Top-ranked Jayhawks draws top overall NCAA seed

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03/15/2010 -

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) -Look who's lurking deep in the Midwest bracket where Kansas proudly sits as overall No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament.

It's none other than Tennessee and Oklahoma State - the ``2'' in that glittering 32-2 record that the Jayhawks compiled while dominating a Big 12 Conference that sent seven teams into the 65-team field.

As expected, the Jayhawks were given the distinction of being overall No. 1 and, as hoped, get to play their opening game against Lehigh in Oklahoma City - an easy drive down Interstate 35 from Lawrence. But they weren't thinking that the only teams to beat them would be right there in their same bracket.

``My eyes got big,'' said sophomore guard Tyshawn Taylor. ``Maybe we'll get a chance to get these guys back.''

Tennessee, seeded No. 6 in the Midwest, beat the Jayhawks 76-68 on Jan. 10, while seventh-seeded Oklahoma State - Kansas coach Bill Self's alma mater - was an 85-77 winner on a cold night in Stillwater on Feb. 27.

But that was the last loss for a deep and talented Jayhawk team led by Sherron Collins, its all-conference senior guard, and Cole Aldrich, the 6-foot-11 junior center who shattered the team record this year for blocked shots.

Self made it clear they were in no mood to look ahead.

``There's also a team that beat us twice in there last year - Michigan State,'' said the coach of the team that was ranked No. 1 in The Associated Press poll all but four weeks this season.

``You would think if we had a chance to play any of those teams, it could mean two things. Either the other team will be confident, or it could mean that we would be angry,'' Self said. ``But we're not going that far. We've got to win a two-game tournament. You win a two-game tournament, the next two games obviously will be against quality opponents.''

It's the ninth time Kansas has been a No. 1 seed and the third time in four seasons they've rolled up 30 wins.

Kansas State, in the meantime, drew the No. 2 seed in the West Regional, the highest seeding ever for the Wildcats and an honor that Self said was ``well deserved.''

The Wildcats, who finished second to Kansas in the Big 12 tournament and regular season, will also get to play in Oklahoma City on Thursday against No. 15 seed North Texas.

``I didn't really know what to expect, but I'm happy we got a two-seed,'' said Kansas State guard Jacob Pullen. ``We have a chance to make a deep run. I think the players that were here my freshman year understand the venue and everything that's there. But it's a great opportunity. We get a chance to go into the tournament, face some teams that are good.''

Self said he would not argue with anyone who claimed the Midwest is the toughest regional.

``I would agree wholeheartedly,'' he said. ``If we're the overall No. 1 and you've got a team out there that's also the No. 2 seed (Ohio State) that several people thought were in the conversation for a No. 1 seed, and then you have in my opinion a team that played unbelievably down the stretch - Georgetown. Your No. 4 seed (Maryland) is your ACC co-champion, and your five-seed (Michigan State) is the Big Ten co-champion, or tri-champion. You can make a case looking at it like that.''

Perhaps with the experience of 2008 in mind, when the Jayhawks beat Memphis in overtime for the NCAA title, Self said he will not let his team worry about anybody but Lehigh.

And if they get by Lehigh, they will be concerned only with the next game, the winner between Northern Iowa and UNLV.

``We can get kind of carried away with the tournament if you look ahead,'' Self said. ``You can't look too far ahead because if you do, you might be preparing for something that doesn't even exist. You've got to stay in the present and the present is this weekend.''Copyright © 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.

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After all the trouble that’s ensued since Braylon Edwards allegedly punched one of LeBron James’ homeboys in the face at a club, the Cleveland Browns have sent away their last remaining player of worth to the New York Jets. This is a great move for Dirty Sanchez and all, but it’s even better for the Knicks. Now Donnie Walsh can say, “You get to haunt Braylon Edwards with your posse if you sign here!” next summer.

Putting that aside for a moment, the move is a clear indication that the new-look Jets are gunning for the Super Bowl this year. I don’t think that New York thought that Dirty Sanchez was going to be such a rock star. With a 75.2 passer rating that was killed against the Jets, Sanchez is doing an admirable job of managing games and putting the Jets in a position to win. The defense has been the major story in New York thus far, but the acquisition of Braylon Edwards makes this offense loaded with talent that can dent any defense…as long as Dirty Sanchez continues his meteoric rise.

Thus far, Edwards has been a non-factor in the NFL piling up just 139 receiving yards on 10 catches. He has yet to find the endzone, and with the Browns mired in the most unsexy quarterback controversy of all time (Anderson vs. Quinn...yawn), there going nowhere fast. Edwards is two seasons removed from a career year which saw him catch 80 passes for 1,289 yards and 16 touchdowns when the Browns were the spread killing monsters of 2007. In 2008, injuries slowed the receiver down to just 873 yards and three touchdowns though he played in all 16 games.

So that being said, we really don’t know if Braylon Edwards is just a flash in the pan, or a legit threat. At 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds, he is a prototypical receiver. But he’s also shown a strange, and unwarranted, talent for dropping passes. Lining up opposite Jericho Cotchery, a speed demon with 23 catches, 356 yards and a single touchdown, may give Braylon the open looks he needs. A change of scenery may also rejuvenate the star receiver.

In return, the Browns will receive Chansi Stuckey, online football betting a special teams player you’ve never heard of and a pair of draft picks. That’s a tall order for a guy whose only real value right now is in his name, and it shows no promise to the Browns that they can rebuild around those acquisitions. Braylon was the only reason to hope for the Browns to go 3-14 SU this year. Without him, they don’t have a single guy on offense that can scare any team.

For the Jets, it’s a response to the pounding that they took at the hand of the Saints. Thomas Jones and Leon Washington have averaged around 4.0 yards per carry each on the ground, but striking a fair balance between the passing and rushing attacks in New York has been a struggle. You have to believe that the trio of Dustin Keller, Jericho Cotchery and Braylon Edwards will give Sanchez the weapons he needs to unleash through the air. Theoretically, that would open up holes for the rushing game. But the proposed public option health care plan works in theory too. We need to see the proof in the pudding before we start loading up mega bucks on the New York Jets to take the AFC.

The one wrinkle in this whole thing is that Braylon could very well be suspended by the league for disciplinary action due to his “brawl” with LeBron’s friend. If that’s the case, the Jets may have to bench him for a few games leaving them with a somewhat depleted receiving corps for a few games. Also, this is a guy who gets in fights with people at clubs. New York may not be the best place for him. Just sayin’.

The Jets have a long week before they meet the Miami Dolphins on Monday Night Football Betting in a virtual pick ‘em game. Braylon’s excess baggage may be a distraction, and his curiously low production may be what we should be expecting of him overall, but for the Jets, taking a chance to strike gold is well worth it. At the end of the year, they can simply just blame it on their rookie quarterback.

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