The Red Raiders hung with the Clones and beat West Virginia. Usually there have been a handful of games in Allen that seemed perfunctory. This year it seems there are none in the Big XII.
One thing that does seem familiar is that HCBS will use the school break to try to dramaticly, not only improve, but reconstitute his team.
His reputation is built on tough defense. The last two games it seemed several Hawks didn't get close enough to their man to catch the flu from them. The close outs on three point shots from the corner have been pitiful and we do little if anything to inconvenience the ball-handler.
Before the break, especially the second half of the Davidson game and the first half against UNLV the Hawks showed signs of KU Defenses past. I thought that with LL , JJ , LV and the man who so well guarded Buddy that this team would long arm and fast twitch other teams into giving us the ball for numerous run outs and dunks. But, we are either helping too much, or not keeping track of where we need to be.Or, due to a seven man rotation we are tired?
I don't think the relapse should be blamed on UA's absence; he only played 7 minutes against UNLV and they ended up with 53 points for the game.
As in the past I imagine that HCBS is using the two weeks before class starts to conduct a graduate seminar on what has not been done correctly and what is to be done. I'm thinking Junction Boys for the mind. And I expect to see more from DC, as a veteran he should be able to at least absorb some minutes and use some of his allotment of fouls.
Hopefully we can learn and win at the same time and be 5-0 on MLK night when we get to Hilton. Soon after that comes a brutal stretch of WV, Kentucky and Baylor. Nobody was expecting 18-0, but to achieve the 15-3 it may take to win the Big XII and get the seed we want the team needs to have morphed by then.
At least we have the man for the job.
