KCMB Kansas City News

Thursday, February 7, 2013

TCU Shocks Kansas In Biggest Upset Of The Year

It will go down as the biggest upset this season in college basketball and the worst loss a Bill Self Kansas team has ever suffered. Last night, the Kansas Jayhawks were shockingly upset by TCU in Fort Worth, 62-55.

After a rare loss at home to Oklahoma State, most thought that Kansas would come out fired up against TCU. It didn’t happen, as the Jayhawks only scored an embarrassing 13 points in the first half. The Jayhawks only shot 30 percent from the field, including a horrific 3 of 22 from beyond the arc. Efficient scorers Jeff Withey and Travis Releford didn’t get many shots, while reserve point guard Naadir Tharpe attempted 15. Worst of all, struggling point guard Elijah Johnson continued to play terrible basketball, once again missing shots while turning the ball over at will.

To sum this loss up as “shocking” would be putting it too lightly. In terms of RPI, this was the biggest upset in the last 20 years of college basketball. The Jayhawks, who have knocked off top teams like Ohio State and Kansas State on the road, looked outclassed from the beginning against TCU. With two straight losses, it may be panic time in Lawrence if the Jayhawks can’t get out of their funk.

The loss also had a huge impact on the league race, as the Big 12 is now wide open. Kansas and Kansas State are tied for first, while suddenly red-hot Oklahoma State sits only one game behind. The Jayhawks will need to regroup quickly, as they have two tough games coming up – a road contest against Oklahoma and home against KSU. If Kansas can win these two games, it will once again be in the driver’s seat for a ninth straight Big 12 title. However, after last night, that is looking like a slim possibility.

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Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Kansas - TCU Preview

For only the second time this season, the Kansas Jayhawks will be looking to rebound from a loss. TCU may provide the perfect opportunity for KU to right the ship, as the Horned Frogs are winless in conference play. Tonight’s game will begin at 8:00 p.m.

Kansas has struggled offensively over the past month, and the poor play finally caught up to them on Saturday. Against Oklahoma State, the Jayhawks shot only 41 percent and committed 16 turnovers. Much of the focus has been on Elijah Johnson’s struggles, and rightfully so – the senior has 19 turnovers in KU’s past five games while shooting a dismal 24 percent from the floor.

Self has said that he will stick with Johnson at point guard, and KU fans have to remain optimistic that the senior point guard will regain the form he displayed in last year’s NCAA championship game run. While Johnson figures things out, the Jayhawks will continue to rely on freshman sensation Ben McLemore for scoring. McLemore is now averaging 16.4 ppg and has become a consistent force for Kansas, while Jeff Withey and Travis Releford have also been consistent.

TCU has struggled to adjust to the Big 12, and hasn’t been very competitive in league play this season. The Horned Frogs are averaging only 49 points and shooting 35 percent in league play, and shot only 33 percent from the floor while getting blown out on Saturday at Texas. Despite Kansas’ offensive struggles, the Jayhawks still boast one of the top defenses in the country. If the Horned Frogs want to keep this one close, they’ll need some early shots to fall.

This game on paper has all the makings of a blowout, but Kansas has played down against inferior opponents several times this season already. Still, the Jayhawks are too talented for TCU, and Kansas should be able to get rid of the bad taste in their mouth from Saturday’s loss fairly quickly.

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Lee's Summit West Football Star Charged With Armed Robbery

Lee Summit West High School’s Jamone A. Boyd, one of the top prep football players in the state of Missouri, was charged yesterday with armed robbery. Boyd is accused of robbing several victims at gunpoint in a Kansas City apartment.

Court records depict that Boyd and several other men pushed their way into an apartment with five people inside, striking two victims in the head with a pistol while pushing others to the ground. The burglars stole cash, electronics and clothing, and warned the victims that if they attempted to leave the apartment after the robbery, they would be gunned down with assault rifles. The robbers also threatened to return and rob the victims again in a couple of weeks.

Boyd is being charged with five counts of robbery in the first-degree, as well as five counts of armed criminal action. Prosecutors have requested a bond of $150,000. Boyd has turned himself into police and has denied being involved in the robbery; however, four of the robbery victims have identified Boyd.

