Basketball Report Card

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Basketball in August? Sure, it didn’t feel right, but that’s the sport Kansas was playing this past weekend in Canada. Even if it didn’t quite look like it at times. Kansas finished 3-0 in Canada, and five new Jayhawks played their first games in Kansas uniforms. But now the dust has settled, and the team has returned. What’s it all mean? Well, fans will have to wait until Oct. 17 before Kansas takes the Allen Fieldhouse floor at Late Night in the Phog. That’s a long time to wait. So what’s Kansas’ new look team going to look like? Case Keefer, the University Daily Kansan’s basketball reporter, is fresh off his trip to Ottawa, and he examines the Jayhawks’ performance in Canada.

Sherron Collins

Collins was as good as he could be for not playing basketball in four months. He appeared only in the game against Carleton, but he played 22 minutes, scored 10 points and made a key steal late in the game.

Cole Aldrich

Aldrich dominated the smaller Canadian teams. He averaged more than 10 rebounds per game and recorded nine blocks. He still needs to work on his offensive consistency and make better outlet passes, as he threw the ball away numerous times.

Tyshawn Taylor

Taylor had a game to forget against Carleton on Saturday night with only three points and four fouls. Other than that, he was outstanding. He scored 38 points combined in the other two games and is clearly quicker and faster than everyone on the court.

Travis Releford

Like Taylor, Releford had one poor game. He was 2-for-6 from the field with seven points and didn’t play well against Ottawa. But the night before, Releford led Kansas with 25 points against Carleton — the primary reason the Jayhawks won.

Mario Little

Little dominated the final game of the trip with 21 points, eight assists and seven rebounds. In the first two games, he didn’t play good defense and threw up poor shots. He said he was still recovering from a stress fracture in his leg.

Tyrone Appleton

Yikes. That’s the only appropriate way to sum up Appleton’s three games. He played more than 50 minutes but scored only four points and didn’t get involved at all offensively. Self said Appleton was going through personal issues and would improve.

Quintrell Thomas

Thomas made noticeable improvement offensively as the trip went on. In the first game, he went 0-for-4 from the field. He went 4-for-7 in the final game and scored 12 points. Rebounding was never a problem as Thomas pulled down 17 in the three games.

Tyrel Reed

Reed hit one of the biggest shots of the trip when he tied the game against Carleton with a three-pointer from the corner. He shot well for the most part, going 8-for-16 overall. Reed still needs to improve defensively.

Brady Morningstar

Morningstar made a three-pointer at the end of the first half against Carleton to give Kansas the lead. He also turned his ankle on the play and didn’t play again on the trip. He wasn’t shooting well overall, however, going was 3-for-10 in the two games he played in.

Conner Teahan

Don’t worry; Teahan didn’t lose his shot over the summer. He made three three-pointers throughout the trip, including two crucial ones that jump-started a stagnant Jayhawk offense in the McGill game.

Brennan Bechard

Bechard may have played better than any of the walk-ons during the trip. He scored five points, recorded four rebounds and did a decent job running the offense in the final game. He barely played in the first game and didn’t appear in the second.

Matt Kleinmann

Kleinmann began to play well at the end of the last game. He scored six points and had four rebounds. But that might be misleading. Kleinmann wasn’t physical enough in the first two games and was ineffective in his nine minutes of play.

Chase Buford

Buford buried a near three-pointer as the buzzer sounded in Kansas’ last game to score his only points. He missed the two other shots he attempted on the trip and committed a turnover. He didn’t play against Carleton. However, Buford gets an A for his new goatee.

Team debuts in Great White North

The Jayhawks showed Canada how Kansas basketball is played, winning all three ...

/news/2008/sep/02/canada_tour/

Jayhawks finish Ottawa trip on high note

Tyshawn Taylor electrified Kansas to a 95-60 victory against Ottawa in its ...

/news/2008/aug/31/kansas_thrashes_ottawa/

Hawks start slow in Canada

Kansas struggled with McGill University Saturday morning before prevailing, 72-67, behind an ...

/news/2008/aug/30/rough_start_hawks_canada_trip/

Releford wills Kansas to victory

It took a 25-point performance from freshman guard Travis Releford and a ...

/news/2008/aug/30/releford_wills_kansas_victory/

Freshmen to make Kansas debut in Canada

Young Jayhawk team travels north to play three exhibition games this weekend

/news/2008/aug/28/ne_bballcanada/

Morning Brew: Self, fan create explosive atmosphere

Coach Bill Self says raging fan’s remarks are all in “good fun.”

/news/2008/sep/19/morning_brew/

Searching for a leader

With an out-of-shape Collins, Aldrich may head the team.

/news/2008/aug/22/basketball_notes/

Men's Basketball Notes

Collins is slow to recover from knee injury, and the Jayhawks look ...

/news/2008/aug/22/mens_basketball_notes/

Freshman quartet enjoy the ‘madness’

Four freshman players are content to sit out of the spotlight this ...

