Azubuike enjoying role as rim protector entering Kansas Jayhawks’ game vs. Texas Tech
Kansas 7-footer Udoka Azubuike swatted the shot of 6-6 Tennessee forward Yves Pons in the final seconds of Saturday’s 74-68 victory over the Vols, then, while smiling, waved his right index finger side-to-side to the home crowd.
“I thought it was great. I don’t know I’ve ever seen him smile on the court like that,” KU coach Bill Self said of 255-pound senior center Azubuike, who performed Dikembe Mutombo’s finger wag after his fourth and final block in the recent Big 12/SEC Challenge game.
“I’ve been trying to get our guys to play with more emotion and smile. We’ve been an emotion-less team as far as facial expressions,” Self added. “Anytime you can see that, I think it’s good for everybody. Doke doing it would be more contagious than anybody because that’s not been his personality.”
Nigeria native Azubuike, who when healthy has been an intimidating force on offense in his four-year college career,, has developed a productive all-around game heading into Saturday’s Big 12 battle against Texas Tech (3 p.m., Allen Fieldhouse).
KU’s all-time field goal percentage leader (78.0% this season, 75.4% for his career) is second in the conference in blocked shots (52, one behind TCU’s Kevin Samuel) in all games — first in rejections in league games only (26 to Samuel’s 19).
“This year I am focusing on the defensive side of my game, becoming the rim protector the team needs,” said Azubuike. He is first in the conference in rebounding (9.5 per game) and 14th in scoring (12.8 points per game) in all games. Azubuike is first in rebounding (10.4) and tied for 17th in scoring (11.7) in league games only.
“I am trying to block shots and rebound the ball. When I’m out there I try to dominate,” he added.
Azubuike, who Self made sure wasn’t trying to show up an opposing player when he unleashed the Mutombo gesture — “No Coach, I promise I was not doing that,” Self quoted Azubuike as saying on Tuesday’s Hawk Talk radio show — has blocked nine shots the past two games while serving as KU’s only available big man.
That’s a healthy block total for somebody purposely scaling back his intensity on defense to try to avoid foul problems. KU’s other bigs, David McCormack and Silvio De Sousa, were not available in wins over Tennessee and Oklahoma State because of two- and 12-game suspensions assessed for their roles in the brawl in the KU-Kansas State game on Jan. 21.
“It (being KU’s only big) affected me a little bit. I couldn’t be as aggressive as I used to be on the defensive end, trying to block shots,” Azubuike said. He will welcome McCormack back to the rotation Saturday. De Sousa won’t play again until March 7 at Texas Tech. “Since I was the only big, If I have one foul, that’s huge. I can’t try to block every shot because of (the possibility of) fouls.”
Azubuike committed four fouls in 27 minutes versus Tennessee then was whistled for just two fouls in 28 minutes in Monday’s 65-50 win at OSU.
“I was good with it,” he said of being KU’s sole big for a short period of time. “You’ve got to be prepared. The coaches said, ‘You can’t get in foul trouble.’ I had in my mind I had to stay in the game and be able to help my teammates. It worked out.”
Azubuike’s defensive prowess at this stage of the season is real. He had a career-high seven blocks in a home loss to Baylor on Jan. 11 and six blocks in a victory over West Virginia on Jan. 3, also in the fieldhouse.
“f think we have two players in my opinion who would be in consideration for Big 12 player of the year defensively,” Self said of Azubuike and junior guard Marcus Garrett.
“I think it’ll be harder for Marcus to get the national awards because there are more guards playing the game than there are bigs. On a national scale with bigs I can’t imagine there’s anyone out there that’s defensively what Doke is. Doke to me is as good a defender as there is,” Self added.
Azubuike says it’s gratifying to hear Self’s words of praise.
“To have Coach Self being a Hall of Fame coach saying I’m an elite defender, that really says a lot,” said Azubuike.
He totaled 14 blocks in nine games his injury-plagued junior season and 18 blocks in 11 games his freshman campaign, also cut short because of injury. Healthy, he had 60 blocked shots n 36 games as a sophomore.
“I am humbled (by Self’s praise) and I will keep working,” Azubuike stated.
Azubuike is 11th on the school’s career block list with 144. He’s four blocks shy of passing Donnie Von Moore (147 from 1974-78) and moving into the top 10 in KU annals.
“I do think for the first time since he’s been here he’s feeling confident like he is the guy which is good to see,” Self said. “I want players to feel that way. The bottom line is other people are saying it too. Doke is one of the least promoting players you can have. It’s easier for a guard to be a promoter in terms of flash. He just does his job. The things he does … these are things players appreciate,” Self added.
Sophomore wing Ochai Agbaji says Azubuike’s defensive presence makes his job easier.
“He takes a lot of pressure off us defending on the perimeter,” Agbaji said. “When he’s in there and we are playing up and under faster guys, if they get around us we know we have rim protection.”
One obvious negative remains his free throw shooting.
A career 40.4% marksman from the line, Azubuike has made 36 of 85 free throws this season for 42.4%. He’s made 8 of his last 15 attempts over three games for 53.3%.
“He’s worked hard on his free throws, worked hard on his conditioning, worked hard on his game,” Self said. “He is doing some things because of conditioning and hard work that have put him on a different level.”
Texas Tech (13-7, 4-3) enters Saturday’s ESPN-televised game against No. 3 Kansas (17-3, 6-1) coming off a 89-81 victory over West Virginia on Wednesday in Lubbock, Texas. Junior guard Davide Moretti scored a career-high 25 points, while freshmen guards Terrence Shannon and Jahmi’us Ramsey scored 23 and 21 points apiece. Ramsey leads the Red Raiders in scoring at 15.3 points per game.
“Texas Tech is a good defensive team,” Azubuike said. “The few times I’ve played them … they make it difficult to get the ball inside. I’ve got to do a better job of getting open.”
KU will meet Texas in an 8 p.m. tip on Monday in Allen Fieldhouse.
