No. 22 Kansas vs TCU: Preview, game notes, and more

What: TCU at No. 22 Kansas

Where: Lawrence, Kan. • Allen Fieldhouse (15,300)

When: Tuesday, January 6, 2026 • 8 p.m. (CT)

Television: ESPN

Play-by-Play: Jon Sciambi

Analyst: Fran Fraschilla

Producer: Andy Jacobson

Director: Ed Curran

Radio: Jayhawk Radio Network

Webcast: KUAthletics.com/Radio

Play-by-Play: Brian Hanni

Analyst: Greg Gurley

Producer/Engineer: Steve Kincaid

TIPOFF

— No. 22 Kansas (10-4, 0-1) continues Big 12 action when it plays host to TCU (11-3, 1-0) on Tuesday, Jan. 6. Tip from Allen Fieldhouse will be at 8 p.m. (Central), and the game will be televised on ESPN.

— Kansas is coming off an 81-75 loss at UCF on Jan. 3 in its Big 12 opener. TCU won its sixth-straight game with a 69-63 win against Baylor in its Big 12 lid lifter on Jan. 3.

— Kansas leads the all-time series with TCU, 27-4, and the Jayhawks have won the last three meetings. This series dates back to 1952, and KU is 23-4 versus TCU as members of the Big 12.

— Kansas is 135-24 (84.8%) following a loss in the Bill Self era (2003- 04 to present), including 3-0 this season.

— Kansas is No. 18 in the NET, which is fifth in the Big 12. KU’s strength of schedule is No. 3, and KU is the only Big 12 team in the top 10.

— Kansas leads the Big 12 in field goal percentage defense at 37.1%, which is fourth nationally, and three-point field goal percentage defense at 25.5%, which is fourth nationally. KU also leads the Big 12, fourth nationally, in blocked shots per game at 6.3.

— Sophomore Flory Bidunga is second in the Big 12, 20th nationally, with 30 blocked shots, and his 2.4 blocks per game are second in the Big 12 and 21st nationally.

— Senior Melvin Council Jr. is fourth in the Big 12, 27th nationally, in assist-to-turnover ratio at 3.4. Council has 15 assists and four
turnovers in his last four games. He also has six steals in that span.

— Kansas head coach Bill Self is 619-160 in his 23rd season at KU. Last season, Self became Kansas’ all-time winningest coach, surpassing Phog Allen, who was 590-129 in 36 seasons on the KU sidelines. Self is in his 33rd season overall with an 826-265 record. He is one of only four active coaches with 800 or more career wins, joining Rick Barnes, John Calipari, and Kelvin Sampson.

ABOUT KANSAS

No. 22 Kansas (10-4, 0-1) is coming off an 81-75 loss at UCF in its Big 12 opener on Jan. 3. KU is averaging 75.8 points per game and has a plus-11.2 scoring margin. Kansas pulls down 40.1 rebounds per contest with a plus-4.9 rebound margin.

KU averages 15.4 assists, 5.2 steals, and 6.3 blocked shots per contest. KU leads the Big 12 in field goal percentage defense at 37.1%, which is fourth nationally, and threepoint field goal percentage defense at 25.5%, which is fourth nationally. KU also leads the Big 12 in blocked shots (6.3), which is fourth nationally.

Freshman guard Darryn Peterson is coming off a careerhigh 26 points at UCF (1/3). He leads Kansas with a 20.6 ppg. He has made 16 threes in five games played this season.

Senior guard Tre White is coming off his second doubledouble of the season with 14 points and 11 rebounds at UCF (1/3). White is second on the team averaging 14.5 points per game and his 7.3 rebounds per game are also second on the team. White is averaging 16.0 points and 8.8 rebounds in his last five contests.

Sophomore center Flory Bidunga has four double-doubles in his last seven games. He scores 14.2 points per contest and leads KU with 9.1 rebounds per outing. Bidunga is second in the Big 12 with 30 blocked shots, which is 20th nationally, and his 2.4 blocks per game are second in the league and 21st nationally. Bidunga’s 62.2 field goal percentage is third in the Big 12 and 22nd nationally.

