Save it for the NCAA Tournament

By By Bill Cross

Thursday, March 10, 2005

Keith Langford wants to play tomorrow.

Coach Bill Self knows the senior guard wants to play and the decision he makes could determine which I-70 exit Langford spends Final Four weekend at.

“All the players want to play,” Self said. “Especially if they are seniors facing the last few games of their careers.”

But Self can’t let his loyalty to Langford get in the way of logic. Langford should not, under any circumstances, play in this weekend’s Big 12 Conference Tournament.

Self knows this. He said Langford’s outlook for tomorrow was “very doubtful.”

We saw on Sunday how inept the Jayhawks can be without Langford slashing to the basket. He needs to drive at full tilt during the NCAA Tournament and he can only do that with two strong ankles. He shouldn’t risk that ability this weekend. The conference tournament simply doesn’t matter enough.

If No. 9 Kansas wins the Big 12 Tournament — a goal that would likely involve defeating No. 10 Oklahoma State on Saturday and No. 17 Oklahoma on Sunday — it will probably be the fourth No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Kentucky, which will play this weekend in the weaker Southeastern Conference Tournament, will likely be the top No. 2 seed.

If the Jayhawks lose tomorrow or Saturday, they will still have a chance to be the top No. 2 seed, with the Wildcats taking the last No. 1 seed. In reality, there is almost no difference between the fourth No. 1 seed and the first No. 2 seed.

The NCAA committee uses an S-curve to decide seedings. In other words, the top-ranked No. 1 seed will play the last-ranked No. 2 seed. The last-ranked No. 1 seed will play the top-ranked No. 2 seed. Kansas is likely to be opposite Kentucky regardless of this weekend’s results. The path to that Elite Eight match-up will be a little tougher for the No. 2 seed. But it’ll be much easier with Langford at 100 percent.

Of course, losing tomorrow would give the team its fifth loss in seven games — hardly the type of momentum a championship contender needs to make a six-game NCAA Tournament run. But if Langford plays this weekend, this team will be the same as the one that dropped three straight last month, except the starting lineup will only have nine healthy ankles. Langford’s absence is a chance for someone to fill Langford’s ever-changing shoes and get much-needed playing time.

Sophomore guard J.R. Giddens hit big shots against Missouri. He needs to continue to find his groove before the big dance next Thursday. Junior guard Jeff Hawkins and freshman guard Russell Robinson need to experience minutes in a tournament atmosphere also.

Even if Keith comes to Kemper Arena tomorrow running faster, cutting more sharply and jumping higher than he ever has before, he should not play. There is too much to gain from rest and too much to lose from “tweaking” his ankle.

Besides, Self said he expected the team to win the Big 12 Tournament without Langford.

“Just because you have players that are unavailable, it shouldn’t revamp your goals,” he said.

At the beginning of the season, the team set a goal to win the National Championship. It would sure help to have Langford available.

Cross is a Kansas City, Mo., senior in journalism.

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