By Doug Tucker
The Associated Press

LAWRENCE, Kan. - A handful of teams recruited Keith Langford out of high school in Fort Worth, Texas. Kansas was one of them - and the Jayhawks are thankful they landed the overlooked guard.

The 6-foot-4 sophomore helped Kansas win a second-straight Big 12 championship by averaging nearly 16 points a game this season, and he's come up huge the last two seasons in the NCAA tournament.

"He's played well in a lot of big games," Nick Collison said as the Jayhawks prepare for their game Thursday against Duke in the West Regional semifinals. "He gives us another scoring option. He's better than anyone on our team at breaking down guys off the dribble and getting a bucket. That's something a lot of teams don't have."

Yet he has not received as much recognition as his more popular teammates, Collison and Kirk Hinrich.

When The Associated Press All-Big 12 team was announced, coach Roy Williams checked the first team and sure enough, Collison and Hinrich were on the list.

Then with increasing dismay, he scanned the second team - and the third. Not until he read under honorable mention did Williams finally find Langford's name.

"I was stunned he didn't make one of the first, second or third team," Williams said. "I think he's had that kind of year. I was just stunned. I do think he's kind of overlooked.

"But he's not overlooked by his coaches and he's not overlooked by his teammates. He's still a young pup, he's just a sophomore, and he understands that part of it, too. He knows how much we appreciate him."

Langford is certain not to be overlooked by Duke's savvy coaches and players. In victories over Utah State and Arizona State last week, Langford led the Jayhawks with a 20.5-point average - showing off a variety of slash-to-the-basket moves.

Providing a much-needed scoring option to complement Collison and Hinrich, Langford is certain to be a big part of the game plan against Duke.

"Keith may be as good as I've ever had at slashing the ball to the basket," Williams said. "So we've got to try to give him some space to do that."

Coming up big at tournament time seems to be Langford's specialty. A year ago when he was a freshman on a team that featured All-American Drew Gooden as well as Hinrich and Collison, he averaged 17.5 points off the bench against Illinois and Oregon and was named to the Midwest Regional all-tournament team.

"It's such a big spotlight. I know every game's important," he said.

"But there are no games that are as important as these. Everybody always talks about getting to this point, about this being their goal. But you have to do something when you get there. I thrive on having my best games in the best situations or against the best opponent. I did it in high school and last year and hopefully it will continue throughout the rest of my career."

Langford, who was recruited by Mississippi, Oklahoma and Cincinnati, said getting snubbed by the all-conference voters did not bother him. Then he grinned and changed his mind.

"Well, I'd be lying if I said it didn't," Langford said. "But that's been happening throughout my career so much that it's just something I wipe off and keep going.

"I wasn't a McDonald's All-American. A lot of people said I was too small and said this level would be too much for me. But I just keep going and I don't take anything for granted. I try to improve myself.

"I'm not done yet."