Locked On Jayhawks - Daily Podcast On Kansas Jayhawks Football & Basketball - Locked On Jayhawks - 11.29.19

Episode Date: November 29, 2019

Jayhawks win Maui title; Football closes out 2019 with Baylor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What's up, Jayhawk Nation? Welcome in to this edition of Locked On Jayhawks. I am Sean Kellerman, Learfield IMG College Broadcaster and University of Kansas Insider. This is Locked On Jayhawks, your daily podcast on the Kansas Jayhawks, giving you insight, numbers, and a chance to hear from all the voices within Kansas athletics. Hope everybody had a great Thanksgiving. Of course, it was a phenomenal Maui Invitational Championship game on Wednesday, and we'll get into that, but was a phenomenal Maui Invitational Championship game on Wednesday, and we'll get into that. But just a great tournament. It's been a great week for sports fans in general, getting a chance to see all these college basketball early season tournaments.

Of course, football in full swing. NFL yesterday, we got college football, more college basketball going on today. So it is a great time to be a sports fan, and it's a great time to be a Jayhawk. We're going to talk about this Dayton-KU game that took place on Wednesday and then second segment we'll take a look around the Big 12, a lot of other teams in action and then talk about our Friday 5 picks for the week, trying to stay on a heater that I've been on the past couple weeks and then close it up looking at Baylor football as KU football closes out the season tomorrow at home all right this game absolutely phenomenal in my opinion it was the best game of the college basketball season thus far as this was back and forth throughout Bill Self had coined it a big boy game and I think you have to agree that it's exactly what it was kind of go through the game.

Obviously, it was an overtime victory for the Jayhawks, 90-84, led by Devon Dotson and Yudoka Azubuki on the Jayhawks' side. And the big story coming in was, was Obi Toppin, was he the best player in this game? It became pretty clear early in this one that Kansas was going to try to take Obi Toppin out. With 13 minutes to go in the first half, Toppin went to the bench. He had zero shot attempts, so that was good that KU was limiting him early, but the problem was Dayton hit their first five threes in this game. Kansas led the game 26-21, and that was their biggest lead for quite some time.

That's Jayhawks led by five, and then it was quickly taken over by Dayton. They tied the game at 27-all. With just about eight minutes to go, we were tied at 27. Kansas had one turnover, and Dayton had two. That's how clean this game was played. Yudoka Azubuki picked up his second foul with about 7.14 to go in the first half, so that led to a problem offensively for Kansas. They followed that up with four straight empty possessions,

three offensive fouls, and a travel. But Devon Dotson kept Kansas in this thing early. He had an unreal up and under to cut the Dayton lead to 31-29, and then a pair of free throws tied the game at 31-all. Topping got on the board with a 3, and that made it 34-31 Dayton. Kansas was a little bit scary, a little bit in rough territory there toward the end of the first half, but Marcus Garrett had a big time 3 that cut the lead to 37-36, and that was our halftime score. KU down 1 at half, Devon Dotson

had 17 points at halftime and a pair of steals. Doak had nine points. And again, the three-pointers, all Dayton. They had eight threes in the first half on 18 attempts. Kansas was just two of six. And Ochiai Obagi had just two points in the first half of this one. Obie had seven points and five boards. And in terms of bench play, this was kind of a storyline throughout

the Maui Invitational, Dayton controlled that in the first half alone, it was 15-0 in favor of the Flyers, so it was one point Dayton lead as we headed to the second half and Ochai who maybe didn't have his best tournament offensively, but he never came out of this game at all, he played all 45 minutes, he had a big 3 to put Kansas on top, 46-42. Got a little bit more comfortable when Tristan and Aruna had a big three after that, and that made it 46-42, but it wasn't long before Dayton regained the lead. Another three, this time by Ryan Mikesell, gave Dayton a 54-50 lead, and Dayton had their biggest lead of the night following a 9-0 run.

