Arthur’s shot inspires team

Thursday, February 28, 2008

Ames, Iowa — It was the shot Iowa State coach Greg McDermott wanted.

Iowa State started the second half with a 7-0 run, cutting the Kansas lead to 36-30. Bill Self called time-out. The Jayhawks seemed to be melting down again on the road again.

Photo by Jon Goering

Sophomore forward Darrell Arthur takes a shot to the basket during the second half of Wednesday's game at Iowa State. Arthur led Kansas with 18 points and 10 rebounds. The Jayhawks defeated the Cyclones 75-64 and improved to 10-3 in the Big 12.

Enter sophomore forward Darrell Arthur. Arthur just played his worst game of the season – an ugly six point, five foul effort against Oklahoma State on Saturday. It didn’t seem to bother him. Arthur calmly stepped up and made a 15-foot jump shot.

“To me that was the play of the game,” McDermott said. “If he misses that, we go down and score, the momentum stays with us and it’s a different game.”

Instead, Arthur’s shot started an 8-0 run, and the Jayhawks grabbed a therapeutic road victory, after losing their last two conference games away from Allen Fieldhouse.

The road was rocky for the Jayhawks all season long. They struggled in non-conference road victories against USC and Georgia, and were a pedestrian 3-3 on the road in the Big 12 before Wednesday.

The surprise loss at Oklahoma State was the tipping point.

Kansas had to endure a week of questions, as doubters and disbelievers emerged. Anybody wearing a Jayhawk uniform became a target for criticism.

Don’t count McDermott as one of those doubters.

“I think they’re the most complete team in the country,” McDermott said, after Kansas defeated his Cyclones 75-64.

The Jayhawks improved their conference road record to 4-3, and they did something else that they haven’t done on the road: they made shots.

“When they’re shooting the ball, like they took 11 threes and they made seven of them, they’re tough to beat,” McDermott said.

And when Kansas doesn’t shoot the ball well on the road, they usually do get beat. In Kansas’ road losses against Kansas State, Texas and Oklahoma State, the Jayhawks shot a combined 12 of 45 from the three-point line.

“Had they shot the basketball the last couple of games on the road that they lost, like they did tonight,” McDermott said, “I don’t think they would have lost those games.”

Mario Chalmers and Brandon Rush led the Jayhawks’ outside shooting barrage.

Rush and Chalmers were each 3-of-4 from behind the three-point line.

More importantly, the Jayhawks came out hot from the start, and not just from the outside. Arthur made 6 of 10 shots and scored 12 first-half points.

“We don’t talk about it being a calming force,” Kansas coach Bill Self said. “But certainly the team has more confidence when you have one of the best players in the game play big minutes.”

Self said, “It’s very important to get off to a big start when you’re playing on the road in the conference.”

—Edited by Samuel Lamb

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