***Official '22/'23 Defending Natl' Champion KU Men’s Basketball Repository Thread***

[cmh6476]

The Team:

https://kuathletics.com/sports/mbball/roster/

The Schedule:

https://kuathletics.com/sports/mbball/schedule/

[Bearcat]

Originally Posted by RustShack

If it helps, #1 North Carolina lost tonight too.

Beating Wisconsin was more painful.

[ROYC75]

I do think we're probably top 15, we just didn't play like it the last 2 games.

A lot to be learned between now and March about these teams, who can learn from these mini tourneys and who can't.

I do believe the Big 12 is gonna be extremely tough top of the bottom.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by BWillie

Well it was the 3rd game in 3 days. Not much pregame coaching you can do in this one. I really do think Tenn is just better than us. But we should grow quite a bit by the end of the year. Need to not live through Jalen Wilson AS MUCH. He's simply not a real efficient scorer but you need him attacking the rim and getting to the line. MJ Rice will get alot better, he's not really been practicing and he's coming off of kidney stones. Eventually the light will come on for one of our bigs not named KJ.

Jalen Wilson's usage is incredibly high right now out of necessity. Until/unless somebody else steps up, he's gonna have to keep shooting.

The real issue for this team is developing their bigs. If they do that, they'll be a contender. If they don't, it's hard to see them being elite. Despite how hard as he tries, you can only be so good when KJ Adams (a horrible offensive player and a very poor defensive rebounder) is playing this many minutes at the 5 spot.

[Al Czervik]

Originally Posted by RustShack

If it helps, #1 North Carolina lost tonight too.

If it helps, we beat UNC and won a Natty....
Thanks for the reminder....

[Monty]

It’s still November. Lots to fix/correct, but it’s like this every year. RCJH!

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by BWillie

Significantly overrated to begin the year. Probably the 17th best team in the country.

Probably worse than that tbh. They were worse than that last year prior to going on the run in the tournament. Completely overranked. As are we right now.

[ROYC75]

Originally Posted by RustShack

If it helps, #1 North Carolina lost tonight too.

Props on the win, ISU is much better than I gave them credit for! Is Grill supposed to be this good or just a great game tonight?

[SithCeNtZ]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

You're referring to the first game of the season that was played at an extremely high tempo against a Gonzaga team that wasn't interested in defending whatsoever? That game means about as much as this one did tonight, which is to say nothing.

And FYI, that KU team that was 54th in the country in offensive efficiency, the worst of the Self era.

Well we are 85 now according to google so I don't know how this is better. I hope you are right obviously but we don't have any offense at the 5 and not even a hint of potential there other than a dunker/rebounder type guy. Certainly no one with any moves resembling Mac. Going to be rough unless rice comes through.

[KC_Connection]

Early warning: KU at Missouri in two weeks might be a Vegas pick 'em.

— Jesse Newell (@jessenewell) November 26, 2022

We'll beat them in the Liberty Bowl to make up for that one.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by SithCeNtZ

Well we are 85 now according to google so I don't know how this is better. I hope you are right obviously but we don't have any offense at the 5 and not even a hint of potential there other than a dunker/rebounder type guy. Certainly no one with any moves resembling Mac. Going to be rough unless rice comes through.

They're 38th on KenPom after the game today offensively. It's possible that they'll end up worse than 2 years ago given the prevailing KJ Adams issue, but I think the potential is there to do much better. Even if the bigs don't come through, they also have the option to go smaller with Wilson at the 5 as they've done successfully the past few years.

In any case, I'm certainly not looking at today's game like it means anything. It was effectively played without their top point guard who happens to be the primary stabilizing presence on the team.

[Bearcat]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

Early warning: KU at Missouri in two weeks might be a Vegas pick 'em.

— Jesse Newell (@jessenewell) November 26, 2022

We'll beat them in the Liberty Bowl to make up for that one.

Holy shit, just glanced at their non-con.... Guessing they haven't played anyone in the kenpom top 200, but have Wichita State coming up, at least.

[RustShack]

Originally Posted by ROYC75

Props on the win, ISU is much better than I gave them credit for! Is Grill supposed to be this good or just a great game tonight?

He’s always been a shooter, but the shots tend not to fall in games, especially in Hilton. Weirdly he’s been a better road shooter. Hopefully tonight was the start of his shooting translating to Gameday.

[KC_Connection]

Also need to find the 5 who can finish drop offs. One issue with KJ Adams is he's drawing fouls but that's like a turnover because he's such a bad free throw shooter.

— CJ Moore (@CJMooreHoops) November 26, 2022

The problem with not having a legitimate scoring big and/or enough spacing with shooters (KJ in particular is always lurking around the key but still doesn't have to be defended). All defenders head towards Wilson.

[Pablo]

Just gonna pretend I didn’t watch that one

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by Bearcat

Holy shit, just glanced at their non-con.... Guessing they haven't played anyone in the kenpom top 200, but have Wichita State coming up, at least.

Yeah, we won't have much of any idea what they even are until the Wichita St game.