Back from suspension, McCormack helps KU top Tech, 78-75: ‘I’m sorry for my actions’
David McCormack was allowed to practice with the Kansas basketball team the last week and a half while serving his Big 12-mandated two-game suspension.
He couldn’t sit on the bench, however, during a home victory over Tennessee on Jan. 25 or travel to Stillwater, Oklahoma for Monday’s road win over Oklahoma State.
“I was supporting from the locker room and cheering them on along the way,” McCormack, KU’s 6-foot-10 sophomore power forward from Norfolk, Virginia, said after returning to score six points, grab six rebounds, block three shots and dish two assists while playing 20 minutes in KU’s 78-75 victory over Texas Tech on Saturday in Allen Fieldhouse.
Yes, after being assessed a two-game penalty for his role in the brawl that took place at the end of the KU-Kansas State game on Jan. 21, he first watched KU’s 74-68 victory over Tennessee in the players’ locker room in Allen. He watched Monday’s 65-50 victory over Oklahoma State in the film room of the players’ apartment complex, McCarthy Hall.
What’s the past week and a half been like leading up to his being a major factor in No. 3-ranked KU’s (18-3, 7-1) victory over Tech (13-8, 4-4)?
“It’s been constant reinforcement from teammates. It’s been constant motivation to my teammates,” said McCormack, who Saturday issued his first public comments since the suspension. “It’s been a big bonding experience and a big learning experience as well,” he added.
McCormack didn’t offer any opinion on whether he thought his two-game penalty was fair.
“I don’t think that’s in my judgment. That’s up to the Big 12,” he said.
But he did offer remorse.
“I’m sorry for my actions,” said McCormack. “It doesn’t represent me or the program well. I need to come back with a better mindset, better mentality to help the team because that didn’t help.”
McCormack scored four points and grabbed three boards with one block in eight minutes while helping KU to a 44-35 halftime lead Saturday. He filled in admirably for senior center Udoka Azubuike, who scored three points in the half in seven foul-plagued minutes.
McCormack responded well after KU coach Bill Self admonished him for reaching in on a foul of freshman Jahmi’us Ramsey (26 points, 8-of-21 shooting, 5 of 8 from three) with 7 minutes, 8 seconds left in the initial half.
“He doesn’t want to play,” Self could be seen saying on the bench, referring to McCormack.
McCormack listened intently to his coach who wanted the big man to exert more effort.
“It’s how coach is. He stays on you, makes sure you have high intensity, high energy. Any type of sluggish play is not the type of mindset we have,” McCormack said.
McCormack said Self at halftime told him, “that I need to block more shots, have a presence in the paint to deter shots. I listened to that, to do what I need to do.”
McCormack scored two points with three boards and two blocks in 11 minutes the final half. Azubuike, who played nine minutes the second half, finished the game with five points on 1-of-5 shooting (3 of 4 from line) with eight boards in 16 minutes.
“Doke had an off game as well as every great player has had before,” McCormack said. “We’re still supporting him. It’s not like we’re looking at him differently. We move on to the next one (against Texas, 8 p.m., Monday, in Allen Fieldhouse).
As far as McCormack’s play in his return game, Self said: “I thought, to be candid, he wasn’t very good at all to start. They shot two right in front of his face where he didn’t jump. After he got mad I thought he was really good after that. He was a really good player the last 30 minutes of the game, really good.”
Self said Azubuike, “just wasn’t into it. They (Red Raiders, who were led by Ramsey and TJ Holyfield who had 19 points, eight boards, four blocks) deserve credit for that. We created some issues when things didn’t go our way. We lost some focus too.”
KU was led by guards Devon Dotson (21 points, six boards, three assists, three steals) and Marcus Garrett (15 points, five boards, three blocks, three assists) who played 40 and 35 minutes respectively.
Garrett was a factor on the final flurry of the game. KU, which led by 15 points the first half, nine at halftime and 10 at the final TV timeout, was up by three, 78-75, when Texas Tech took possession of the ball with 14 seconds left.
Garrett blocked an inside shot of Ramsey with 6 seconds left in the game. And Garrett was credited with another block of an inside Ramsey shot with 2 ticks left.
“I was basically trying to stay in front of him, make him take a contested shot without getting an and-one,” Garrett said. “I was able to get my hand on the ball.”
Texas Tech coach Chris Beard said he agreed with Ramsey’s decision to go for a pair of two-point shots and not put up a possible game-tying three.
“We’ve still got time to take the two and maybe get a quick foul or trap,” Beard said. “Ramsey made the right play late. He had a chance to get the and-one. I told him he made the right play. I like the way we finished the game. We gave ourselves a chance.”
Self said he was pleased Texas Tech didn’t attempt a three, but was not going to foul to send the Red Raiders to the line to prevent any three since the final possession started with as many as 14 ticks left.
KU, which remains a game behind Baylor in the Big 12 race, will have a short turnaround and face Texas on Monday.
Self hopes Garrett will be able to play significant minutes against the Longhorns. The junior guard has an arch problem on his left foot, Self said. There’s tenderness which causes pain under the big toe.
“He hurt his foot pretty good in the Tennessee game,” Self said. “We played Oklahoma State on Monday and got through it. He didn’t practice Tuesday or Wednesday. Thursday he was limited. Yesterday he did half the reps. We’ve got to get through Monday. We’ve not had time for it to heal. We need to get through Monday (then rest before Saturday’s game at TCU).”
Of his injury, Garrett said: “It’s just what’s been going on. Sometimes it gets me. Sometimes it doesn’t. I had to come out for a little bit. It’s fine.”
Game notes
Texas Tech’s basketball players and student managers wore red, long-sleeved No. 5 Patrick Mahomes II shirts during warmups prior to the game. ... KU leads the all-time series against Texas Tech 36-6, including an 19-1 mark in Allen Fieldhouse. The Red Raiders won 85-73 on Jan. 2, 2018 in Allen. The Jayhawks did avenge that home loss last season by prevailing 79-63 on Feb. 2, 2019 in Allen. Tech, however, had won the last meeting 91-62 on Feb. 23, 2019 in Lubbock, Texas. KU is 3-2 over Tech in the last five meetings.… Bill Self is 22-5 versus Texas Tech in his 17 seasons at KU. … Self is 491-109 while at Kansas, 698-214 for his career. His teams are 259-14 all-time in Allen Fieldhouse. … KU is 2,292-862 all-time and 797-114 in Allen. … Tech’s Chris Beard is 2-5 versus KU. … KU walk-on Michael Jankovich did not suit up for the game. He sat on the bench with a boot on his left ankle. … Self and assistants Jerrance Howard and Norm Roberts attended the memorial service of former University of Illinois forward Robert Archibald on Friday in Barrington, Illinois.
This story was originally published February 1, 2020 at 5:17 PM.
