KU loses again...

[CatsTopPac]

So how does everyone feel about KU?

4-4 against the RPI top 25
4-2 against the RPI 26-50

I get that they beat Duke, and swept ISU. But other than that, I'm not sure if they can get past the elite 8. They have also lost to a few Sweet 16 teams.

I also understand that they have a ridiculous SOS, but they keep losing. How are they supposed to get to the FF if they keep losing?

At what point do people start to say that they will have trouble in the second weekend in the tourney?

They are still atop the Big 12, so I'm not trying to shit on them. But it just seems to me that they would need to be more consistent in winning to be a legit threat to get to the FF. Assuming that ISU drops to about 16 or worse (since getting drubbed by UWV), KU's only win against a top 15 team was in mid-November against Duke, 500 miles from Lawrence (in Chicago).

I'm about to sell my stock in KU.

 

[TrollyMcTroller]

Traditionally, I'm more worried for KU on the 2nd weekend of MM if they do look invincible heading into it.

Seriously though, if I were to stop and reevaluate KU now, I'd probably take them out of the "serious" contender category, and bump them down to the "doubtful" category. It certainly wouldn't shock me to see KU make it to the FF, but I wouldn't take out a 2nd mortgage to make that bet. They still have all the pieces to make a deep run. They just don't seem to click every night.

And as so many other teams (you know... except Syracuse ) have learned this season, it's tough to get a win against a quality opponent on the road. (sorry jonvi, I couldn't resist)

 

[Arizona_Sting]

The talent is there and it shows at times, but they are still very young and they don't gel together as good as they could.

Extremely talented, but very beatable is how I'd label them at this point.

 

[CatsTopPac]

Traditionally, I'm more worried for KU on the 2nd weekend of MM if they do look invincible heading into it.

Seriously though, if I were to stop and reevaluate KU now, I'd probably take them out of the "serious" contender category, and bump them down to the "doubtful" category. It certainly wouldn't shock me to see KU make it to the FF, but I wouldn't take out a 2nd mortgage to make that bet. They still have all the pieces to make a deep run. They just don't seem to click every night.

And as so many other teams (you know... except Syracuse ) have learned this season, it's tough to get a win against a quality opponent on the road. (sorry jonvi, I couldn't resist)

I hear ya. And I agree. But they lose to SDSU at home, and @CU/@UF out of conference. They also lost to Nova on a neutral court. They just don't seem to be winning many of the tough games away from home.

I think that KU still has the potential to make a deep run, but they are not showing me that they can step up on a regular basis. I just don't know how many more free passes they get, with me.

 

[Red_Alert]

Traditionally, I'm more worried for KU on the 2nd weekend of MM if they do look invincible heading into it.

Seriously though, if I were to stop and reevaluate KU now, I'd probably take them out of the "serious" contender category, and bump them down to the "doubtful" category. It certainly wouldn't shock me to see KU make it to the FF, but I wouldn't take out a 2nd mortgage to make that bet. They still have all the pieces to make a deep run. They just don't seem to click every night.

And as so many other teams (you know... except Syracuse ) have learned this season, it's tough to get a win against a quality opponent on the road. (sorry jonvi, I couldn't resist)

Exactly what I was going to say. Glad I read your post first.

It's when KU looks unbeatable that they'll get ousted in the Sweet 16.

 

[Pencil Sharpener]

Per the usual, a lot of talent, early NCAA exit....que clown in a beaker outfit crying. Rinse and repeat... The beaks will tell you they are big time, stats tell you they win it all once every 20 years if that.


Oh and Bill Self has already broken two of Wiggins, Selden, Embiid. We wont know which till they play pro ball, but he hasn't but out a decent pro while being at KU.....in FACT the only pro worth mentioning that played for Self is D. Will..............that says a lot, and why you never draft a Bill Self player

 

[CatsTopPac]

Exactly what I was going to say. Glad I read your post first.

It's when KU looks unbeatable that they'll get ousted in the Sweet 16.

I guess it still just depends on the matchups and locations. They have a pretty favorable schedule remaining, so that will help them get back into the top 10 by the end of the season if they win out. The freshmen still have to rise to the challenge of playing in March, and I'm just not seeing it right now. All the talent in the world though, that's for sure.

 

[The Derski]

So is this a blow to Colorado's tournament hopes?

 

[Wishbone]

Well they are the 2nd best team in Kansas at best.

