SB Nation Kansas City - Kansas vs. Richmond preview: Jayhawks steamroll Spiders by 28https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48935/kc-fave.png2012-12-19T16:06:57-06:00http://kansascity.sbnation.com/rss/stream/35439832012-12-19T16:06:57-06:002012-12-19T16:06:57-06:00Withey impresses Richmond team
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<figcaption>USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The senior center made his mark against the Richmond Spiders in the Jayhawks' 87-59 win on Tuesday night.</p> <p>The <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/teams/kansas-jayhawks" class="sbn-auto-link">Kansas Jayhawks</a> and their faithful are already familiar with <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/53330/jeff-withey" class="sbn-auto-link">Jeff Withey's</a> impressive play this season, but the center left an impression on the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/teams/richmond-spiders" class="sbn-auto-link">Richmond Spiders</a> in Kansas' win 87-59 win on Tuesday night.</p>
<p>Withey filled up the stat sheet, leading the Jayhawks with a game-high 17 points, 13 rebounds, four blocks, two assists and two steals. Defensively, he helped clog the lanes, which forced Richmond to take 32 shots from beyond the arc.</p>
<p>The senior's production has improved every year and has made a considerable leap from last season, despite his playing time increasing by only a few minutes per game. His improvement <a href="http://www.kuathletics.com/sports/m-baskbl/recaps/121812aag.html">was not lost on Richmond coach Chris Mooney</a> after Tuesday night's result:</p>
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<p>"He is a great player. How much he has improved over his career is really impressive. It's a credit to him and a credit to the coaches and the program. It's really impressive to see how good he has been. He has really developed a great low-post game and was able to score a little bit too easily."</p>
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<p>Spiders guard <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/99769/darien-brothers" class="sbn-auto-link">Darien Brothers</a> echoed his coach and lauded Withey as a defensive presence.</p>
<p>So far this year, Withey has three double-doubles and one triple-double in a game in which he recorded 12 blocks. He's averaging 14.1 points, 8.1 rebounds and leads the nation with 5.4 blocks.</p>
https://kansascity.sbnation.com/2012/12/19/3785694/jeff-withey-kansas-richmondJay Asser2012-12-19T08:48:19-06:002012-12-19T08:48:19-06:00Jayhawks turn eyes to Buckeyes
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<figcaption>USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Ohio State awaits a scorching-hot Kansas team on Saturday.</p> <p>Count <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/teams/kansas-jayhawks" class="sbn-auto-link">Kansas Jayhawks</a> head basketball coach Bill Self among those pleased with the way the Jayhawks have handled their pre-conference schedule. But don't count him among those truly impressed just yet.</p>
<p>After the No. 9 Jayhawks trounced the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/teams/richmond-spiders" class="sbn-auto-link">Richmond Spiders</a>, <a target="_blank" href="http://kansascity.sbnation.com/2012/12/18/3782428/kansas-vs-richmond-recap-jayhawks-jump-on-spiders-early-never-look/in/3543983">87-59, on Tuesday night</a> to improve to 9-1, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.kuathletics.com/sports/m-baskbl/recaps/121812aag.html">Self said the season hasn't really begun yet</a>. But it will on Saturday, when the Jayhawks continue their pre-Big 12 schedule with their biggest test of the season, on the road against No. 7 Ohio State.</p>
<p>Richmond was the latest in a line of out-of-conference opponents Kansas has handled well of late. Along with the 28-point win over the Spiders, the Jayhawks also have a 36-point win over Colorado and a 29-point win over Belmont in December. Self was satisfied with the effort against Richmond:</p>
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<p>"We controlled the game pretty well from start to finish tonight," Self said. "Our biggest lead was 37, so that's pretty good. Our biggest lead against Belmont was 41, and our biggest lead against Colorado was in the 40s. We've done a good job holding serve at home and playing with energy."</p>
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<p>However, Ohio State will provide a good barometer of where the team is, Self said:</p>
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<p>"Now we'll find out how good we are, though. Let's be serious. The season starts Saturday. Now we can go up there and hopefully take a real enthusiastic team up there, hunker down, see how tough we are and find out a lot about ourselves."</p>
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<p>Kansas and Ohio State tip off at 3 p.m. CT on Saturday.</p>
https://kansascity.sbnation.com/kansas-jayhawks/2012/12/19/3783904/bill-self-kansas-jayhawks-ohio-state-richmondKevin Jeffers2012-12-18T19:59:43-06:002012-12-18T19:59:43-06:00Jayhawks jolt Spiders 87-59
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<figcaption>John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Bill Self's squad stays perfect at home before a big-time road test in Columbus against the Ohio State Buckeyes this weekend.</p> <p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/teams/kansas-jayhawks">Kansas Jayhawks</a> hammered the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/teams/richmond-spiders">Richmond Spiders</a>, 87-59, Tuesday night at Allen Fieldhouse in the final tuneup for Kansas before they take on the Ohio State Buckeyes on Saturday.</p>
<p>Kansas (9-1) made a talented Richmond Spiders (9-3) team look more like <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/CLV/1899.shtml" target="_blank">the hapless 1899 Cleveland Spiders</a>, completely dominating in all facets and controlling a powerful edge on the glass. The Jayhawks out-rebounded Richmond by a tremendous 43-24 margin, holding the Spiders to just 32.8 percent shooting from the field. Kansas stayed undefeated at home, running their record at Allen Fieldhouse to 6-0 on the 2012-13 campaign.</p>
<p>Jayhawks senior center <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/53330/jeff-withey">Jeff Withey</a> notched his fourth double-double of the year in fine fashion, rolling up 17 points and 13 rebounds for Kansas; he also blocked four shots. Freshman guard <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/145556/ben-mclemore">Ben McLemore</a> chipped in 14 points of his own for Kansas en route to the victory.</p>