The football star, who is 6’4 and 250 pounds, has been rated a four-star defensive end and has received interest from all of the local Universities. Boyd was scheduled to sign a letter of intent tomorrow to play football at Butler Community College, deciding to improve his grades at the junior college after originally committing to Kansas State.

This hasn’t been Boyd’s first run-in with the law. In November, he was cited for possessing marijuana and resisting arrest. After this incident, Boyd was sent to Summit Ridge Academy. He was benched for one game last season at Lee’s Summit West after receiving a detention in school, which is a violation of team policy. Lee’s Summit West head football coach Royce Boehm and district athletics director Darwin Rold have not yet commented on Boyd’s actions.

Monday, February 4, 2013

Elijah Johnson Continues To Struggle For Kansas

Kansas’ 85-80 loss to Oklahoma State on Saturday seemed shocking to many, given how dominant the Jayhawks have been at home for the last several years and Kansas’ high ranking in the polls. However, the Jayhawks had been asking to be upset for months, narrowly escaping several inferior teams before Saturday. The problem in Lawrence all starts at point guard, as Elijah Johnson continues to struggle for KU.

Johnson nearly single-handedly lost the game for Kansas on Saturday. The senior shot 3 of 14 from the floor and committed four costly turnovers in the second half that led to easy transition buckets for the Cowboys. The Jayhawks had a four point lead late in the second half, and good point guard play would have allowed KU to put the game away. Instead, Johnson handed it to OSU on a silver platter.

Johnson has 19 turnovers against 19 assists in his last five games, while also shooting a poor percentage from the floor. After excelling as a shooting guard late last season next to Tyshawn Taylor, Johnson simply hasn’t looked comfortable playing the point this year.

The problem for Kansas is a lack of depth – Naadir Tharpe is the only other player capable of playing the point, and the young guard has struggled with consistency this season. Tharpe hit some big shots for KU on Saturday, but he is best used as a change-of-pace of the bench. A Tharpe-Johnson backcourt also presents problems for Bill Self, because it means he has to sit either Ben McLemore or Travis Releford, both who are playing at an extremely high level for Kansas.

Self has said that he will stick by Johnson, and really he doesn’t have any other choice. Kansas fans will continue to hope and pray the senior figures it out and plays at a higher level. The Jayhawks have all the pieces to win a ninth straight Big 12 title and make another deep NCAA tournament run. However, if Johnson continues to play poorly, KU could be in trouble.

Saturday, February 2, 2013

Church of the Nativity Parish Fundraiser a Smash Hit in 2013

There's big time, and then there's even BIGGER time. When it comes time for the Church of the Nativity to throw their annual fundraiser for their school The Nativity Parish School, the entire city of Leawood shows up to party. This year, the annual fundraiser hit it's highest mark in regards to donations raised and this was partly due to a change in entertainment for the event. Instead of going with a regular cover band this year, The Church of Nativity got with the times and brought in The Dueling Piano Guys, a National touring dueling piano act based in Kansas City, Missouri.

Although the auctioneers at this event went on a little too long for most, and started to become a little irritating (there's only so much auctioneering rattle you can stand) - when the Dueling Piano Guys hit the stage the party lit into action. In years past, many would leave the event after the auction, but not this year. The guests immediately packed the dance floor and stayed there for entire 75 minute performance. From making "human trumpets" out of some hand picked guys and gals from the crowd, to a roaring conga line, the dueling piano guys took this event to the next level performing today's hits mixed with hits from every generation.

The totals are not yet in for the amounts raised, but they are sure to be higher than previous years and the Nativity Parish School, located at 119th and Mission in Leawood, Kansas will be reaping the benefits of many generous prestigious members of the Leawood community's donations. Both the church and the school of the Nativity offer wonderful programs for people in the community of all ages, from the school children to adult groups, this organization offers something for everyone. For more information on The Church of the Nativity and the Nativity Parish School, visit their website at www.kcnativity.org

Check out the Conga Line at the charity event!

2013 Church of the Nativity Parish School Fundraiser brought to you by KCMB Kansas City News, official kc news site with breaking stories on The Kansas City Royals, Chiefs, charity events, the 2012 MLB All Star Game, weather, sports, MU, KU, ufo sightings, dui checkpoints, Kansas City neighborhoods, nightlife, concerts, the Sprint Center, the Power and Light District and current Kansas City news articles.