Kentucky can send Kansas home with worst losing streak under Bill Self

On3 imageby:Tyler Thompson01/26/23

MrsTylerKSR

A few weeks ago, the Kansas game loomed on the horizon like a dark cloud. The Jayhawks were No. 2 in the country, riding a ten-game winning streak, and Kentucky was coming off back-to-back losses to Alabama and South Carolina. The thought of ESPN putting a spotlight on a potentially humiliating night in Rupp Arena was almost too much to bear.

My, how the tables have turned. Now, it’s Kentucky riding the winning streak with four-straight victories and Kansas on the skid with three consecutive losses for only the fourth time in Bill Self’s 19-year tenure. On Saturday, the Cats can not only notch a marquee win, but they can also send the Jayhawks home with their first-ever four-game losing streak under Self.

Before we entertain ourselves with that lovely thought, let’s examine the Jayhawks’ woes. On Jan. 17, Kansas lost at No. 13 Kansas State 83-82 in overtime. That’s an understandable loss, but four days later, the Jayhawks lost to No. 14 TCU by 23 at home, snapping a 16-game winning streak at The Phog. On Monday night, they went to Waco, Texas, and lost to No. 17 Baylor 75-69. Each team that beat Kansas during that stretch was ranked, but it’s clear that the defending national champs still have some issues, chief among them depth and inexperience.

“It’s going to be a grind,” Self said after the loss to Baylor Monday night. “Our team isn’t talented enough where we can be disappointed when teams of equal talent play better than us and get frustrated with it. We don’t have as much margin for error as we have in years past. And that’s okay.”

Self’s history after three-game losing streaks

History will be on Self’s side on Saturday. The Jayhawks are 3-0 coming off three-game losing streaks going back to 2005:

  • 2005 (Losses to Texas Tech, Iowa State, Oklahoma): Win vs. No. 4 Oklahoma State
  • 2013 (Losses to Oklahoma State, TCU, Oklahoma): Win vs. No. 10 Kansas State
  • 2021 (Losses to Oklahoma State, Baylor, Oklahoma): Win vs. TCU

How can Kentucky make some bad Bill Self history? Stopping Jalen Wilson and Gradey Dick is a good start. Combined, the two average 35.7 points and 14.3 rebounds per game. Wilson leads the Jayhawks in scoring (21.4 PPG) and rebounding (8.4 RPG). He’s scored 20-plus points eleven times this season and is averaging 30.3 points in Kansas’ three-game losing streak. Jacob Toppin has been playing really well lately but will need to step his game up even more against Wilson. The same goes for whoever draws the task of guarding freshman Gradey Dick. Dick had a team-high 24 points on 8-13 shooting in Kansas’ loss on Monday night.

The wings present a challenge, but Kentucky can capitalize on mismatches elsewhere. Junior point guard Dajuan Harris is only 2-18 from the field in the last four games, 1-8 from three. Unlike years past, the Jayhawks don’t have a solid post presence. Sophomore KJ Adams averages 10.3 points and 4.4 rebounds per game, a far cry from Oscar Tshiebwe’s 16.6 PPG and 13.9 RPG. Feed Oscar.

A chance to gain ground in the All-Time Wins race

Kansas passed Kentucky in the All-Time Wins race in the second round of last year’s NCAA Tournament. The Jayhawks’ run to the title widened the gap, but the Cats can make up at least one game on Saturday. Kansas’ lead over Kentucky stands at 2,373 to 2,367, a margin of six. Beat the Jayhawks and you can cut that to five AND send Bill Self home with his worst losing streak as Kansas’ coach.

Sounds like a great little Saturday to me.

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2024-03-28