The Kansas Jayhawks showed that they can be every bit as good on the road as they are at home. Blitzing through a non-conference schedule at home against the likes of Yale, UMKC and Washburn is one thing, but when you go on the road and play an ACC opponent that is when you find out what you are made of as a team. Well, Kansas is pretty dam good. With the emergence of Darnell Jackson and the continued scoring of Darrell Arthur the only supposed Jayhawk weekness has been eliminated. In beating Boston College 85-60 today they proved that they just might be the best team in the country. Darnell Jackson dropped 25 on the Eagles in a game that the outcome was decided by halftime. Kansas jumped out to a 47-29 lead at the break and never looked back.
Bill Self has the Jayhawks clicking on all cylinders. With the depth in the backcourt provided by two lottery picks (Mario Chalmers and Brandon Rush) and the leadership of senior Russell Robinson the Jayhawks looked poised to take a shot at the national championship. Overcoming ealry season injuries to Rush and Colins made this team deeper and better. And while other teams seem to be experiencing the injury bug (Pittsburgh and North Carolina, most notably), the Jayhawks are getting stronger as they head into conference play.
Leave it to John Calipari to give the ultimate compliment in his team’s victory over Pepperdine. Coach Cal gave Pepperdine coach Vance Walberg much credit for the offense that the Tigers run. That’s great. But when you have three lottery picks in your lineup I don’t think it really matters what type of offense you run. Memphis routed the Waves 90-53 thus proving that it isn’t the offense, but the personnel that is most important. This is one of the deepest teams in the country and certainly has an opportunity to run the table in Conference USA.
Hold your horses Michigan State and Indiana fans. Before you start thinking that it is a two horse race, you better keep an eye on the Badgers of Wisconsin. Coach Bo Ryan has the restocked Badgers on a roll. After beating Iowa today by double digits and collecting their sixth straight win, Wisconsin is starting to feel it oats. Senior Brian Butch has come back healthy and provided a spark to the Badgers. Next weeks game against Indiana should be a dandy. Both teams seem to be hitting their peaks at the right time.
