Jayhawk Central

Baylor amazes me year after year.

They have very good talent that makes a ton of circus shots. But the reason they are never really going to be a threat to beat 3 or so top 10 squads in a row (like you generally need to do to win a champhionship) is that they take difficult shots in large numbers and give up layups in large numbers to the other team. It is 100% on coaching.

Baylor is hitting step backs, pull ups and contested runners while Gonzaga is rotating the ball and often times getting uncontested layups. Baylor is talented enough to beat just about anyone. But you are not going to string together quality wins when the other team consistently gets much better shots than you do.

Well, Baylor was Baylor once again.

Onto the next game of the night I have to ask...is there a worse venue for a top 5 program all time than Pauley? Crap fans, no noise. Strange layout.

I know they did but to me that is just the wrapper around the fluffy soft filling that is the fickle UCLA fan. Top 10 team in town tonight and there are empties everywhere. I get that it is "just" Missouri but common. I am sure the facility is much nicer now but the fans will be the same or worse as renovations like that tend to drive out the good old fans for new money.

I don't think anyone is more important to their team that Phil Pressey. I am going to be really interested to watch the Frank Haith narrative change when he no longer has Pressey around to create offense for him.

Siva is a poor decision maker, and it hasn't improved significantly in his four years. His fifth foul was such a Siva play. However, Louisville's decision making was miles better than Kentucky's. Wow are they an inexperienced and inept team. Talented? Clearly. But they have NO ONE capable of making the right plays at the right time and getting their absurdly talented wings and posts the ball in the right spots.

i was really impressed with Cauley-Stein yesterday. I am not sure I have seen a faster 7 footer before. Not many people with his size and length that have his handle. That drive from outside the 3 point line and then the hammer - wow. He can be really, really good if he learns how to shoot FTs, get some offensive skills, and strength/conditioning. He already looks like a pretty good rim protector and rebounder. It would have been nice if Self could have gotten in on him earlier.

Hasn't the idea that Self waited too long (on Cauley-Stein) been pretty well debunked? He was blocked by the handlers.

I don't buy the WCS was blocked by his handlers. WCS claims he visited KU his freshman year and that KU was dream school for the next couple of years. Pretty much says that if he had gotten a scholly offer his freshman or sophomore year he would have accepted. But he never once spoke to the staff. Says his mom spoke once or twice with the staff during his junior year but that was it. I have always believed WCS on this.