Career day from Flory Bidunga powers Kansas over Princeton
Kansas started the game so poorly against Princeton that Bill Self opted to put walk-on Wilder Evers into the game at the 13-minute mark. The Jayhawks weren’t following the game plan, and trailed 18-14 midway through the first half. That’s when Flory Bidunga took over, energizing Kansas to a 76-57 win over Princeton.
After attempting only one shot in the first 11 minutes, Bidunga made his next six to finish the first half with 15 points. He finished with 25 points on 10/11 shooting, setting a new career-high. Bidunga flipped the switch on Kansas’ slow start, almost single-handedly pushing the Jayhawks from down four to up eight at halftime.
“I tell Flo all the time, whenever he flips that switch mentally, I feel like he’s the best big in our conference, you know, in the nation too,” Tre White said postgame. “Tonight was just a little glimpse of that.”
Bidunga helped Kansas gain momentum in both halves
Bidunga’s best stretch in the first half came in the final two minutes. He scored Kansas’ last nine points, including two dunks and a layup off a spin move to help the Jayhawks build momentum heading into halftime.
“I was just trying to do my best,” Bidunga said. “They came out pretty strongly, was hitting a lot of threes. And I feel like if we put the energy on our side, I think stuff would turn up our way, and that’s what I was trying to do as much as possible.”
Bidunga helped Kansas overcome another tough stretch in the second half. Princeton went on a 7-0 run in the early stages that Bidunga countered with a pair of baskets.
The Jayhawks outscored the Tigers 32-14 over the last 14 minutes, with Bidunga anchoring a tightened defensive effort. Bidunga blocked two shots over that stretch, while Princeton shot 5/21 from the floor.
“We just needed to clean up some stuff,” Bidunga said. “We talked about the way that this team will beat us, is if we give up some threes and some back cuts. So just clean up those things. I think that was the message after they cut the lead.”
Self wants Bidunga to be reactionary
While Bidunga threw down his share of dunks, he also featured a bevy of post moves that helped him score. Self said Bidunga isn’t necessarily a one-on-one player, but his athleticism allows him to take advantage of different situations.
“When he gathers, and now he’s lost his explosion, because he set and then tried to score from that, I’d rather him catch and one-two and get right into what he’s going to do,” Self said. “I think when he drove it hard and spun and all, those were reactionary things. A lot of times, the other ones are a checklist, a process, and I think he can get more reaction.”
Bidunga and the Jayhawks will travel to New York to take on Duke at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday. Self said Bidunga’s game against Duke last year was his “coming-out party.” Bidunga finished the game after Hunter Dickinson got ejected, scoring six points with eight rebounds and a block in 16 minutes.