It was a three from Ibi Watson that gave the Flyers a 66-58 advantage. Again, closing out a 9-0 run, and seven different Dayton players at this point had at least won three. But Devon Dotson, Marcus Garrett, they led the Jayhawks back in this one. Dotson, Garrett, Dotson, and Garrett, the next four possessions for Kansas, they scored at the rim, and that tied the game at 66-all with under four minutes remaining. Kansas would close out an 11-0 run when Yudoka Azubuki had a huge and-one, plus the free throw. Free throw is huge for Duke in this game. Kansas all of a sudden led 69-66 following the 11-0 run. Yudoka Azubuki essentially controlled the game

offensively for Kansas the rest of the way. He had a right hook off the glass to make it 71-68 and then Kansas had a chance to go up by four with Devon Dotson going to the line after a defensive stop, but Dotson uncharacteristically missed the first free throw. It was 71-68 still. A top-end basket with a minute to go cut the lead to one. Dayton had a chance to take the lead when they got the ball back, but Doak came through with a huge block, the biggest block of his four blocks on the night with 22 seconds to go. That gave Kansas the ball back back Dotson went back to the line with the one-point lead and this time he sunk both free throws to make it 73 to 70 Kansas just needed a stop Dayton would come up the court they'd call a timeout and Jalen Crutcher

with 1.6 seconds to go shades of Trey Burke hit about a 24 foot 3 to tie the game and send us to overtime. Kansas actually had an opportunity to close this one out in regulation, but Isaiah Moss missed a last second heave. His only shot attempt in 36 minutes for Moss as the defense really was covering him anytime he touched the ball as well. It went off the backboard no good and we went to overtime 73 all. Dayton had hit 15 threes and Kansas just four. Kansas would not attempt a three in overtime because they didn't need to.

They rode their big man, Yudoka Azubuki. Jayhawks got on the board first with Yudoka inside. Mike Sell answered, and we were tied at 75. How about this? Next possession down the court, Yudoka gets fouled by Toppin. Toppin's fourth foul, Doak goes to the line and sinks both free throws. 32% free throw shooter hits them both right through the net, and it's 77 to 75. Doak would finish off an alley-oop from Marcus Garrett to extend the lead to four, and then another Flyers three, their final of the night, this one from Mike Sell again, made it 79 to 78. Again, it was as a bookie. Doak with an and one made the

free throw. KU was back up by a comfortable four-point lead. Any lead that was about four in this game, you felt better because more than one possession. For the most part, this game was played within one possession either way. Mike Sell, not a good free throw shooter himself, would hit 2 of 2 at the line to cut it to 2 point KU advantage. Ochai got fouled on a take when Doak got taken out of the game for a breather. He hit 1 of 2 free throws. 83-80 Kansas. Mike Sell drove again, again got fouled, and again the 53% shooter hit both of his free throws. That cut it to 83-82 with about a minute and a half go. With Doak on the bench, Devon Dotson, he a co-MVP of this

Maui Invitational took control. He got past the defense as we see him do so often, took it to the hoop and scored to put Kansas up 85-82. Kansas would get a defensive stop. Marcus Garrett had a take and an up-and-under to go up 87-82. Doak did foul out. Rodney Chapman shot a three, and Doak fouled him, perhaps some fatigue attempting on the closeout. Doak was airborne and went into Chapman while fouling out. Chapman hit two free throws to cut it to 87-84,

but Dayton had to foul. Marcus Garrett would hit three of four free throws in the final minute and Kansas wins it 90-84. One of the most exciting college basketball games of the season. That was a more exciting game for me to watch as a Kansas fan than any game last year and it was a big boy game between a team that's probably going to be ranked second in the country in Kansas and a team that in my going to be ranked second in the country in Kansas and a team that in my opinion is a top 15 team in Dayton they have got some guys they've got as I said seven different guys hit threes they've got a potential player of the year candidate and Obi Toppin so this Dayton team they have everything they need and Kansas needed to play well and this came to

