experience and confidence going into the NCAA's.
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Late arriving crowd. Only quarter filled with 6 minutes before tipoff
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I hope ESPN's Lunardi is right and we are in the West Region as #1. The Midwest is loaded with teams like Wichita State, Kentucky, Michigan State and North Carolina.
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Open look for Svi off LIghtfoot screen on KU's first possession. 3-0 KU.
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Brown down in some pain after drawing a foul in transition against Graham. Might be some type of hand injury?
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Nope. Brown got hit in the head. Trainers taking him back to the locker room.
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K-State 1 of 5 to start. KU 2 of 5 with a turnover.KU up 5-2 after Newman layup on offensive rebound.
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De Sousa and Garrett about to check in after the media timeout. KU up 7-6 early vs. rival K-State.
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Kind of uninspired start as both teams are feeling each other out. Gotta be weird for both, playing without a starting big man. Though KU at least did so yesterday.
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KSU makes a living driving it and is finding luck against us doing the same.
Not surprised to see us break out the zone against these guys again. -
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Mitch is a 4 without the stretch. He can't guard a strong 5 down low.
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Right after I sent that De Sousa got up to alter a miss inside. Big freshman trying to be a presence at the rim. #Kubball twitter.com/BentonASmith/s…by Benton Smith via twitter 3/10/2018 12:19:28 AM
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Silvio is going to be good next year and a STUD if he gives us another year after that.
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K-State on a near 3-minute scoring drought. Wildcats have missed 6 FGs in a row.
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We've missed 4 bunnies and my granddaughter has brought the swear jar each time.
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