/news/2008/mar/26/freshman_quartet_enjoy_madness/

LIVE UPDATES: Michigan State 75, Kansas 62

Kansas fought back in the second half, but couldn't do enough to ...

/news/2009/jan/10/live_updates_kansas_vs_michigan_state/

Self: No regrets about team’s season

The men’s basketball team reflects on how far it progressed this year.

/news/2009/apr/08/self_no_regrets/

How to tell the Morris twins apart

Kansas fans, students and even basketball players have trouble distinguishing Marcus from ...

/news/2008/oct/21/morris_twins/

Stormed Out Of Town

Michigan State blew by Kansas 75-62 with a strong performance in the ...

/news/2009/jan/10/stormed_out_town/

Jayhawks prepare for first practice

Freshmen might see first playing time in Canadian exhibition games

/news/2008/aug/21/sp_BBnotes/

Momentum rolls on after shaky start

Despite a sloppy first half, Kansas maintains their lead and manages a ...

/news/2012/feb/02/shaky-start/

Appleton heads home

Jayhawks play in Indianapolis on Friday in NCAA tournament.

/news/2009/mar/25/appleton/

KU Basketball Game Day: Nov. 4, 2008

/news/2008/nov/04/game_day/

Robinson, Taylor share many similarities

Freshman Jayhawk will be called on to score lots of points as ...

/news/2008/oct/20/Morningbrew/

Offensive Outburst, Defensive Letdown

Kansas beat Siena 91-84, but gave up a season-high 32 field goals.

/news/2009/jan/06/offensive_outburst_defensive_letdown/

The Grading Scale: against Texas Tech

Check out player-by-player grades of the men's basketball team after Saturday's 83-50 ...

/news/2012/feb/19/jayhawks-grade-book/

Washburn game day notes

A preview of the game against Washburn tonight

/news/2007/nov/15/washburn_game_day_notes/

Disaster in the Desert

Arizona dismantled Kansas in the second half in Tucson. The Wildcats beat ...

/news/2008/dec/24/disaster_desert/

Morningstar's offense pushes Kansas to victory

Brady Morningstar set career-highs in six categories as the Jayhawks beat the ...

/news/2008/nov/28/morningstars_offense_pushes_kansas_victory/

Kansas tops Jackson State, 86-62

Sophomore guard Tyrel Reed is a key player in the Jayhawks’ victory.

/news/2008/dec/08/basketball/

Basketball team has struggled from outside

Most of the team’s points have come from inside and at the ...

/news/2008/feb/14/bball/

Collins takes his place as a leader ...

After brushes with injury, readiness and the law, the junior guard is ...

/news/2008/nov/20/collins_takes_his_place_leader_court/

Threes all over

Chalmers made eight three pointers in a game where neither Kansas nor ...

/news/2008/mar/16/threes_all_over/

Ugly win works for Jayhawks

Scrappy defense and offensive rebounding carried the Jayhawks past a challenge from ...

/news/2007/dec/03/ugly_win_works_jayhawks/

Rock Chalk memories

Former Kansas basketball players return to Lawrence, play current team in annual ...

/news/2008/jun/13/rock_chalk_memories/

The perfect swarm

Kansas’ bulldozes Emporia State 103-58 with an explosive offensive performance Tuesday night.

/news/2008/nov/12/basketball/

Big Monday becomes a family affair

Chase Buford, and his adopted brother, Alexis Wangmene, who plays for the ...

/news/2008/feb/11/big_monday_becomes_family_affair/

Scrimmage showcases incoming freshmen

Incoming guard Tyshawn Taylor leading scorer, teams up with Wright.

/news/2008/jun/18/scrimmage/

Little retains passion despite adversity

From promising recruit to backstage senior, Little has weathered a challenging career.

/news/2011/mar/01/little-retains-passion-despite-adversity/

KU 92, Washburn 60, starring: Brandon Rush

Jayhawks dominate on offense during the second half after the defense stuggled ...

/news/2007/nov/16/basketball_wu/

Kansas defeats Jackson State 86-62

Kansan.com is your source for live updates as Kansas takes on Jackson ...

/news/2008/dec/06/kansas_vs_jackson_state/

The Wrap-up

Everything you need to know from the men's basketball victory over Colorado ...

/news/2008/feb/18/wrap_up/

Taylor broke out in exhibition game this ...

Freshman guard Tyshawn Taylor likes to reflect on the night he scored ...

/news/2008/oct/23/taylor_broke_out_exhibition_game_summer/

Basketball Gameday: November 20, 2007.

This is the basketball gameday.

/news/2007/nov/20/basketball_gameday_november_20_2007/

Kansas defeats Temple 71-59

The Jayhawks pull away in the second half and rebound from last ...

/news/2008/dec/20/kansas_vs_temple/

Rock chalk red team

Motivation, perseverance but, most importanly, the pride of being a Jayhawk made ...