win to beat a Dayton team Hawks shot 56 percent from the field as a team. They only turned it over 11 times in 45 minutes of play and of course they were led by the Maui Invitational co-MVPs Devon Dotson and Yudoka Azubuki. Yudoka in this game had 29 points and 4 blocks and Dotson 31 points and he had 6 boards, four assists, and five steals in playing the full 45 for Devon Dotson. Ochiai Obagi, as I said, he played 45 minutes in this one. He only scored six points, but he had six boards, four assists, a steal, and a block,

and Isaiah Moss, 36 minutes off the bench. He was crucial defensively as well. He missed his one shot attempt that heave at the end of regulation, but he did a good job taking what the defense gave him. This game was all about Doak and Dotson. How about Marcus Garrett as well, chipping in 18 points. 5 of 6 free throws, maybe not his strength, but he hit him when he needed to. 6 of 10 from the field. Garrett 7 boards and 2 assists. Phenomenal game across the board. Great to see our Jayhawks. You only got 3 bench points, but again 50 plus points in the paint. 3rd consecutive game. Kansas dominated the paint throughout this Maui Invitational. And God willing, that can continue to be how the Jayhawks play the rest of the way. Credit to Dayton. They're a great team. Can't stress enough that Kansas needed to play well. They got outscored from the perimeter by 36 points because Dayton had 16 threes and Kansas had just four.

But KU did what they do. They played through their top guys, Dotson and Doak, and they got it done. What a phenomenal game. We'll hear next week on the show from Bill Self and KU players. Kansas basketball will not play until the Colorado game on December 7th at Allen Fieldhouse. But coming up later on this show, next segment we'll take a look at the Big 12, all the teams in action, and do my Friday

five picks. And the final segment we'll take a look at Baylor football as Kansas football closes out the season on Saturday. Treat yourself to the meal you deserve and have your favorite restaurants come to you with DoorDash. Right now our listeners can closes out the season on Saturday. This is Locked On Jayhawks, product of the Locked On Podcast Network, the local experts on the biggest stories. Just got done talking about Kansas 90, Dayton 84 in overtime, and the Maui Gym Maui Invitational as the Jayhawks pick up their third ever Maui Invitational title, 96-2015, and now 2019 in an instant classic at the Lioness Center on Wednesday. Other Big 12 teams were in action.

Kind of recap everything that's been going on. Iowa State's played a couple games the last two days. They are in Atlantis, the battle for Atlantis, and they lost the opening round to Michigan, an unranked Michigan team who will be in the top 25 next week as well as the Wolverines won it 83-76. Iowa State would bounce back yesterday, and in a very high-scoring affair, they disposed of Alabama 104-89. Tyrese Halliburton is a next level player. This is a guy

who could be a lottery pick and he's going to be a problem in the Big 12. Can't wait to see the undersized Devon Dotson battling Halliburton at least a couple times this season. K-State, not a good Thanksgiving time for them. They fall to Bradley 73-60 just a game after they lost to Pitt. So the Wildcats have some issues. They were picked to finish ninth in the Big 12, and they're going to have to get it together if they want to make any sort of progress. But yeah, back-to-back tough losses for Bruce Weber and company. Mike Boynton, on the other hand, they're feeling pretty good about themselves. They disposed of Syracuse 86 to 72 on Wednesday, and they'll be back in action tonight.

West Virginia defeated Wichita State 75-63, and of course the Jayhawks over Dayton closed out Wednesday's slate. Thursday's games, yesterday Thanksgiving action, Iowa State of course with that victory over Alabama, and Texas Tech, they suffered their first loss since the national title game to Virginia, as Iowa defeated Tech 72-61. Games in action tonight. Iowa State takes on Seton Hall to close out that battle for Atlantis.

