Kansas vs. Tennessee: Player Ratings to the Theme of Hawaiian Food
Game three of three in Hawaii and yet another Hawaii based theme you ask? Yep, why not! We’ve already rated the players to plants and islands, but we haven’t hit on a typical player rating theme yet for this tournament. Yes, you guessed it- food. Now’s the time as we rate the players to the theme of Hawaiian food. But as always, the “rules” (or skip to the TOC and start reading).
5 Stars: Out of this world performance. This is a hard to achieve rating and is only reserved for the most impressive or impressionable performances.
4.5 Stars: Very strong performance, packed the stat sheet, provided undeniable intangibles.
4 Stars: A strong performance that falls just short of the standards above.
3.5 Stars: Above average performance, perhaps stands out in one category or one aspect of the game.
3 Stars: Average performance. Also could be a very strong game in one aspect but a very poor game in another such as 15 points but seven turnovers. Could also be that the player played, did their job, but didn't do much spectacularly.
2 Stars: Below average performance, or we simply have higher expectations for the player on this particular night.
1 Star: Rare, but if a player has a stinker in all aspects.
Memorial No Star: Named after former KU walk-on Chris Teahan and is awarded to the player(s) who didn't have enough playing time to contribute or whose performance isn't worthy of a rating for another reason.
5 Stars: Pineapple
I once pulled the car off a stretch of highway on Oahu and bought a pineapple from a guy selling them off of a card table on the side of the road. To this day, this has to be the single most succulent and delicious piece of fruit I’ve ever eaten.
No one was a five star in this game.
4.5 Stars: Poke
Marinated raw tuna is always a good idea. Add in some cucumbers, steamed rice, an avocado maybe, and some asian inspired sauces and I'm in.
When Kansas started feeding Hunter Dickinson, the Jayhawks really started to cook. The fact that it took a little while is a bit concerning, but Kansas got there. Dickinson looked like a shoo-in to go 20/20 again, but missed free throws prevented it (as well as Bill Self’s defensive rotation at the end). Seventeen points and 20 boards is nothing to sneeze at though and staying out of foul trouble against a physical team was crucial as well.
4 Stars: Huli Huli Chicken
Chicken that’s been marinated in pineapple juice among other ingredients and is grilled on an open charcoal fire? Sign me up right now.
Jamari McDowell was the player that KU needed on Wednesday. The freshman played 27 minutes and was in there when you might’ve expected Elamarko Jackson or Johnny Furphy to be getting the playing time. This is a good sign for KU’s depth and Jamari stepped up by canning two threes when KU really needed them. He ended with seven points and four rebounds.
Kevin McCullar couldn’t buy a call in this game, and sadly, complaining about it is going to get the officials in future games to start looking the other way. That passion is one of the things that makes McCullar great, but he definitely doesn’t want a reputation whether it’s warranted or not. We’ve seen too many Kansas players look at someone the wrong way and get a foul called on them and I don’t want the opposite to be true where McCullar gets mauled every single time with no call made. Oh, the game you ask? He has 14 points and six rebounds.
3.5 Stars: Plate Lunch
I can’t say that I’ve ever eaten this, but it seems like the closest thing to a working class lunch that you can find in Hawaii. Served on a single plate, cafeteria style, it includes a meat (fried chicken and pulled pork are popular choices), a few scoops of rice, and a scoop of macaroni salad. Not bad.
KJ Adams gets knocked down to a 3.5 because the man can’t make his free throws right now. Finished the game six of nine from the floor for 13 points (he made one of six free throws).
Dajuan Harris scored five points and dished out eight assists. It wasn’t his best game as he made some foolish decisions with a few passes, but with a tired Tennessee team, he didn’t have to be perfect. It will be nice to see a sharp Dajuan after the holiday break.
Johnny Furphy was perfect from the floor in this one, but only played eleven minutes. He finished with five points.
3 Stars: Spam
You either love or hate Spam, but you can’t deny that it is a staple in Hawaiian culture. And quite frankly, Hawaii has to be one of the only places most people even try this (in)famous canned ham. It definitely tastes better on the islands.
Elmarko Jackson only played 13 minutes and didn't score a point from the field, although he did can all four of his free throw attempts. The dish he had to Dickinson in the second half where he reversed his body in the air was one of his finest plays of the season and KU fans will want to see more like that. Bill Self also used him as a defensive sub when KU had to guard against Tennessee threes at the end and he performed admirably.
Parker Braun gets a three through no fault of his own. He just didn’t play enough. He had a basket, was credited with two steals, grabbed two rebounds, dished out an assist, and blocked a shot in nine minutes. If he can keep putting up those numbers in limited time while Hunter goes 20/20, everyone will be happy.
2 Stars: Hamburger
Not that a hamburger is bad, it’s just that it will cost you a fortune in Hawaii.
No one was a two star.
1 Star: Poi
Made from the Taro root, Poi just isn’t very appetizing to me. It’s very good for you, but the consistency and flavor are a no-go for many people.
No one was a one star either.
Chris Teahan Memorial No-Star:
Nick Timberlake played only a few minutes before his face crunched into the floor under the weight of a Tennessee Volunteer. Let’s hope he’s ready to go for Eastern Illinois.
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