In defeating No. 14 Indiana, 82-64, No. 8 Kansas won its fourth-straight game by double-digits. Since losing to Tennessee, 64-50 in the Championship game of the Battle 4 Atlantis back on November 25, No. 8 Kansas has rattled off four-straight wins by double-digits. During that stretch, Bill Self’s squad owns victories over Texas Southern (87-55), Seton Hall (91-65), Missouri (95-67), and No. 14 Indiana (84-62).
Against the Hoosiers, six players, Gradey Dick (20), Jalen Wilson (11), KJ Adams, Jr. (11), Kevin McCullar (11), Dajuan Harris (10), and Bobby Pettiford (10) scored in double-figures. Freshman big man Zuby Ejiofor, in 12 minutes, added eight points and two rebounds. To me, a few guys really stuck out against Indiana on Saturday.
I think it's becoming quite clear that Gradey Dick, the 6-foot-8, 205-pound guard from Wichita, Kan., won’t be around long. Dick, in scoring 20 points, hit 8-of-12 field goals and was 4-of-5 from behind the arc. Additionally, Dick pulled down six rebounds and was credited with five steals. Not only can Dick score the ball, but he also isn’t afraid to take the big shot and has already drilled a number of big ones for Kansas. Enjoy him now, because Gradey Dick isn’t going to be around long.
There might not be a more underrated player in all of college basketball than Dajuan Harris, the 6-foot-1, 175-pound point guard from Columbia, Mo. All he did against Indiana was score 10 points, dish out 10 assists, pull down two rebounds, and finish with three steals in 27 minutes of action. There was a point in the second half when Indiana was making a run and, if I remember correctly, Harris scored six of eight points for Kansas during a stretch. All the kid does is win, and win at the highest level.
Things are really starting to come around for Kevin McCullar, Jr., the 6-foot-6, 210-pound guard from San Antonio, Texas. Against the Hoosiers, McCullar, Jr., in 31 minutes of action, scored 11 points, pulled down 11 rebounds, and was credited with five steals. For the game, McCullar, Jr., was 5-of-11 from the field and 1-of-3 from behind the arc, but it was his play on the defensive end of the court that made the biggest difference. He’s just so active on the defensive side of the ball and has a knack for turning defense into offense. I expect him to continue to shine on both ends of the court.
It was great to see KJ Adams, Jr., continue to play well, especially on the offensive end of the court. Overall, he scored 11 points and pulled down two rebounds. Obviously, I’d like to see those rebounding numbers improve, but I believe that Adams, Jr., is starting to find his comfort level on the court for Kansas. When he’s playing at a high level, Kansas is a completely different team.
Lastly, Kansas was able to get some productive minutes off the bench from Bobby Pettiford and Zuby Ejiofor. Pettiford, in 22 minutes, scored 10 points, dished out four assists, and pulled down two rebounds.
Ejiofor, in 12 minutes, scored eight points and pulled down two rebounds. If Kansas is going to make a serious run at repeating, the five-spot will, without question, need to be a productive position for Kansas and the bench will need to provide some quality minutes. The last two games, I think KJ Adams, Jr., has played really well and given Kansas everything it needs in the paint.
“We were really good today,” said Kansas head coach Bill Self. “We were ready to play and locked in. We made some mistakes defensively with our traps, but for the most part, our traps and ball screen defense were really good and much improved. Our hands were active, and Jalen goes 4-of-18 in large part because Trayce (Jackson-Davis) got nine blocked shots, all on his misses. They did a really good job defensively, taking away what could have been several more scoring opportunities for us, just on his individual defensive effort. Gradey was great, Kevin was fantastic, KJ was terrific, Dajuan was terrific, and it was the best our bench has been all year.”
Against the Hoosiers, six players, Gradey Dick (20), Jalen Wilson (11), KJ Adams, Jr. (11), Kevin McCullar (11), Dajuan Harris (10), and Bobby Pettiford (10) scored in double-figures. Freshman big man Zuby Ejiofor, in 12 minutes, added eight points and two rebounds. To me, a few guys really stuck out against Indiana on Saturday.
I think it's becoming quite clear that Gradey Dick, the 6-foot-8, 205-pound guard from Wichita, Kan., won’t be around long. Dick, in scoring 20 points, hit 8-of-12 field goals and was 4-of-5 from behind the arc. Additionally, Dick pulled down six rebounds and was credited with five steals. Not only can Dick score the ball, but he also isn’t afraid to take the big shot and has already drilled a number of big ones for Kansas. Enjoy him now, because Gradey Dick isn’t going to be around long.
There might not be a more underrated player in all of college basketball than Dajuan Harris, the 6-foot-1, 175-pound point guard from Columbia, Mo. All he did against Indiana was score 10 points, dish out 10 assists, pull down two rebounds, and finish with three steals in 27 minutes of action. There was a point in the second half when Indiana was making a run and, if I remember correctly, Harris scored six of eight points for Kansas during a stretch. All the kid does is win, and win at the highest level.
Things are really starting to come around for Kevin McCullar, Jr., the 6-foot-6, 210-pound guard from San Antonio, Texas. Against the Hoosiers, McCullar, Jr., in 31 minutes of action, scored 11 points, pulled down 11 rebounds, and was credited with five steals. For the game, McCullar, Jr., was 5-of-11 from the field and 1-of-3 from behind the arc, but it was his play on the defensive end of the court that made the biggest difference. He’s just so active on the defensive side of the ball and has a knack for turning defense into offense. I expect him to continue to shine on both ends of the court.
It was great to see KJ Adams, Jr., continue to play well, especially on the offensive end of the court. Overall, he scored 11 points and pulled down two rebounds. Obviously, I’d like to see those rebounding numbers improve, but I believe that Adams, Jr., is starting to find his comfort level on the court for Kansas. When he’s playing at a high level, Kansas is a completely different team.
Lastly, Kansas was able to get some productive minutes off the bench from Bobby Pettiford and Zuby Ejiofor. Pettiford, in 22 minutes, scored 10 points, dished out four assists, and pulled down two rebounds.
Ejiofor, in 12 minutes, scored eight points and pulled down two rebounds. If Kansas is going to make a serious run at repeating, the five-spot will, without question, need to be a productive position for Kansas and the bench will need to provide some quality minutes. The last two games, I think KJ Adams, Jr., has played really well and given Kansas everything it needs in the paint.
“We were really good today,” said Kansas head coach Bill Self. “We were ready to play and locked in. We made some mistakes defensively with our traps, but for the most part, our traps and ball screen defense were really good and much improved. Our hands were active, and Jalen goes 4-of-18 in large part because Trayce (Jackson-Davis) got nine blocked shots, all on his misses. They did a really good job defensively, taking away what could have been several more scoring opportunities for us, just on his individual defensive effort. Gradey was great, Kevin was fantastic, KJ was terrific, Dajuan was terrific, and it was the best our bench has been all year.”