That'll be the fifth place game. Texas Tech will take on Creighton in a consolation game. And Oklahoma State, as I said, they're back in action. They're taking on Ole Miss tonight. Tomorrow, Texas will battle McNeese State at home, and on Sunday, West Virginia will take on Rhode Island as the non-conference slate rolls on for men's basketball. For football, Texas Tech and Texas are underway. That game, 11 a.m. kick on Friday here after Thanksgiving. Remember, the Jayhawks played Texas the Friday after Thanksgiving

last year, but it's Texas and Tech already underway. West Virginia and TCU will get it going a little bit later today. Frogs are big favorites at home in that one, 3.15 p.m. kick. Tomorrow's slate, Iowa State takes on K-State in Manhattan. That's at 6 p.m. Oklahoma State battles Oklahoma at 7 p.m. Again, the Sooners will be big favorites in that one they have not covered 3 weeks in a row and our Jayhawks close out the season against Baylor at 2.30 we'll preview that one on our final segment

alright looking at the Friday 5 now gonna stay in the Big 12 I tend to do that for at least some of these picks just cause you feel like you know the teams a little bit better it gives you a sense of confidence whether it's false confidence or not, it's confidence at all. But we're going to start with Oklahoma State.

Tonight at 8.30, it's Oklahoma State taking on Ole Miss. Oklahoma State is getting a point in this basketball game, and I like Mike Pointon and company to cover that. Oklahoma State over Ole Miss. You know, I think people are sleeping on the Cowboys this year. I think they are a team that can finish fourth in the Big 12 behind Kansas, Baylor, and Texas Tech. They've got a lot of guys, and they've got team chemistry, which not many teams nowadays can say. So many returners. You've got the seniors

in Lindy Waters, Thomas DeZagua, and Cameron McGriff. And then you've got guys that are just coming back, maybe not even seniors, but Isaac Likely, Yoran A., they're back, and some newcomers as well that are doing work for Oklahoma State. Not to mention, hey, next season they've got Cade Cunningham and company coming in. So Mike Boynton getting it done. And Stillwater, I don't think they should be underdogs against Ole Miss. I like Oklahoma State to cover that tonight.

Tomorrow, college football. Two big-time matchups, and I'm going to throw down on both of them. Alabama and Auburn doing work in the Iron Bowl. Alabama, remember, they're ranked fifth in the country. They're three-and-a-half-point favorites at Auburn, and I am riding the tide again. Alabama is not a team that seems like you would get rich betting against, so I'm going to lay the 3.5.

Not an amazing number, but I think Alabama can get it done against Auburn. Remember, this Alabama team, they're fighting for their college football playoff life, so I think that they're going to come out with a vengeance and take down Auburn by more than four. Michigan football and Ohio State. This game is played at the Big House. The game, they call it. Ohio State is minus nine on the road.

I think that's too many points. I'm not a big Michigan guy, never have been, but I think that UM football can cover the plus nine against Ohio State. Then a couple NFL games that are going on on Sunday. Current lines that I'm looking at right now. Denver is plus three at home against the Chargers. Can you ever really count on Phillip Rivers as a favorite ever? Denver is obviously atrocious.

They've got many problems, but they're at home, and they're getting three points. I like Denver against Phillip Rivers and company just because you don't want to bet on the Chargers. Denver will bounce back at home behind a good crowd at mile high. And then how about this already a rematch, an awkward one at that. Pittsburgh and the Browns. The Steelers are plus 2.5 against Cleveland. This was the matchup where Miles Garrett and Mason Rudolph had their really, I don't even know how we want to describe it.

