Teahan gunning to win a (second) national championship

I wrote this story on Conner Teahan before the Final Four. Teahan would have become the only player in KU history to win two national titles had KU defeated Kentucky.

By David Garfield

Conner Teahan was about 14 years old when he first remembers watching the Final Four at his home in Leawood, Kan., in April 2003.

He cheered wildly as his beloved Jayhawks crushed Marquette in the national semifinals, and then he felt the heartbreak when KU lost to Syracuse in the national championship game.

Teahan dreamed that one day he would be a Jayhawk and play in the Final Four like those KU standouts at that time like Kirk Hinrich and Nick Collison.

He got his wish in 2008 as a seldom-used KU reserve and helped his team cut down the national championship nets at the Alamodome in San Antonio. Now, four years later, the 6-6 senior guard is headed back to the Final Four this Saturday in New Orleans as KU’s sixth man when his Jayhawks take on Ohio State.

Like in 2008, there is unfinished business for this Jayhawk team.

“It’s awesome,” Teahan said about making the Final Four. “It’s a lot of fun, but I don’t think we’re just happy to be here. We’re obviously happy with where we’ve gotten this far this season, but we’re not satisfied yet. We’re going to try to obviously get in the championship game and see if we can win it.”

As the only Jayhawk left from that 2008 national title team, Teahan (5.7 ppg) has tried to impart his wisdom of the madness KU will be facing in New Orleans.

“I did tell them it’s going to be crazy and just listen to coach (Bill) Self and limit distractions, because that’s a huge part of this week,” Teahan said. “As long as we can do that, I think we’ll be very successful.”

Teahan hopes to break out of his shooting slump in New Orleans after making just three of 19 three-pointers in his last six games this postseason. But he’s not too worried about his shot. He knows KU must continue to play great defense if the ‘Hawks have any hopes of being the last team standing on April 2 after the national title game.

KU ranks No. 4 in the country in field goal percentage defense, holding foes to just 38 percent from the field. Kansas is also limiting opponents to 33.7 percent from beyond the arc and allowing 61.6 points per game.

Those numbers compare well to the 2008 team. That squad, led by such defensive stalwarts as Brandon Rush, Russell Robinson, Mario Chalmers and Sasha Kaun, held opponents to 37.9 percent field goal shooting and 32.8 percent from three, while allowing just 61.5 points per game.

Teahan sees some defensive similarities with the 2008 and 2012 teams.

“We probably compare to how hard we try on the defensive end,” he said. “I don’t know if we’re as good defensively just because of the athletes they had, but I think we pay a lot of attention to that.”

The senior said the great team unity of this squad also compares favorably to 2008, but added KU’s teams have always been pretty close since he’s been here.

“I don’t think there’s ever been a year where we’ve had a locker room divided at all,” he said. “For the most part, everybody’s very close (on this team). I think this might be one of those tighter teams we’ve had.”

And everybody knows their role in Self’s system.

“We just have people who really understand what it is to be part of a team and doing their job,” Teahan said. “I think that deserves the credit for us getting as far as we have.”

Now Teahan is looking forward to playing the No. 2 seeded and No. 7-ranked Buckeyes (31-7; OSU has won eight of its last nine games), the team KU defeated back in Allen Fieldhouse on Dec. 10, 78-67, in the Jayhawks’ ninth game this season. Teahan had five points in 18 minutes, while teammate Thomas Robinson led four players in double figures with 21 points. OSU, playing without injured star and now first-team All-American Jared Sullinger (17.6 ppg, 9.1 rpg), was led by William Buford’s 21 points. Deshaun Thomas added 19 while point guard Aaron Craft had 11 points and six assists. 

KU shot a sizzling 58.3 percent for the game, including 52.9 percent from beyond the arc (9-17), while holding the Buckeyes to just 38.7 percent shooting and 29.4 percent from three (5-17).

Teahan admits he’s a bit foggy about that game played so long ago.

“I don’t remember a ton about it,” he said. “It seems like forever when we played in December. We were definitely a different team then and they were a different team. They obviously didn’t have Sullinger, so that was a huge thing for them. They’re a really good team. I know it was a challenge the first time to be able to play them in the fieldhouse; it was obviously an advantage for us. But I’m looking forward to Saturday.”

If the Jayhawks are fortunate to get past the Buckeyes on Saturday, KU will march to the national title game on Monday.

And Teahan’s family and Jayhawk Nation will be watching with bated breath.

Teahan, of course, dreams of winning it all. If KU does indeed cut down the nets at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on April 2, Teahan will have the distinct honor of becoming the first player in Jayhawk history to win two national championships.

“It would mean a lot to me personally, but I think just being able to win a national championship would mean so much to this community and this team and coach Self and all the coaches,” he said. “I think it’s just more than me personally being able to win it. I think whenever you win a national championship is awesome, and obviously I would like to have a legacy like that (winning two national titles), but at the same time, I think just winning this national championship is important.”