Kansas basketball: Sunflower Showdown brawl won’t affect second game
Despite having one of the most memorable brawls in recent memory the last time they played, the outcome of Kansas basketball vs. Kansas State won’t be affected.
Kansas basketball and Kansas State are set to meet for the second time this season next Saturday, and you can bet your bottom dollar the brawl from earlier this season will be mentioned at least 1000 times. Ok, maybe not that many, but it’ll certainly be a key talking point.
The brawl sparked national controversy, leading to a multitude of different viewpoints from both the college basketball community and sports community in general. Dick Vitale even went so far as to call Silvio De Sousa‘s actions “criminal,” saying that he should not ever play college basketball again.
Obviously, that didn’t happen.
De Sousa was given a 12 game suspension for his role in the brawl, while David McCormack was given two games. Two Kansas State players were also suspended for three and eight games.
In just a couple of days, Kansas basketball will travel to what will undoubtedly be one of the most hostile environments they’ve faced all season. There’s no doubt that all 12,528 seats will be filled with Wildcat fans screaming at the top of their lungs. The fight from the first game might amp up the crowd more than the players, considering just how much better the Jayhawks are this season than Kansas State.
It’s been a really rough year for Bruce Weber’s squad, given they lost three of their seniors after winning a share of the Big 12 title last season. So far, the Wildcats are sitting at just 2-13 in conference play compared to Kansas’ 14-1. According to KenPom, Kansas State ranks last in the Big 12 in offense and seventh in defense, while the Jayhawks rank first in both.
The bottom line is, the brawl probably won’t matter a ton on the court, given both coaches will want to avoid any altercations this time around. The pregame speeches for both teams will more than likely consist of warnings and threats if anyone gets out of line, so it wouldn’t even be surprising to see a subdued version of each team to start the game.
Maybe once the game gets going and the blood starts pumping we’ll see some chippiness, but if the game becomes a blowout quickly it could take the air out of Kansas State’s sails.
We’re nearing the end of the season now, which means fatigue could become a factor. Getting the starters as much rest as possible should be a priority, so hopefully, Kansas can get up big early and coast.
Look for another big game from the big man Udoka Azubuike, considering the Wildcats play pretty small. Once again, if Kansas basketball can shut down Kansas State early in the game and give guys like Tristan Enaruna and David McCormack some playing time, that’d be really good.
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You can catch the second round of the Sunflower Showdown this Saturday afternoon at 12:30 on CBS. Expect the Jayhawks to be double-digit favorites in the matchup.