KU rocks Cowboys, 92-65

BOX SCORE

The story
This is what Phog Allen does to you. Twos seem like ones and threes seem like twos and on Monday night OSU could have shot 100% for the entire first half and still probably trailed. The beleaguered Cowboys came out pistols firing (shameless plug!) hitting seven of their first eight shots (including free throws) and trailed by 24 by the time the half rolled around.

Kansas is good, make no mistake, and possibly great when playing in the Lawrence city limits. But this is an OSU squad that desperately needs the end of the season to get here as quickly as possible. I know they wouldn’t do it, but I’d say no to the NIT, no home game against Marist, nothing. Just let the whole thing ride until next Fall. But we’re getting ahead of ourselves…

Moses was the lone bright spot for the Pokes. I can’t imagine what it would have been like had he not played. In fact, the whole thing didn’t start out all that bad. OSU began the game with a presence, a confidence really, that I haven’t seen since the Kansas State game. In fact, I contend if OSU had played all year like they did the first nine minutes they would have gone 10-6 in the Big 12 and easily made the tournament.

Alas, nine minutes in the veil was ripped and the frustrations we’ve all endured the entire year shone through. Everybody went cold at the same time it seemed and KU opened it up on a 12-0 run in the middle of the first half that buried the Pokes.

The second half was more of the same. Pilgrim fouled out with seventeen minutes and I thought for a minute Moses was going to join him on the pine and we were going to have to see if Markel could play the five. Thankfully he didn’t, but it didn’t matter much. The second half was a barren wasteland of basketball that lasted longer than Gerry McNamara’s college career.

I do enjoy that the “Dowell Movement” is in full swing. He put up a 10-1-3-2 with only 2 TO and looked, at times, like the only Cowboy explosive enough to hang with the Jayhawks.

When it was over
The 6:11 scoreless streak in the first half did it for me. It was 24-19 just after the 12-minute TV timeout but went to 36-19 in a hurry. OSU just went cold. JPO on the road is like Bobby Reid reincarnate — indecisive, confused, and zero confidence.

How OSU could have won
A good start would have been Holder calling Sheahon Zenger (KU’s AD) and saying, “hey, can we make this a football game instead, are you down with that?”

Player of the game
Moses. He posted a ballsy 27-6 line that apparently belied the rumors that he wouldn’t be 100%.  He’s the only thing that stood between getting beat by 30 and the game turning into a national embarrassment.

Stat that explained it
Kansas – 19 assists
Oklahoma State – 21 FGs

The rest of my notes

Bob Knight (in one of his few shining moments) had a great point about Tyshawn Taylor’s absence not really mattering because all of KU’s players can play every position.

OSU should have exploited Reed on Markel I think that’s what experts like to call “an athletic disadvantage.”

I wonder if Kinght/Musburger have combined to watch 10 minutes of OSU games/film this year…

Why do the Morris brothers shoot and hit threes? Is that one of their staple moves that I was completely unaware of?

I’m not sure there’s a point in playing Penn right now. I don’t say that to demean the kid because I think he plays hard and cares, but what is Ford trying to accomplish with it?

Why does Knight talk about the refs more than he does about the players and the game?

I wonder if Moses will get some run in the NBA. I hope he does, he deserves it for how hard he’s worked.

We’re in 11th place in the Big 12 now, just ahead of Iowa St.

Why do all of Moses’ fouls occur within 2 minutes of each end of the game or halftime? Isn’t that weird?

How about the KU debate team kid saying they were 29-2. Uh…not unless this win counts as four.

ESPN needs to spring for a cough button for Knight’s microphone.

Great texts
We don’t do this often but I got some unusually terrific texts during the game, here’s a sampling:

• “This might be the most embarrassing game we’ve ever played on TV.”
• “If any recruits are watching, we just lost them.”
• “People are fouling out just so they don’t have to play the rest of the game.”
• “I think Ford just asked who wanted to start the second half and he let the first 5 guys who raised their hands.”
• Friend: “What do you think Ford says at halftime?” Me: “Nothing, he’s probably calling Calipari to see what his assistant situation is looking like for 2012”

What it means
This was supposed to be the one of two automatic losses in the 4-game stretch OSU just completed. Unfortunately it was the fourth of four. Kansas is loaded, like usual, and there aren’t many teams that can just ride into Lawrence on Big Monday and lay siege to the Phog, much to Fred Gulley’s chagrin.

Next game: Against Tech on Saturday in Gallagher-Iba