It was a violent act of aggression both ways. Rudolph tried to tear off Garrett's helmet, and then Garrett successfully tore off Rudolph's helmet and started hitting him over the head. Garrett, of course, done for the season. Rudolph has since been benched in favor of Devlin Hodges as the quarterback in Steel City. I think Pittsburgh plus two and a half is the bet. I don't think the Browns should be favored on the road. I don't think we're quite there yet for the Browns even though they're facing a guy who was seen at the beginning of the year as a third

string quarterback for Pittsburgh. So take the Steelers plus 2.5. Should be interesting to see how emotions fly high in that one. Alright, Friday 5 recap. Oklahoma State tonight in basketball. Plus 1 against Ole Miss. Tomorrow, two college football games, the Iron Bowl, Alabama minus 3.5 at Auburn. And the game, Michigan plus 9, hosting Ohio State. Closing out the Friday 5 with a pair of NFL games on Sunday. Denver plus 3 at home against the Chargers.

And Pittsburgh plus 2.5 at home against the Browns. That is this week's Friday 5. Coming up in the final segment, we'll preview Kansas football. Taking on Baylor, final game of the Browns. That is this week's Friday Five. Coming up in the final segment, we'll preview Kansas football taking on Baylor. Final game of the year tomorrow. Kickoff is 2.30 p.m. from David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. Senior day for so many guys who put their heart and soul into this program.

This is Locked On Jayhawks, a product of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. Jayhawks in the NBA outlook from Wednesday. There were no games on Thursday in the league, but biggest bounce back performance without question was Joel Embiid. One game after going scoreless in 32 minutes, Embiid puts up a line of 33 points and 16 boards. That's more like it for Joe as he looks to get back on track.

Devontae Graham had another phenomenal game as well. DT 16 points, 15 assists, and 7 rebounds. And Charlotte's 102-101 victory over Svee, Keefe, and the Detroit Pistons. Those teams will have a rematch, actually, tonight. But Devontae continuing to put up numbers, and it seems like the Hornets are in every game. Every game is close. Devontae is right in the middle of it. In that game, Markeith Moore has 7 points, 5 boards, 2 assists. Svee had 3 points and 1 board. Other Jayhawks in action, Marcus Morris for the Knicks had 7 points and 3 boards.

Ben McLemore had the exact same stat line of 7 and 3. Andrew Wiggins had 26 points and 8 rebounds for the T-Wolves. Kelly Oubre Jr. and Sheck Diallo played for the Suns. Oubre had 12 points and 3 boards. And Diallo, another double-double. Another really good game for Sheck. He had 17 points and 10 boards. He's kind of becoming the new look of the NBA, I guess, or even the G League. It's not necessarily developing in college. All of a sudden, these guys are going pro. Whether they're drafted or not, they're kind of developing their game, some successfully and some not so much at the NBA level or at the G League level.

Diallo continuing to get more minutes at the NBA level for the Suns, and the past couple games he's put together good performances. All right, senior day tomorrow for Kansas football, and you know, it's frustrating. The season hasn't really gone as we'd like, but I think you can say pretty fairly that a lot of KU football fans would be happy with four wins in Les Miles' first season at the helm, and this team has that opportunity if they can knock off Baylor tomorrow. You probably are thinking that Baylor is going to be huge favorites in this game, and they are big favorites, but maybe not what you would think. 14-point favorites for the Bears in this one. Remember Baylor,

a team who's 10-1, and they are really close to being undefeated at 11-0, but they blew that game against Oklahoma and Waco a few weeks back when they led 28-3. Those teams will, of course, rematch next week in the Big 12 Championship game, so that'll be fun. Perhaps an opportunity where Baylor's overlooking the Jayhawks, and they're focused on that. I'm not sure if Baylor's going to be sitting any guys that are of importance, but Charlie Brewer says he should be good to go after leaving the game last week against Texas. So Baylor likely is going to put their first-teamers all out there in an effort to go 11-1 and prove their stock,

because, of course, they are still hoping to have an outside shot at a college football playoff, and they would need to beat Kansas handily, you'd have to think, and then beat Oklahoma to even be in that conversation. But Charlie Brewer, fourth in the Big 12 in passing and 22nd in rushing. He's just behind the likes of Sam Ellinger and Skylar Thompson, guys who ran all over the KU run defense. So that's going to be really tricky is containing Brewer. That's going to be a main key for the KU defense.

