No. 5 UConn heads west for first away game of season against No. 21 Kansas
Kansas.
Rock bands, sunflowers and off-putting 20th century movies – it’s got everything.
And on Tuesday, it’ll play host to a top 25 showdown between two of college basketball’s bluest bloods, with two of the sport’s most imposing figures patrolling the low post and a pair of the country’s top freshmen firing from the wings.
No. 5 UConn (6-1), No. 21 Kansas (6-2) in Phog Allen Fieldhouse on national television in early December – it’s got everything.
Injury Updates – Mullins, Reed, Peterson
It’s a lot more straightforward than last week (for the Huskies, at least). Braylon Mullins, who injured his ankle in late October, is expected to play with no limitation, per Dan Hurley. The freshman guard should see the floor for more than the 10 minutes he did against Illinois on Friday.
Tarris Reed Jr. is a game time decision. The 6-foot-11, 265-pound center played on a 15 minute restriction against Illinois and will be evaluated tomorrow before tip-off.
The elephant – or Jayhawk – in the room is Darryn Peterson, however. Kansas’ premier freshman has been hindered by a hamstring strain that’s costed him over three weeks of action.
Peterson scored 23 points and dished three assists in Kansas’ win over North Carolina on Nov. 7 but hasn’t played since.
“He has practiced and he’s gone up and down,” Kansas head coach Bill Self told the media. “So still no answer, but we’ll be able to say something definitively in the morning.”
Self went on to note that if Peterson plays, the 6-foot-6 freshman guard will start.
Profiling No. 21 Kansas – The Big Bad Bidunga
Here’s a sweeping, generalizing synopsis of the Kansas Jayhawks:
Defensively elite – suffocating at the rim and shrink-wrapped on the perimeter. Opponents have been blocked 6.5 times per game and have made only 52 of an attempted 212 (24.5%) shots from behind the arc through eight games – ranking sixth and seventh nationally, respectively.
They’re dang good on the defensive glass too, grabbing 30.6 defensive rebounds per game and while allowing just 8.5 second chance points per game (41st nationally).
Offensively, the Jayhawks prefer to slow the game down and open a defense up with actions. They aren’t elite from deep (33.5%, 170th) and they know it, attempting only 21.3 triples per game.
With Peterson’s status in question, Self will turn to sophomore center Flory Bidunga to shoulder the bulk of the team’s scoring. Bidunga went for 18 points, nine rebounds, five assists, five blocks and shot 53.3% from the field in a win over Notre Dame at the PlayersEra Festival last week – he’s notched double digit points in all but one game so far.
He’s an outstanding rim protector as well, leading the Big 12 in blocks per game (2.6) and ranking in the 93rd percentile nationally in Hakeem percentage (11.1), the sum of a player’s block and steal percentage.
Outside of Bidunga, Kansas gets over 25 points from the guard tandem of Tre White (14.4) and Melvin Council Jr. (10.8). Big man Bryson Tiller averages 9.5 points down low and is a capable three-point shooter at 6-foot-10, evidenced from a 4/4 mark from three against North Carolina.
Self’s run a steady nine man rotation through eight games. Getting Peterson back (at full health) would be a major add for a roster that’s racked up wins against Notre Dame, Syracuse and Tennessee without him.
The “Gottas” for No. 5 UConn
The Jayhawks certainly aren’t perfect. For as hardy as they are on the defensive glass, Self’s squad ranks 305th in offensive rebounds per game (9.1) and is conventionally small in comparison to most high major foes.
By far the most exploitable hole – if Solo Ball, Alex Karaban and Mullins can get open looks from three – is Kansas’ lack of three point shooting consistency.
The Jayhawks shot a moribund 4/21 (.190) from deep in a loss to Duke and have made double-digit three pointers in just three of eight games so far, relying heavily on White’s 2.9 attempts per game to get production from behind the arc.
They also don’t force many turnovers (12.1%, 361st) and are susceptible to getting pick-pocketed themselves (10.5% steal percentage allowed).
| OREB% | 3PA/G | 3PT% | TOF% | BENCH PT/G | |
| RANK (D1) | 233rd | 252nd | 170th | 361st | 305th |
So, what does that mean for the Huskies?
Nothing, really. If Kansas wants to take away the three ball but won’t force many turnovers, Connecticut can live on the elbows and blocks like it did against BYU.
That does, however, stress the value of every pass. Look for Silas Demary Jr. to take command early as a facilitator and tone setter while Reed and Eric Reibe adjust to Bidunga down low.
When Bidunga and Tiller are on the court together (something that’s happened on 245 possessions so far), Karaban should see an increase in volume, particularly from three.
Stay calm, be surgical and convert at the rim. Simple in philosophy, difficult to replicate.
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