JAYHAWKS HOST ENIGMATIC WILDCATS: Arizona looks to put it all together against No. 4 Kansas

Numbers can be quite deceiving.

If one were to simply look at the box scores from Arizona’s last two games, one would assume the Wildcats are firing on all cylinders heading into today’s trip to Lawrence, Kan., to take on the No. 4 Kansas Jayhawks—a team many experts picked to make the 2008 Final Four.

After all, the Wildcats (3-1) did defeat University of Missouri-Kansas City and Adams State by 19 and 24 points, respectively.

The squad shot 58.9 percent from the floor and took care of business after the disappointing 75-72 loss to Virginia on Nov. 17.

However, these numbers fail to convey the sense of tension in the McKale Center as the fans watched their team struggle mightily in the opening minutes of each game.

“It’s been something we’ve been doing every game now,” said sophomore forward Chase Budinger. “We know we need to come out strong and execute better, because we can’t be starting games this poorly.”

The Kangaroos battled the Wildcats to a 23-23 tie at the 4:40 mark of the opening half in Monday’s game, while the Grizzlies held the Wildcats to a 19-19 stalemate in the first 12 minutes of Wednesday’s contest.

The Wildcats did manage to overcome these sluggish starts and put together brief stretches of flawless basketball in order to dispatch both squads, but they know a slow start could mean trouble against the Jayhawks.

“We all know what kind of talent Kansas brings to the table,” said senior swingman Jawann McClellan. “We have to come out fired up from the opening tip.”

Lacking intensity

Many adjectives could be used to describe Arizona’s effort from the opening tip on Wednesday night, but “fired up” certainly wouldn’t be one of them.

On the flipside, Rece Hampton and Larry Charles Jr. led an inspired Adams State effort.

Hampton led all scorers with 23 points, including a number of breathtaking plays that took the Wildcats by surprise.

Five minutes into the contest, Hampton set the tone with a stunning windmill slam.

Charles, who was born and raised in Tucson, added 13 points and hounded Arizona’s point guards on the defensive end.

“Basketball is a game of runs,” McClellan said. “We just had to withstand theirs and come out with a run of our own.”

Freshman guard Laval Lucas-Perry provided a much-needed spark of the bench, helping Arizona build a 12-point halftime lead.

In the second half, Arizona’s size and athleticism took over.

Jordan Hill and Jamelle Horne proved to be too much down low for the undersized Grizzlies—a squad that didn’t suit up a player taller than 6-foot-7.

Hill scored 17 points on 7-7 shooting while Horne added 15 points on 6-7 from the floor.

“We just did what we knew we were capable of doing,” Hill said. “I still feel like I could’ve performed better.”

While it’s impossible to top his shooting percentage, Hill did struggle somewhat in the first half with foul trouble and occasional intensity lapses on the defensive glass.

The Grizzlies managed 15 rebounds in the first half, compared to only 12 from the Wildcats.

“I honestly don’t know how we got out-rebounded,” Horne said. “We have to do a much better job there.”

The Wildcats rededicated themselves to the rebounding battle in the second half and finished with a 32-22 advantage.

Budinger led the way with seven boards—a huge improvement from his disappionting one-rebound performance against UMKC. He now leads the Wildcats with 4.8 rebounds per contest.

McClellan added six to go with his 10 points and five assists in yet another solid all-around effort.

Scouting the Jayhawks

The Wildcats will need every ounce of intensity they can muster when they battle the Jayhawks (4-0) today.

While the residents of Lawrence might be stricken with BCS fever due to an unexpected run from their football team, this is still one of the nation’s premier college basketball institutions.

This will be Arizona’s first road game this season, and the first college road trip for the five Arizona freshmen. No place like the historic Allen Fieldhouse for the first-year players to get their feet wet.

“I can’t wait,” said freshman guard Jerryd Bayless. “If you can’t get excited for games like this, you shouldn’t be playing basketball.”

Bayless and his fellow backcourt mates will have their hands full with Kansas’ playmakers Mario Chalmers and Russell Robinson.

The Kansas duo combines to average 21.5 points, 6.1 rebounds and 11.1 assists.

Look for Chalmers and Robinson to pick up the slack with the squad’s leading scorer, Sherron Collins, out for six weeks with a stress fracture in his foot.

However, the Jayhawks aren’t exclusively a guard-oriented squad.

Many scouts consider sophomore power forward Darrell Arthur as a potential lottery pick in the 2008 NBA draft.

The explosive Arthur is averaging just under 14 points and seven rebounds in limited minutes during Kansas’ four opening-season blowouts.

Senior Darrell Jackson starts alongside Arthur down low to form a formidable front line.

The center spot is manned by two young, but promising 7-footers. The Wildcats will certainly have their hands full with Sasha Kaun and Cole Aldrich.

Of course, the ace in the hole for coach Bill Self’s squad is versatile swingman Brandon Rush.

The 6-foot-6 junior has battled injuries throughout his Jayhawk tenure—the latest being a torn ACL—but has the talent and tenacity of an NBA player.

Rush is exactly the type of athlete that tends to give Budinger fits.

“We’re going to have to attack Kansas’ defense and take care of the ball to be successful and get the win,” said interim head coach Kevin O’Neill. “Kansas is as good as advertised—great depth, great size, everything you want.”

Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. on ESPN.

nprevenas@gvnews.com | 547-9747

Game Notes

Arizona (3-1) at No. 4 Kansas (4-0)

At Phog Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, Kan.

Tipoff: 6 p.m.

TV: ESPN

Radio: 1290 AM, 107.5 FM