84-74. 88-84. 80-68. Kansas and Texas have played three times in the finals of the Big 12 Tournament and, each time, KU has emerged the victor. And, each time, the game was considered a great game--even a classic--given the circumstances.
In 2006, a group of Kansas freshmen named Rush, Chalmers and Wright paid back Texas for a regular season 25-point loss in Austin. That championship game, played in Dallas, was the coming out party for that talented group of recruits who shared the regular season title with the Longhorns. In 2007, KU came back from a huge first half deficit to beat Texas in Oklahoma City. And, that was a Texas team featuring a kid named Durant. Then, in 2008, KU and Texas played one of the best college games seen in Kansas City, making shot after shot, and christening the first league tournament in Sprint Center with a 12 point Kansas victory. That Jayhawk team won a national championship three weeks later.
So, once again, we get the Jayhawks and Longhorns in the league final. What should you look for today?
- Tyrel Reed. The under-appreciated Reed, playing on a foot which will need post-season surgery, held Colorado's Cory Higgins to 1 of 11 shooting while also draining two three pointers at crucial points in the Kansas victory.
- Gary Johnson. The Texas senior seems to be everywhere on the court--he tips balls away, grabs rebounds, moves his feet well on defense, and makes garbage baskets. He's the kind of guy you hate to play but who you want on your team.
- Revenge. Kansas clearly wanted to play Texas again since the Longhorns beat KU in Allen Fieldhouse earlier in the year. Texas is tired of hearing about Kansas' string of tournament championship wins over their school.
- Thomas Robinson. Robinson has had a bad tournament. He only played nine minutes against Colorado, has been lost too often on defense, and has not supplied the energy off the bench like he did in the regular season. The Jayhawks need a solid game from Robinson tonight.
- J'Covan Brown. Brown has been a Kansas nemesis, most recently going off for 23 off the bench on January 22 in Lawrence.
- Matchups. Brady Morningstar will take on Jordan Hamilton. Dogus Balbay will hound Reed. Tyshawn Taylor/Elijah Johnson (whichever starts) will go against Cory Joseph. And, Tristan Thompson and Johnson will be paired against the Morris twins. Interesting matchups all, complemented by who comes off the bench for each team--Josh Selby and Brown, Robinson and Matt Hill, Mario Little and Alexis Wangmene, and Taylor/Johnson and Jai Lucas.
- Atmosphere. Sprint Center isn't Allen Fieldhouse but the crowd will be blue, blue, blue. The exits of Kansas State and Missouri on Thursday meant a buyer's market for Kansas fans. A key will be that the crowd is loud and into it early as Kansas cannot afford another sluggish start--something which plagued them on Thursday morning and last night.
- Prediction: Based upon what I've seen the past two days, I'd pick Texas. Based upon what I read about game readiness, I'd pick Kansas. Thus, my head says "Texas" but my heart says "Kansas." I'm following my heart--Kansas 82, Texas 77.
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