Jayhawks run over Bears

 By Taylor Bern

Topeka Capital-Journal

LAWRENCE , Kan. — After a disenchanting victory against Memphis on Tuesday, Kansas returned home, put on its red jerseys and ran roughshod over Central Arkansas.

Really, the game played out exactly as it should, the No. 1 team in the country romping to a 94-44 victory.

“Memphis is over with. It was tough game and I think it was a good game for us,” Tyrel Reed said. “But coming out here with a lot of energy was fun tonight.”

Kansas set a rugged defensive tone on its first possession, and it rarely relented. In fact, Kansas’ defense created the most compelling storyline of the first half: Would Central Arkansas reach double digits?

“If the other team can’t score, we can’t lose,” Reed said. “When we look up there and they haven’t made it to double-digits yet, we’re proud of what we’ve done.”

C.J. Henry entered his first Kansas game with 2:27 on the first-half clock and the Jayhawks up 36-9. Two minutes earlier the Bears’ Jared Rehmel scored his seventh point of the game to end a 23-0 Jayhawk run and trim the lead to 31-7.

With 1:44 to go, Carlos Dos Santos laid in a bucket to get over the single-digit hump. Dos Santos’ shot started a 6-0 Central Arkansas run that ended the half.

It was the lone offensive highlight for the Bears.

“For stretches our defense was pretty good, even though they didn’t attack the basket or look to score,” coach Bill Self said.

Offensively, four Jayhawks — Reed, Sherron Collins, Xavier Henry and Marcus Morris — led with 12 points apiece. Kansas also met its quota for highlight-reel plays.

In the first half there was Thomas Robinson’s putback slam, Tyshawn Taylor’s drive and alley-oop to Markieff Morris and Elijah Johnson’s steal and court-length drive to score at the other end.

Robinson and that motor of his tried to turn every rebound that touched his fingers into a dunk.

For example, Xavier Henry grimaced at his off-balance shot midway through the first half, but he could only laugh after watching Robinson soar in from the 3-point line, all too eager to clean up his mess.

Robinson just shrugged when asked after the game from what place he found his relentless energy.

“It’s just natural,” Robinson said. “I never really gave it a name.”

The Morris twins were also relentless in the paint. Midway through the second half Markieff hammered down his second dunk, this one off of Reed’s missed 3-pointer. Markieff hit 4 of 4 from the floor and combined with Marcus to score 20 points.

“I think they’re having fun,” Self said of the twins. “They have a lot more confidence and their bodies are better.

“I think Markieff is playing really well in limited minutes.”

The negatives for Kansas were brief.

Collins missed some minutes after going down with an ankle injury and the team will endure extra sprints for getting outrebounded 38-36. However, Collins re-entered and looked fine and the Jayhawks committed just seven turnovers.

“We took better care of the basketball,” Self said. “That’s a positive after pitching it all over the building Tuesday.”

While he’d rather forget his team’s performance, Central Arkansas coach Rand Chappell said his players should remember the atmosphere.

“I told the kids that some older gentlemen pay thousands of dollars to go to fantasy camp and play somewhere like this,” Chappell said. “I think that we will take a neat experience from here.”

The aura of Allen Fieldhouse was also on C.J. Henry’s mind.

Self gauged Henry’s health at 80-85 percent, which was good enough to play Thursday. During the pregame presentations, Henry reflected on his family’s history at Kansas.

“I thought about that when they were playing the video before the game,” Henry said. “I was like, ‘I’m actually going to play where my dad played.’ It was exciting.”

Henry scored eight points and now the top team in the country has another weapon.