Pollard Injury Puts Pressure On Lafrentz

If No. 1 Kansas survives the loss of center Scot Pollard as well as it did the absence of Jacque Vaughn, the reason likely will be Pollard’s running mate, Raef LaFrentz.

The 6-foot-11 LaFrentz and Pollard gave the Jayhawks an inside combination that few teams can match. With the 6-11 Pollard out at least a month with a broken left foot, LaFrentz will be have to raise the level of his game if Kansas (20-0) hopes to maintain its perfect season.

In the Jayhawks’ first game without Pollard, against Colorado on Sunday, LaFrentz responded with 21 points, 14 rebounds and five blocked shots. But he was quick to spread the credit.

“I think we have a very good balance … ” LaFrentz, a junior, said. “We play as a team.”

LaFrentz has taken coach Roy Williams’ advice that he needed to improve defensively. He thinks he has.

“You can always get better on the defensive end,” he said. “On defense, coach says we can always improve … and I needed to improve.”

“LaFrentz is a premier player,” Colorado coach Ricardo Patton said. ” I thought he was a (NBA) lottery pick. He can run, he can jump, he can block shots.”