Really, this Baylor team is just very, very well balanced on both sides of the ball. They've got a couple top receivers. Denzel Mims is fourth in the Big 12, averaging 81 yards per game, and Tyquan Thornton is 12th in the conference, 56 yards per game. Sandwiched in between those two guys are a pair of Jayhawks, Stephon Robinson and Andrew Parchment. In terms of running the football, Baylor, they've got two guys, Jamichael Hasty and John Lovett, who are in the top 15, but not in the top 10 in the conference. Defensively is really where Baylor hangs their hat.

They have the most sacks in the league with 38 sacks. No one else has more than 31. It's the Mountaineers of West Virginia who have 31. So 38 sacks for Baylor, led by James Lynch. He has 10.5 sacks this season, easily leading the conference. Next closest is 7. Graylin Arnold in the secondary for Baylor is tied for second in the conference with 5 interceptions.

Baylor as a unit defensively allows just 19 points per game and 359 yards per game. That points per game of 19.1 officially is best in the conference, and Baylor, to go along with that top defense, they're fourth in the conference in total offense. So for Kansas in this one, obviously you want to get your playmakers involved, Puka Williams and those two receivers that I mentioned, and Robinson and Parchment. In order to do that offensively, Kansas is going to have to protect the quarterback.

Your running game is going to be more successful if your passing game is successful. We know that, and vice versa. And the ability to get Puka the ball in open field or even let him run between the tackles, the chances of that being successful are if quarterback Carter Stanley can move the ball down the field with any sort of success, then Kansas can open up some time, open up some lanes for Puka Williams. But the problem is if he's being pressured by James Lynch and company all day and KU's offensive line isn't able to hold up, then Kansas becomes one-dimensional, having to rely on Puka, then they have to be playing from behind,

which has been a problem a lot this season. So Kansas is going to have to protect Carter Stanley first and foremost offensively. Get those guys I mentioned, Dale and Charlotte, on the outside. See if you can take some shots down the field and kind of soften up that Baylor defense to give KU a chance. But like I said, it's been a very stingy Bears defense thus far. And then the number one goal has to be, if you're the Jayhawks defense, containing Brewer and his legs. He's a guy who, as I said, he's in the top four in the conference in passing,

but he can beat you with his legs too. We know what Skyler Thompson did, 127 yards on the ground against Kansas in that Dylan Sunflower showdown. So can Kansas keep Brewer in the pocket and get some stops on the outside and then turn it over to their offense? You want to establish Puka early, but you've got to be able to move the ball down the field with Stanley and company as well, be able to be more than one-dimensional offensively.

And maybe we'll see Les Miles pull something out of his hat. Maybe we'll see a fake punt or a couple trick plays, something like that, from Coach Deamer and Coach Miles in the last game of the season. Kansas 3-8, hoping to get that fourth win. And, of course, it is Senior Day, so Carter Stanley, a lot of guys, Mike Lee, who have been in the program for a long time. There are so many guys on this team who really do put their heart and soul, practices, early mornings, tutoring.

You know, they've got so much on their plate always. They have not gotten as many wins as they'd like. We know Jayhawk Nation feels the same, but hopefully Jayhawk Nation packs the booth and shows up in big numbers tomorrow and supports these guys who have given so much to our program. Thanks so much for tuning in. That'll do it for our show.

Remember, Jayhawks take on Baylor in football tomorrow at 2.30. Next week, we'll recap that. We'll talk maybe the future of Kansas football and then big- time preview of Kansas basketball as we're past the Maui Invitational Maui Invitational champs for the third time and now we focus on the next test which is Colorado at Allen Fieldhouse

on Saturday December 7th thanks so much for listening this is Locked On Jayhawks, a product of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day and Rock Chalk, Jayhawk