 

[gordontrue]

IMO, their tough schedule has been incorrectly given precedence over their results (ie, actually winning games) when it comes to ranking them. A tough schedule can only get you so far, this is 6 losses now.

 

[Johnnydollaz89]

Sell all your stock on us, we'll be prepared next month

 

[Runeman]

And as so many other teams (you know... except Syracuse ) have learned this season, it's tough to get a win against a quality opponent on the road. (sorry jonvi, I couldn't resist)

Have to agree losing to K-State away is not a bad loss. Also, KU is a little banged up. I think that team has a lot of talent and still think they are an elite8/final 4 team.

Same for Michigan State; still banged up and have lost a few and IMO, still an elite-8/final-4 team.

We are going to know about Syracuse real soon; we shall be awaiting Jonvi's smack; hopefully his mouth does not write checks that the "Cuse" can't cover.

 

[gordontrue]

Sell all your stock on us, we'll be prepared next month

I know better than to sell ALL stock on a team coached by Self. I don't think Kansas should be in panic mode or anything, I just think they've been slightly over valued for much of the season.

 

[Johnnydollaz89]

I know better than to sell ALL stock on a team coached by Self. I don't think Kansas should be in panic mode or anything, I just think they've been slightly over valued for much of the season.

We've faced injuries, Wiggins has been hit or miss all season long. Self will come prepared for next month, i'm not too worried.

 

[dcZONAfan]

We've faced injuries, Wiggins has been hit or miss all season long. Self will come prepared for next month, i'm not too worried.

I agree they will be very formidable. Was Wayne Seldon out last night? I don't think I ever saw him on the floor. And I know Embiid struggled, but I was surprised Self didn't have him on the floor at the end of the game and for overtime. There is no WAY you will win the title without him playing at his best, so experience in a game like that would have been huge.

Did he get injured or something?

 

[gordontrue]

I agree they will be very formidable. Was Wayne Seldon out last night? I don't think I ever saw him on the floor. And I know Embiid struggled, but I was surprised Self didn't have him on the floor at the end of the game and for overtime. There is no WAY you will win the title without him playing at his best, so experience in a game like that would have been huge.

Did he get injured or something?

According to Self, not specifically injured, just "beat up"

Joel Embiid could be sidelined with knee, back injuries - CBSSports.com

 

[Johnnydollaz89]

I agree they will be very formidable. Was Wayne Seldon out last night? I don't think I ever saw him on the floor. And I know Embiid struggled, but I was surprised Self didn't have him on the floor at the end of the game and for overtime. There is no WAY you will win the title without him playing at his best, so experience in a game like that would have been huge.

Did he get injured or something?

Embiid has been dealing with a bad back, and he was shooting so poorly last night that it wasn't even worth it having him on the floor.

 

[ericd7633]

Kansas will be battle tested, which is a good thing come tournament time. It's always good to have as many scenarios thrown your way before the ncaa tournament. I'm not really concerned at all about them in the tournament. I also think it's silly to guarantee any team making the FF this year, and yes even Cuse and AZ. Half of their losses are to teams they wouldn't play until the elite 8 or FF(Florida, Nova, SDSU) Colorado was a top 15 and probably would still be if not for injures and that was on the road at the buzzer. Kansas St was a rivalry game who they throttled 3 weeks ago and Texas is a top 20 team again that was on the road. They've shown they can win on the road @Iowa St, @OU and on a neutral against Duke and New Mexico. Again, I'm not saying they are or aren't going to make the FF but they certainly have as good of a shot as anybody.

 

[ericd7633]

Also for the OP, Arizona lost to a bubble team so should we question if they can make it out of the round of 32 or not? No I don't think so. If memory serves me correctly a 5 loss team played an 8 loss team for the title. Anybody in the top 15 can get to the FF.

 

[gordontrue]

Also for the OP, Arizona lost to a bubble team so should we question if they can make it out of the round of 32 or not? No I don't think so. If memory serves me correctly a 5 loss team played an 8 loss team for the title. Anybody in the top 15 can get to the FF.

Not to speak for CTP, but his post was more about the ability to consistently win, not about losing one close game on the road to a tough conference opponent (describes both Arizona's and Kansas' most recent loss).

I think its fair to say that 6 losses early in February isn't typical of a title contender. Of course there are exceptions, but only 1 of the last 13 champions lost more than 6 games (Uconn). 10 of them lost fewer than 6.

I wouldn't rule out Kansas with their coach and their tough schedule, but it is certainly fair at this point to start questioning their ability to contend, IMO.