Senior Melvin Council Jr. was named the Big 12 and national player of the week after his career-high 36 points at NC State (12/3), which included nine threes made, which are the second most in KU history. Council averages 13.4 points per game after his 20 points at UCF (1/3). Council and leads KU with 68 assists and 14 steals. His 3.4 assistto-turnover ratio is fourth in the Big 12 and 27th nationally.

Redshirt-freshman forward Bryson Tiller (8.5 ppg) is second on the team with 21 blocked shots. Tiller pulls down 5.7 rebounds per game and he has 54 boards in his last nine outings. Tiller has started the last 11 games for Kansas.

Freshman Kohl Rasario (5.1 ppg, 13 threes) has started six games this season. Redshirt-sophomore guard Jamari McDowell (4.2 ppg) has started five games and has made 15 threes. Redshirt-sophomore guard Elmarko Jackson (3.7 ppg, one start) has made six threes this season.

ABOUT TCU

Located in Fort Worth, Texas, TCU is 11-3 overall and 1-0 in Big 12 play after its 69-63 win against Baylor on Jan. 3. The Horned Frogs are coached by Jamie Dixon who is 187-129 in his 10th season at TCU, his alma mater, and 515-252 in his 23rd season overall.

TCU averages 79.5 points per game with a plus-14.9 scoring margin. The Horned Frogs pull down 36.4 rebounds per contest with a plus-5.2 rebound margin. TCU also averages 16.7 assists, 8.2 steals, and 5.6 blocked shots per game, which is second in the Big 12 and 15th nationally. TCU’s 4.1 turnover margin is third in the league and 24th nationally.

Sophomore forward David Punch leads TCU in scoring at 14.0 points per game and rebounding with a 7.7 average. He leads the Big 12 with 34 blocked shots and his 2.4 blocks per game lead the league and are 19th nationally.

Senior guard Jayden Pierre and junior forward Xavier Edmonds are next in scoring at 10.6 ppg each. Pierre leads the team with 27 threes made. Edmonds pulls down 4.2 rebounds per game. Sophomore forward Micah Robinson (10.1 ppg, 5.3 rpg) comes off the bench.

Other TCU starters include junior guard Brock Harding (8.8 ppg, team-high 83 assists) and junior guard Liutauras Lelevicius (8.5 ppg, 19 threes). Junior guard Tanner Toolson (6.1 ppg, 12 threes) rounds out
the TCU regulars.

THE KANSAS-TCU SERIES

Kansas leads the overall series with TCU, 27-4, including a 12-1 record in games played in Lawrence, 11-1 in Allen Fieldhouse. KU has won the last three and five of the last six meetings with TCU. KU leads the series 23-4 in the Big 12 history.

A KANSAS WIN WOULD…

Make Kansas 11-4 or better for the fifth-consecutive season and the 21st time in Bill Self’s 23 seasons at KU … Make 1-1 in league play for the second-consecutive season … Give Kansas four-straight wins against TCU and make the series 28-4 in favor of KU … Make Kansas 7-1 in Allen Fieldhouse this season, 877-122 all-time in the venue, including 337-22 under head coach Bill Self .. Make Bill Self 620-160 while at Kansas, 827-265 all-time, and 32-7 all-time against TCU, 25-4 while at Kansas … Make Kansas 2,425-913 all time.

A KANSAS LOSS WOULD…

Make Kansas 10-5 for the first time since the 2020-21 season when the Jayhawks were 10-5 … Make Kansas 0-2 in league play for the first time since the 1982-83 season … End a Kansas three game winning streak versus TCU and make the series 27-5 in favor of KU … Make Kansas 6-2 in Allen Fieldhouse this season, 876-123 all-time in the venue, including 336-23 under head coach Bill Self … Make Bill Self 619-161 while at KU, 826-266 all-time and 31-8 all-time versus TCU, 24-5 while at KU … Make KU 2,424-914 all time.