Kansas basketball: 3 positive takeaways from setback in Stillwater

The Kansas basketball team had a tough outing Saturday in Stillwater. Despite the setback, there were positives to build on as post season action begins.

Saturday’s setback in Stillwater was a no fun for Jayhawk fans, the players or anyone. On the other hand, I almost expected the outcome. Devonte Graham and this amazing group of Big 12 conference champions simply did not need to focus and bring home a win.  With a conference title on the line, I believe we would have seen a better performance from the Kansas basketball team.

Despite the team’s 5th Big 12 loss of the regular season, there were several positives that will benefit the Jayhawks moving forward. As we know, the team has little margin for error. Each of these could have an impact in the month of March.

Lagerald Vick played 38 minutes and looked as good as he has in several weeks. The junior jumping bean was active on both ends of the court. He only hit one of five three pointers but he needs to keep shooting. Vick can score and the Jayhawks need him to attack the basket. In addition to his 8 points against the Cowboys, Vick hustled to 5 rebounds and a steal. He played with far more confidence Saturday than a week ago in Lubbock. Earning Big 12 Conference post season honorable mention honors should also boost his confidence for March.

Jayhawk freshman Marcus Garrett now has 31 college basketball games on his resume. The 6-foot-5 Dallas native gets better every contest. On Saturday, he looked as good on offense as he typically does on defense. Garrett played 28 minutes and scored 7 points on 3-7 shooting.  He hit one of 2 from beyond the arc and found his way to 5 rebounds. The former Texas Gatorade Player of the Year is always around the basketball. He makes things happen and will be a critical component to success in March Madness.

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One player could save the day in March Madness

Silvio De Sousa has played in just 12 games since arriving on campus in December. It worked perfectly for him to get 13 minutes of playing time in Stillwater. Every minute on the court is valuable and De Sousa looks so good. He found his way to 7 points on 3 of 5 shooting. His second-best point total of the season. He is no longer a liability on defense and nobody plays any harder the De Sousa did against the Cowboys. The Jayhawks will need this 6-foot-9 freshman to help win a big game later this month.