Kansas Jayhawks: 3 Thoughts on Win Over Georgetown
Brannen Greene shot lights out from beyond the arc
The sophomore guard, for lack of a better term, played out of his mind tonight. Greene lead Kansas in scoring, finishing with 19 points on the night, including shooting a perfect 5-5 from three. A pair of threes around the 12:00 minute mark in the second half, helping swing momentum for the Jayhawks and bringing the score to 51-47.
It’s unrealistic to think Brannen Greene will have perfect nights from beyond the arc all season long, but the sophomore showed tonight that he was ready to carry his team when they needed him. His 19 points off the bench will bode well for a Kansas team that will find themselves in some close games come Big 12 conference play. It was, however, Greene’s night tonight, and he made plenty sure that everyone in the Verizon Center knew it.
Kansas played bend but don’t break defense
Kansas played up and down defense all night, letting Georgetown get back into the game late in the 2nd half while also showing moments of brilliance in stopping them at the rim. It didn’t help that the Jayhawks were giving up turnovers late on offense, yet it was a big play late by their defense that helped seal the game for Kansas.
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With 35 seconds left in the game and the score 70-67 in Kansas’ favor, Perry Ellis and Frank Mason III forced a turnover by Georgetown’s Josh Smith. That stopped the offensive juggernaut Smith from adding two more points to his total on the night and lead to a Kansas free throw, making the score an insurmountable 71-67.
Honestly, that Kansas held Smith to 20 points on the night is a victory, as outrageous as that sounds. The big man was unstoppable in the paint tonight, scoring at will. The Jayhawks’ defense stood its ground when it mattered and didn’t break, if you will, late in a close game on the road.
Perry Ellis played an impressive, albeit quiet, game
Don’t look to Perry Ellis for a flashy, jaw-dropping dunk or a slick behind-the-back pass. That’s not necessarily his game. Instead, the junior forward will quietly notch double-figure points, as he did tonight, scoring 13 points on a rather abysmal 4-15 shooting. Ellis’ scored 9 of those points in the first half, helping keep Kansas ahead in a close game.
Ellis also lead Kansas in rebounding with 10 while notching a respectable 2-2-2 on assists, steals and blocks. It’s those hustle points that aren’t as evident during the game as, say, an alley-oop dunk or deep three-pointer from the corner. Yet Ellis relishes the role as the leader of this relatively young Kansas team, very much the elder statesmen as a junior in this ever-evolving one-and-done college basketball landscape.
If the Jayhawks needed a bucket to help slow down the streaking Hoyas, they turned to Ellis. If they needed a steal to generate some fast-break points, it was Ellis who was creating those opportunities on defense. He will lead this Kansas team not with his flashy moves but with his hustle and consistency on both sides of the ball.