This was truly a team with each man contributing significantly to an important win. I looked back at game logs and tried to identify the one outstanding game that helped make this season complete. In some cases it wasn't easy, because guys had myriad great games. But in each case, one stood out. Here they are; feel free to argue.
KJ--the Miami Sweet 16 game. 21 pts, 9 boards, 4 dimes, one steal and one block. 8-10 FG, 5-6 3pt. Only one turnover. And one bucket with one second on the shot clock with one foot on the halfcourt logo.
Hart--at Butler, going for 22 and 11. Not the best stats or the biggest stage (that would be in the national semifinal, obviously), but we won that game 60-55 on the road in a tough gym, and he didn't make a three (0-1). Needed every bucket at the rim in that one.
Chef--2nd round against Iowa. 6 points, 11 boards, 4 assists, 3 blocks, 3 steals. One foul. Why this one? Iowa had size, but DO showed he could go against it. Remember his first blown bunny? Within seconds, he had another shot, and he flushed it. NC State was a thing of the past. In the next four tourney games, he shot 20-29, not to mention the D against quality front lines.
Jalen--@Temple, with 25 points in 23 minutes. He didn't have to be the main event in many games (he was pretty darn good against Stanford and G-Tech at Barclays, in career games 5 and 6), but considering the environment, we got a taste of how he'll handle pressure in the coming years.
Arch--New Year's eve against Xavier. We had lost to OK and at Virginia, and people wondered if maybe Xavier wasn't the class of the league. So Arch goes for 27 points, 8 assists, 2 steals, 7 3s. End of conversation, for then at least.
DR--@PC, obviously. Having lost at home to them with DO, how would we fare on the road without him? I got this. 19 points, 10 boards, 2 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks. 9-10 FG. 1-1 FT. Next man up!
Phil--another no-brainer. The title game he's Harold Jenson 2.0. 20 points, a steal (an interior pass on help D), a block, one solitary miss and one turnover. Money free throws. Huge shot at the end of the half and that fadeaway in the lane was our last bucket until, well, the last bucket.
Mikal--saving the best for last. I was at the Garden when he swooped in like a condor for that left-hand jam while getting klopped on the head, but when I think of Mikal, no matter what he does the rest of his career, I will think of Kansas. 6 points, 3 rebounds (one rather memorable one on the offensive glass), 5 steals, and seemingly 8 arms. He was, simply, everywhere.
Thanks to these crazy 8s!
KJ--the Miami Sweet 16 game. 21 pts, 9 boards, 4 dimes, one steal and one block. 8-10 FG, 5-6 3pt. Only one turnover. And one bucket with one second on the shot clock with one foot on the halfcourt logo.
Hart--at Butler, going for 22 and 11. Not the best stats or the biggest stage (that would be in the national semifinal, obviously), but we won that game 60-55 on the road in a tough gym, and he didn't make a three (0-1). Needed every bucket at the rim in that one.
Chef--2nd round against Iowa. 6 points, 11 boards, 4 assists, 3 blocks, 3 steals. One foul. Why this one? Iowa had size, but DO showed he could go against it. Remember his first blown bunny? Within seconds, he had another shot, and he flushed it. NC State was a thing of the past. In the next four tourney games, he shot 20-29, not to mention the D against quality front lines.
Jalen--@Temple, with 25 points in 23 minutes. He didn't have to be the main event in many games (he was pretty darn good against Stanford and G-Tech at Barclays, in career games 5 and 6), but considering the environment, we got a taste of how he'll handle pressure in the coming years.
Arch--New Year's eve against Xavier. We had lost to OK and at Virginia, and people wondered if maybe Xavier wasn't the class of the league. So Arch goes for 27 points, 8 assists, 2 steals, 7 3s. End of conversation, for then at least.
DR--@PC, obviously. Having lost at home to them with DO, how would we fare on the road without him? I got this. 19 points, 10 boards, 2 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks. 9-10 FG. 1-1 FT. Next man up!
Phil--another no-brainer. The title game he's Harold Jenson 2.0. 20 points, a steal (an interior pass on help D), a block, one solitary miss and one turnover. Money free throws. Huge shot at the end of the half and that fadeaway in the lane was our last bucket until, well, the last bucket.
Mikal--saving the best for last. I was at the Garden when he swooped in like a condor for that left-hand jam while getting klopped on the head, but when I think of Mikal, no matter what he does the rest of his career, I will think of Kansas. 6 points, 3 rebounds (one rather memorable one on the offensive glass), 5 steals, and seemingly 8 arms. He was, simply, everywhere.
Thanks to these crazy 8s!
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