LAWRENCE, Kan. Nine games in and ranked first in the country, this Kansas basketball team remains hard to figure. Talented, versatile, an intriguing mix of ability and experience. Undefeated against one of the sports toughest schedules, and still largely underwhelming.
Maybe maybe we saw a glimpse of their best in a 74-71 win over No. 17 Villanova at Allen Fieldhouse on Saturday. Maybe. Did we mention maybe?
Lets be clear: KU can be better than this. Has to be better than this, actually, to keep the Big 12 championship streak going and continue feeding the Jayhawk basketball industrial complex.
So, its not that this is the ceiling. Or even the path. But we may have seen their best begin to unlock against one of the toughest programs and smartest coaches in the sport.
It happened out of necessity, KU coach Bill Self said. And we have to see it daily.
He was talking about Dedric Lawson and Lagerald Vick being aggressive with the ball. Go get yours, in the parlance of the game. They combined for 57 points on 30 shots; their teammates combined for 17 on 16.
Lawson and Vick can be a wicked pair. Lawson is an admittedly ordinary athlete with obviously extraordinary skills, a smooth big man with the footwork and coordination to score off spot-ups, pull-ups, spins and drives. Hes a player of the year candidate.
Vick is a shot hunter in the best way possible, the kind player who changes the rules on whats a good look or a bad one. At his best, hes as good as anyone. At his worst, hes hard to remember.
A shot maker, Villanova coach Jay Wright said, and maybe he was talking about the deflected ball Vick caught and turned into a guarded fadeaway on the baseline with about 4:22 left.
The commonality of Lawson and Vick is that they can score against good defense, and without Kansas running good offense.
The emerging truth is that for Kansas to push forward, this is what will be needed from the Jayhawks two most capable scorers.
Thats how we have to play, Self said. Ive talked a lot about this.
Moving parts abound. Most obviously, Udoka Azubuike is expected to be out until around the start of conference play. He is a rare college basketball force 7 feet tall and 280 pounds, a force near the rim and an unnecessary appendage away from it. Silvio De Sousa remains out while the NCAA investigates his eligibility in the wake of the Adidas trial.
That means that Kansas is not only playing without two core players, but with a style and feel that will fundamentally change. Lawson has more space, fewer passing options inside and generally more defensive responsibility without Azubuike.
I thought we caught a little bit of a break, Wright said. Azubuike not playing, that makes a difference too. I wouldnt want to play them with both those guys on the floor. But maybe we couldve found some things to do if he was playing.
