Thursday, November 19, 2009
The streak was supposed to end last year.
Four straight conference championships was enough.
Losing five players to the NBA draft was supposed to be the death knell on an incredible run.
But, somehow, Cole Aldrich and Sherron Collins rallied a group of greenhorns into form just in time to claim an incredible fifth straight title.
Then Aldrich and Collins returned, along with those greenhorns that were suddenly playing basketball at a very high level, and the Jayhawks were named No. 1 in the country.
Problem is, it just may be even harder to win a conference championship this year.
There’s this team that plays their home games in Austin, Texas, that also returned a pair of potential NBA draft picks.
That also returns most of the supporting cast. That also brought in a ridiculously talented recruiting class, perhaps even more so than Kansas.
That also has an impressive transfer that becomes available at the halfway point.
I had the chance to watch the Longhorns dismantle UC-Irvine the other day and, level of competition taken into account, they looked like the most impressive team I’ve seen all year.
There was no stopping a once-more-slimmed-down Dexter Pittman inside, he finished with 21 points and seven rebounds on 10-for-11 shooting, and the supporting cast looked more than capable of getting the job done.
Highly touted freshman Jordan Hamilton was actually more impressive than more highly touted freshman Avery Bradley, but neither was spellbinding, à la Xavier Henry’s 27-point debut.
Hamilton dropped 12 to go with three rebounds, and Bradley chipped in 10 with two assists.
J’Covan Brown, also a freshman, started at the point and was turnover prone early, but seemed to settle in as the game progressed and the Longhorns rolled 89-42.
Point guard will likely be the Horns’ biggest concern, but could be remedied with the eligibility of Jai Lucas at the semester — long before they have to worry about hosting the Jayhawks.
Lucas was an All-Freshman SEC guard at Florida, but preferred a change of scenery and wound up in burnt orange.
He’s a sniper from long range, shooting over 43 percent from the outside in his freshman year.
The reason I think Texas looks like it may be the team to take the conference is the dominating presence of Damion James on the wing.
James poured in 21 points from all over the floor and added 15 rebounds for his third career 20-point, 15-board performance. I suspect it won’t be his last.
Here’s the catch for Kansas fans.
As good as Henry has looked early, he hasn’t harnessed his NBA-frame into a top-flight defensive stopper.
As good as Cole Aldrich was last year, and as good as he will be this year, he hasn’t proved that he has the body strength to hold back a player as physical as Pittman.
Henry and Aldrich will be trying to deny James and Pittman and I’m not sure they’ll be able to.
In 22 minutes last year, Pittman beat up the Aldrich-led Kansas frontcourt for 16 points.
With a more svelte physique, Pittman should be looking at well upwards of 30 minutes a game, and significantly more damage.
In 28 minutes last year, James had 26 points and six boards. Granted, Kansas didn’t have a wing in the mold of Henry to put a body on James, but Brady Morningstar was no defensive slouch.
The Jayhawks travel to Austin Feb. 8 for a game that will likely decide the Big 12.
Barring injuries, it would be wholly unsurprising to see both teams undefeated in conference and sitting at No. 1 and No. 2 in the country.
Last year, Texas came into Allen Fieldhouse with the conference title on the line, but the Jayhawks were able to hold them off.
This year, the location will flip.
It’s yet to be seen whether the roles will.
— Edited by Jonathan Hermes
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