<p>Kansas now has a few days to prepare for their Top Ten skirmish against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Value City Arena in Columbus on Saturday. Like Kansas, the Buckeyes have only one loss, that coming by just five points against Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Richmond will take on its regional rival <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/teams/george-mason-patriots">George Mason Patriots</a> in the Governor's Holiday Hoops Classic in Richmond.</p>
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https://kansascity.sbnation.com/2012/12/18/3782428/kansas-vs-richmond-recap-jayhawks-jump-on-spiders-early-never-lookBen Gellman-Chomsky2012-12-18T11:02:48-06:002012-12-18T11:02:48-06:00Video: Bill Self breaks down Kansas vs. Richmond
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<figcaption>John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The last time the two teams faced each other, Kansas eliminated Richmond in the Sweet 16 round of the 2011 NCAA Tournament.</p> <p><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/teams/kansas-jayhawks" class="sbn-auto-link">Kansas </a>basketball coach Bill Self and some Jayhawks players spoke to the media on Monday about the team's upcoming game on Tuesday night against the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/teams/richmond-spiders" class="sbn-auto-link">Richmond Spiders</a>. The Jayhawks and Spiders haven't met since Richmond was eliminated from the Sweet 16 of the 2011 NCAA Tournament after a 77-57 win for Kansas.</p>
<p>In a video released Monday, Self spoke of the quality of Richmond and mentioned the last meeting between the two teams:</p>
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<p>Richmond enters the game with a 9-2 record and a five-game winning streak, including overtime wins against William & Mary and James Madison. The only two losses for the Spiders came against Minnesota and, most recently, a 73-48 rout at the hands of the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/teams/ohio-bobcats" class="sbn-auto-link">Ohio Bobcats</a>.</p>
<p>Kansas bounced back from a 67-64 loss to the Michigan State Spartans early in the season and has won seven straight games, six of those by double figures. They enter the game with an 8-1 overall record.</p>
https://kansascity.sbnation.com/kansas-jayhawks/2012/12/18/3780578/kansas-vs-richmond-video-bill-selfAdam Stites2012-12-18T09:58:23-06:002012-12-18T09:58:23-06:00Series tied between Jayhawks-Spiders
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<figcaption>Jamie Squire</figcaption>
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<p>Richmond won the first ever matchup between the two teams with an upset, road victory in January 2004.</p> <p>The <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/teams/kansas-jayhawks" class="sbn-auto-link">Kansas Jayhawks</a> and <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/teams/richmond-spiders" class="sbn-auto-link">Richmond Spiders</a> have faced each other just two times in men's basketball, with each team earning a victory in one of the games. The No. 9 Jayhawks can take a 2-1 lead in the series history and snap a five-game winning streak for the Spiders on Tuesday night with a win.</p>
<p>Richmond won the first ever game between the two teams with an upset win over then-No. 12 Kansas in January 2004. The road victory was a highlight win for the Spiders that finished 20-13 and earned a spot in the NCAA Tournament, but lost in the first round to Wisconsin.</p>
<p>The Jayhawks had to wait seven years for their revenge, but got it in the Sweet 16 round of the 2011 NCAA Tournament with a dominating 77-57 win to end the season for the Spiders. With a 9-2 record to begin the season, Richmond is off to a promising start to another season that they hope results in a trip to the NCAA Tournament at season's end.</p>
https://kansascity.sbnation.com/kansas-jayhawks/2012/12/18/3780288/kansas-vs-richmond-series-historyAdam Stites2012-12-18T07:00:41-06:002012-12-18T07:00:41-06:00Jayhawks to host Richmond Tuesday
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<figcaption>John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Bill Self's Kansas Jayhawks will try to keep their winning streak alive this week against a dangerous Richmond team.</p> <p>Fresh off a dominant performance to drop the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/teams/belmont-bruins">Belmont Bruins</a> over the weekend, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/teams/kansas-jayhawks">Kansas Jayhawks</a> will kick off a new week of action with a vastly underrated opponent in the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/teams/richmond-spiders">Richmond Spiders</a>.</p>
<p>The Jayhawks continue to pick up significant contributions from star freshman <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/145556/ben-mclemore">Ben McLemore</a>, as the 6'5 scoring guard is now averaging 20.7 points per game and shooting 60% from three-point range over his last three games. Along with McLemore's offensive prowess, Kansas coach Bill Self also has come to expect nothing short of excellence from his senior big man <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/53330/jeff-withey">Jeff Withey</a> on the defensive end of the floor.</p>
<p>Along with placing first in college basketball with an improbable 5.6 blocks per game average, the 7'0 Withey has somehow only been whistled for committing nine fouls all season long. With Withey closing up the lane on opposing scorers and McLemore providing a great chunk of the offense, Kansas should have more than enough firepower to deal with a Richmond team that tops out as one of the smallest in the country.</p>
<p>Despite putting up elite numbers from both the three-point and free-throw lines this season, the Spiders have struggled mightily on the defensive glass so far after 11 games. That could be a recipe for disaster against a Kansas lineup with three players, Withey, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/29804/kevin-young">Kevin Young</a> and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/174425/perry-ellis">Perry Ellis</a>, who each excel at making things happen on the offensive glass.</p>
<p><b>When:</b> Tuesday, Dec. 18</p>
<p><b>Where:</b> Allen Fieldhouse, Lawrence, KS</p>
<p><b>Game time:</b> 6 p.m. CT</p>
<p><b>TV channel:</b> ESPN/ESPNU/Watch ESPN</p>
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https://kansascity.sbnation.com/kansas-jayhawks/2012/12/18/3777218/kansas-vs-richmond-preview-schedule-tvDave Ryan