KU @ TU 2002

[Air_Raid918]

In a nostalgic mood and came across this article today. We were #17 in the AP at the time, and KU was #20. Always wondered how different our season would have been had Antonio not been kicked off the team. Never seen someone so quick with the ball.

ESPN Magazine recently quoted guards Reed and Swanson saying the Hurricane had enough talent to win it all this season.

"Forget the Final Four," Reed said. "We'll accept nothing less than first place."

http://m.kusports.com/news/2002/dec/11/hurricane_warning_20thranked/?templates=mobile

 

[Gold*]

I thought Reed was still on team at that point? I agree they would have been better if he had played up to his ability, but all the evidence is that the team got better after he was kicked off. Parker became the point guard and Glenn started from there. Reed could have been the mayor of this town, but he pissed a lot away. One of my all time favorites. I wish TU would get him involved.

 

[Air_Raid918]

He was still on the team at that point, hampered by an ankle injury. Wasn't trying to argue Reed's value to the team, bc we did beat Dayton and should've beaten Wisconsin 2nd round. Swanson and Parker were ridiculous. With or w/out Reed, we arguably had the best backcourt in the nation. You could tell Parker and Reed bumped heads. They were fighting for shots. A good coach would've handled that.

I just enjoyed reading the article. All the positive things both Roy Williams and KU's players had to say about our team. Reed's quote. Remembering we were AP #17 at the time. Preseason #25. Sure hope Joiner, Scott, Jackson, Jeffries are good. And the others improve. We were always known for good guards and guard play was lacking this year

 

[drboobay]

I remember that game well. It was a hugely disappointing loss considering the opportunity. I think it may have been our last time in the Top 25?

 

[I.I.]

Swanson and Reed...the two "Jets"...... Quickest two guard combo in TU history. I remember laughing when Bill said he didn't want Reed or Swanson to know he was offering the other ! He said both were "steals" and could play anywhere but were under the radar.

 

[TU_BLA]

Swanson and Reed...the two "Jets"...... Quickest two guard combo in TU history. I remember laughing when Bill said he didn't want Reed or Swanson to know he was offering the other ! He said both were "steals" and could play anywhere but were under the radar.

My wife always called them the "pesky fleas"...she always says how much we need more fleas on the court that harass the other team

 

[noble cane]

Wasn't that the year that KU's stud had broken or bruised ribs and JP refused to get physical with him whenever he went into the paint?

I'd have treated it like a prize fight and made him pay for every rebound, drive, etc..

In boxing terms, if he can't breathe .. he can't fight.

 

[TU_BLA]

Wasn't that the year that KU's stud had broken or bruised ribs and JP refused to get physical with him whenever he went into the paint?

I'd have treated it like a prize fight and made him pay for every rebound, drive, etc..

In boxing terms, if he can't breathe .. he can't fight.

Harry Potter and Nick Collison were on that KU team. That team also played for a national championship so they were pretty damn good.

 

[noble cane]

Harry Potter and Nick Collison were on that KU team. That team also played for a national championship so they were pretty damn good.

Yeah, they were good. But we were not physical at all. I remember sitting in the Don Rey and wondering why we were treating them with kid gloves. We were the under dog. They were in our house and we acted like we were afraid to touch them.

 

[Air_Raid918]

I remember that game well. It was a hugely disappointing loss considering the opportunity. I think it may have been our last time in the Top 25?

We dropped out a few weeks later, after losing to Iowa at home when we were #20

 

[Air_Raid918]

Swanson and Reed...the two "Jets"...... Quickest two guard combo in TU history.

Swanson was my all time favorite TU guard. He epitomized TU basketball during that era. Undersized, quick, athletic, and tenacious. The Ed Cota rip and dunk, the dunk over UTEP's big guy at the WAC Tourney in Tulsa (it was called a charge), Fresno game winning bank shot 3, the list goes on. Other than Westbrook, Antonio and Dante got the ball up quicker in transition than any players I've seen.

 

[TU_BLA]

Harry Potter and Nick Collison were on that KU team. That team also played for a national championship so they were pretty damn good.

Yeah, they were good. But we were not physical at all. I remember sitting in the Don Rey and wondering why we were treating them with kid gloves. We were the under dog. They were in our house and we acted like we were afraid to touch them.

I remember we came out with a case of nerves. You'd think a bunch of guys who played for a chance to go to the Final Four, played Kansas even for 38 minutes in Kemper just a year earlier, won an NIT championship, would have had a clue in how to control big game nerves.

 

[cmullinsTU]

I remember we came out with a case of nerves. You'd think a bunch of guys who played for a chance to go to the Final Four, played Kansas even for 38 minutes in Kemper just a year earlier, won an NIT championship, would have had a clue in how to control big game nerves.

Didn't have Bill Bellicheck as HC.

 

[TU_BLA]

Didn't have Bill Bellicheck as HC.

FIVE

 

[noble cane]

I remember we came out with a case of nerves. You'd think a bunch of guys who played for a chance to go to the Final Four, played Kansas even for 38 minutes in Kemper just a year earlier, won an NIT championship, would have had a clue in how to control big game nerves.

No Greg Harrington to coach the team.

 

[TU_BLA]

No Greg Harrington to coach the team.

True. I always remember the moment in 2001 when Harrington waived off some instructions Buzz was barking from the sideline. Once that happened and Buzz essentially stopped coaching and let the players take care of things on the floor, that team really came together and played well. Had Buzz just realized that in game 1 versus game 28, TU may have ended up in the NCAA again and making another solid run.

 

[Original TULSAFAN]

went to the 2002 game w my dad... had high expectations for a W. tulsa just did not handle the nerves to begin the game and that sort of solidified the flow/pace from there.

too bad...

2002-2003 had a ton of potential --- we beat Wisconsin as we should have and we are likely in the Elite 8 imo - perhaps Final 4.

 

[noble cane]

True. I always remember the moment in 2001 when Harrington waived off some instructions Buzz was barking from the sideline. Once that happened and Buzz essentially stopped coaching and let the players take care of things on the floor, that team really came together and played well. Had Buzz just realized that in game 1 versus game 28, TU may have ended up in the NCAA again and making another solid run.

I remember the first nit game when Greg grabbed charle Davis by the jersey and told him we are not losing this game.

 

[ctt8410]

I thought Reed was still on team at that point?

Not only was he on the team, he hit a halfcourt shot at the buzzer to put us up 4 at the half.

 

[mcane]

and there are rumors he was rocket-fueled that night