Where’s the intensity?

Juando out, HD in quicksand, no execution . . .

Time for a good half time attitude adjustment .

RC

I think you hit the nail on the head asking the question of where is the intensity. This team does not lack basketball talent it lacks intensity IMHO. A prime example of that is in-bounding the ball. Most of the teams in the big XII have similar athleticism. Yet with this team they can never force turnovers when they pressure yet other teams can almost always force turnovers when they pressure the Hawks. I think it it is a matter of intensity and sell out effort. Maybe they think they are saving it for the end of season tournaments but very rarely can you turn it on like that, It is almost always something you either have or don't have and so far this team has shown they do not.

This team needs to go away! Self and these player gets paid way too much to lack intensity, especially against an instate rival. 17-13 in B12 games over 2 years wow! Is KU basketball going to have a downfall like Neb football?

An interesting article I saw online regarding Hunter's impact (or lack of it):

Kansas basketball isn’t used to this kind of turbulence. Bill Self’s teams usually dominate the Big 12, impose their will, and enter March with the confidence of a heavyweight contender. But this season, something is off. The Jayhawks have lost three of their last six conference games, falling to Houston, Baylor, and Kansas State in ways that weren’t particularly close. The struggles are mounting, and the pressure is shifting onto the shoulders of their most experienced player, Hunter Dickinson.

For all the talk about Dickinson’s impact since transferring to Kansas, this year has been a mixed bag. He’s still putting up respectable numbers—16.5 points and 9.6 rebounds per game—but his outside shooting has plummeted, hitting just 21.9% from three. His defensive shortcomings, once a footnote in scouting reports, have become a full-blown discussion point. Kansas, built around his inside presence, is now slipping in the conference standings, and as a result, Dickinson’s NIL valuation has taken a hit. A $214,000 drop brought it down to $1.5 million—the biggest valuation dip of any player so far. But Kansas has bigger problems than NIL numbers.

Even college basketball’s loudest voices are taking their shots. Mark Titus and Tate Moore, known for their sharp, irreverent commentary, couldn’t help but poke fun at how long Dickinson has been in the college game. "Hunter Dickinson is still playing college basketball. That is not a joke," Titus said, his tone dripping with mock disbelief. "We like to joke on this show, but that is not a joke." Moore piled on, noting that Dickinson is still doing “Hunter Dickinson things.”
At seven-foot-two, Dickinson should be a defensive force, but Kansas fans know that isn’t the case. He’s struggling to guard in space, and his presence in the paint isn’t as imposing as his size suggests. Maybe it’s a sign of wear and tear—five years in college basketball is a long time for a big man. The jokes from Titus and Moore may be exaggerated, but there’s some truth behind them.

And then there’s the matter of Coleman Hawkins, who seems to have made Dickinson his personal punching bag. After Kansas State’s win over the Jayhawks, Hawkins couldn’t resist the chance to remind everyone of his head-to-head dominance. “Yeah, what is the record now?” he asked with a grin. “If we’re counting the exhibition game this season, that’s 6-1? I think I’m 6-1 against him now?”

Statistically, there’s no comparison. Dickinson’s production and accolades dwarf Hawkins’ résumé, but winning is the ultimate currency. Hawkins has walked away victorious far more often than not, and that’s a problem for Kansas. It doesn’t matter what Dickinson’s numbers say—if the Jayhawks keep losing, his reputation will take another hit.

March is creeping closer, and Kansas is dangerously close to falling out of the Big 12 race. This is supposed to be Dickinson’s last stand, his final shot at college basketball glory. If he wants his legacy to be about more than just longevity, now is the time to change the narrative. The Jayhawks can’t afford any more missteps, and neither can he.