Monday, March 3, 2008
To commemorate its 84-75 victory against Kansas in January, Kansas State announced that it would release a two-disc DVD box set chronicling the game and its ensuing celebration.
The telecast from Kansas’ payback 88-74 victory Saturday won’t be packaged into a collector’s item, but it was a more important feat.
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Kansas just simply needed to beat Kansas State to take its season to the next level. The Jayhawks were like Patrick Swayze in “Ghost” — stuck in limbo until taking care of unfinished business.
For starters, the bludgeoning proved the Jayhawks were still the superior team in the state and put them back on top of the Big 12 standings. But the victory signified more than that, it showed Kansas was again ready to play at the level that guided it to a 20-0 start to the season.
“Guys had energy, balance and played with a little bit of swagger,” Kansas coach Bill Self said.
It’s been a while since Self has been able to say that with any conviction. Kansas hasn’t played like it did Saturday since, well, before the trip to Manhattan that ruined its undefeated aspirations.
In the following weeks, Self said that the Jayhawks started playing sluggishly because they were exhausted from trying to keep their run at perfection alive. But the team that played at Allen Fieldhouse Saturday looked anything but drowsy.
Junior guard Brandon Rush showed he could still take over games by scoring 21 points and hitting five three-pointers. Sophomore guard Sherron Collins proved he’s recovered well from all of his bumps and bruises with lethal speed and 18 points. The senior class finally presented a sense of urgency and combined for 33 points, 20 rebounds and nine assists.
“I think, overall, this was the best game our team played,” Collins said.
It’s possible. The Jayhawks used smothering defense to give Wildcat super freshman Michael Beasley an insignificant 39-point performance and frustrate his freshman sidekick, Bill Walker.
Led by senior guard Russell Robinson’s and Collins’ four steals each, Kansas swiped the ball away 15 times. It was the second most this season, only less than an 18-steal outing against Yale. That number is specifically special to the Hawks because they are at their best when defensive pressure leads to easy fast break points.
Kansas just simply needed to beat Kansas State to take its season to the next level. The Jayhawks were like Patrick Swayze in “Ghost” — stuck in limbo until taking care of unfinished business.
If they can play with the same fervor they did against the Cats for the rest of the season, the Jayhawks are back to being a bona-fide national title contender. But the harsh reality is that not every game commands the intensity of a revenge-filled rivalry game or brings an entourage of ESPN personalities. It wasn’t a coincidence that Kansas was as motivated to win this matchup as Barack Obama is to take the Texas primary.
Keeping it up is the hard part. Tonight’s Big Monday showdown with Texas Tech gives Kansas the perfect opportunity to play satisfied and trip up before the end of the regular season. But Rush scoffed at that suggestion because he thought the Jayhawks were ready to take over.
“It’s going to be senior night Monday night,” Rush said. “I don’t think we’re going to have a letdown.”
—Edited by Sasha Roe
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