Kansas Overwhelmed by Turnovers, Michigan State's Goran Suton

The Kansas Jayhawks' season ended on Friday night, as they fell to the Michigan State Spartans, 67-62.

The Jayhawks had established a 13-point lead in the first half and were a few plays away from breaking the game wide open, but Michigan State's Goran Suton had other ideas and led a comeback to shrink the Kansas lead to just seven at half time.

MSU then continued their roll in the second half by coming out and tying the game at 42 with over 15 minutes left to play.

The two teams took turns getting ahead over the last quarter of an hour of play time, but with about two minutes to play, the Spartans took the lead and didn't relinquish it.

Kansas played a solid 38 minutes, but in the end, they just didn't have enough. The Jayhawks turned the ball over 19 times, and their carelessness, coupled with some questionable officiating, were too much for them to be able to emerge triumphant.

Like I said in the preview I wrote for this game. Kansas needed to make this contest their style of game; they needed to get the score into the 70's. It seemed they were on their way in the first half.

But the second half was a different story. Kansas forced shots, lacked patience on defense at times, and didn't make great decisions when they had the ball. All that played right into Michigan State's hands.

You cannot take anything away from this Michigan State team, though. Goran Suton was outstanding and was slearly the catalyst for the late-game Spartan revival.

MSU now must take on a Louisville team that put 103 points on a pretty good Arizona squad. It should be a great game.

For Kansas, it's back to the drawing board. They've got about six months before they start up again, though we all know the season never really ends. Not in Lawrence, at least.

The key questions will obviously surround their two star players, Sherron Collins and Cole Aldrich, and whether or not they'll leave to enter the 2009 NBA Draft.

Sherron Collins took the Michigan State loss on his shoulders. Getting a key foul called on him and following that up with a key missed free throw is not the way he wants to leave Kansas.

Should he stay, he'll be on the cover of almost every major college basketball preseason publication. In my mind, he still must distinguish himself as a draftable point guard; playing another year would give him appropriate practice. And while academically he's nowhere near graduating, if he can put up with school for two more semesters, he'll be a first-round draft pick in 2010.

Aldrich, on the other hand, has a lot of work to do and a lot of strength to gain before he'd be an effective NBA player. He needs to lose about 10 more pounds and then put it back on in pure muscle. He sagely hinted last week that he knows he isn't ready.

Depending on Kansas' success next season, I think Cole may end up leaving after his junior year, but he has the look and feel of a classic big man who should etch his Kansas legacy by a four year stay (think Nick Collison).

If they both go, Kansas may struggle to get recognized in the preseason top 25, but their new recruits will still be exciting.

But if Sherron and Cole remain on campus, those recruits will bolster a supporting cast that already has the Morris twins and Taylor, and I would be shocked if Kansas wasn't in the top three in the polls before next year even starts.

While the anticipation of next season has already started for Kansas fans, they have a football team that carries new expectations, like those of going to the Big 12 Championship game.

With Kansas slowly becoming a "two-sport school," Kansas students, alumni, and fans will always be able to look forward to "next year."