-- Well, Kansas moved to 9-1 on the season after defeating Missouri, 73-64 on Saturday. Offensively, the Jayhawks were led by KJ Adams (17), Kevin McCullar (17), Hunter Dickinson (13), and Elmarko Jackson (11). After trailing for 14 minutes in the first half, Kansas took the lead for good following a made three-pointer from the corner by Elmarko Jackson. KU’s freshman guard was fouled on the play and, following the timeout, calmly stepped to the free-throw line and converted the attempt.
As it turned out, Kansas ended the first half on a 20-2 run, which really ended up being a big difference-maker in the game. The Tigers actually led the Jayhawks by nine points, 15-6, but would trail at the half, 41-29. After Jackson converted the four-point play, which put Kansas up by two points, Kevin McCullar, Jr., drilled a three and Kansas suddenly found itself up by five points, 34-29.
On the final play of the first half, McCullar, Jr., was fouled shooting a corner three, and, after the officials went to the monitor to review the play, McCullar, Jr., was finally awarded three free-throws, and he hit all three. Kansas, at the break, led Missouri by 12 points, 41-29.
-- On a night when Kansas won its fourth straight game over Missouri, KJ Adams, Jr., was, in my opinion, the best player on the court for Kansas. First, let’s take a quick look at his line for the night. In 37 minutes of action, Adams, Jr., scored a team-high (tied with McCullar, Jr.) 17 points, pulled down two rebounds, dished out five assists, and blocked one shot. Yes, he was also credited with five turnovers, but also spent a great deal of time with the ball in his hands in both the first and second half.
Missouri decided to sag off of Adams, Jr., on the offensive end of the court and KU’s talented forward made the Tigers pay with a handful of floaters in the lane. In all, Adams, Jr., converted 7-of-13 field goals and was 3-of-4 from the free-throw line. Adams, Jr., without question, was also responsible for the biggest play on the defensive end of the court. In the second half, Missouri guard Anthony Robinson appeared to have a clear lane to the basket on a fastbreak, but Adams, Jr., trailing the play, refused to Robinson to convert the layup by swatting his shot from behind.
The crowd inside Allen Fieldhouse erupted and it was clearly one of the biggest plays of the game for not only Adams, Jr., but for Kansas. After the game, I asked Adams, Jr., how he was feeling with everything that’s taken place with the death of his mother, and he said he’s finally starting to get some sleep. He said everybody involved in his life, from the coaching staff to his teammates to the Kansas fans, to the entire community, has been so supportive during an extremely difficult time.
The rebounding numbers probably aren’t what they could be, but KJ Adams, Jr., has simply taken his game to another level.
-- Kevin McCullar, Jr., also had himself a game against Missouri on Saturday. When he decided to return for a final season of college basketball, I really wasn’t sure what to expect from McCullar, Jr. I believe that he really wanted to leave at the end of the season, but I also firmly believe that he made the best decision possible by returning for a final year of college basketball.
McCullar, Jr., has been really good for Kansas this season, and that trend continued on Saturday. Against The Tigers, McCullar, Jr., scored 17 points, pulled down nine rebounds, dished out four assists, and was credited with three steals. In 38 minutes of action, McCullar, Jr., was shot just 4-of-15 from the field, 1-of-4 from behind the arc, and was 8-of-9 from the free-throw line. His only three of the game, which came with 2:30 left in the first half, increased KU’s lead over MU to five points, 34-29.
At the end of the first half, he was fouled from behind the arc and calmly stepped to the free-throw line, and converted all three attempts. Kansas, after trailing by nine points at one point in the first half, took a 12-point lead over Missouri to the break. He scored 14 of his 17 points in the first half and made some key plays, including coming up with three steals, in the second half. The big game experience he brings to the court each and every night is a huge benefit to this team.
-- There was absolutely no way Missouri was going to allow Hunter Dickinson to have a big game on the offensive end of the court on Saturday. Coach Dennis Gates and his staff were committed to doing just about everything possible to keep Dickinson from controlling the paint on the offensive end of the court. Dickinson, in 35 minutes, scored 13 points, pulled down 16 rebounds, and was credited with one steal. For the game, he was 6-of-9 from the field and 1-of-1 from the free-throw line. I can’t remember the last time Dickinson didn’t attempt a shot from behind the arc, but that didn’t happen against Missouri.
In the first half, Dickinson, on the offensive end of the court, wasn’t a factor at all. He scored two points on 1-of-2 shooting from the field. However, in the second half, he was much more aggressive and was able to get some good looks at the basket. After halftime, Dickinson, in 17 minutes scored 11 points and pulled down nine rebounds. He was 5-of-7 from the field and 1-of-1 from the free-throw line. After the game, Coach Dennis Gates was clearly proud of how well Missouri limited Dickinson in that first half was, on a number of occasions, talked about how the Tigers were able to play in front of the Jayhawks for 14 minutes.
Listen, Dickinson isn’t going to play lights out every game. Looking at the updated stats in the media room, he’s currently averaging 19.4 points and 12.6 rebounds per game. It was one of those games where Missouri was committed to doing what it took to slow KU’s big man down on the offensive side of the court. It took a little time, but Dickinson eventually got going in the second half, but it also needs to be said that KJ Adams, Jr., had himself a game in the paint and around the basket. Once those two become even more comfortable playing alongside each other, it’s going to be a fun duo to watch on the hardwood.
-- I thought there were times when Elmarko Jackson looked more comfortable on the court on Saturday. I know there’s been some talk on the message boards about Johnny Furphy replacing Jackson in the starting rotation, but I really think that Jackson is going to take a step forward these next couple of weeks. On Saturday, Jackson, in 26 minutes, scored 11 points, pulled down just one rebound, dished out one assist, and was credited with one steal. On all, he was 2-of-5 from the field, 1-of-2 from behind the arc, and 6-of-7 from the free-throw line.
In my opinion, Jackson hit the biggest shot of the game, which gave Kansas the lead for good, when he drilled a three from the corner and was fouled. After the timeout, he hit the free throw, which increased KU’s lead over MU to two points, and ultimately gave Kansas the lead for good. There are times when he’s too sped up and, in watching Jackson play, I think there are times when he’s thinking too much instead of just playing. Kansas has a week off before a big game against Indiana in Bloomington next Saturday.
With finals set for next week and a break from academics, Jackson will have the opportunity to focus on basketball and nothing else. I’m really interested to see how he grows as a player during that time.
-- Heading into the game, I really thought that Dajuan Harris, Jr., would have a big outing against the Tigers. While meeting with the media on Thursday, Harris said he wanted to win this game by a lot of points. I anticipated Harris, Jr., having a big game, but that wasn’t necessarily the case. Harris, Jr., in 40 minutes, scored eight points, pulled down two rebounds, dished out five assists, committed four turnovers, had one block, and was credited with one steal. Offensively, Harris, Jr., shot 3-of-6 from the field, 0-of-1 from behind the arc, and was 2-of-2 from the free-throw line.
I’m not sure if he’s pressing or just thinking too much, but Harris, Jr., just doesn’t appear to be playing like his normal self. His wraparound pass when driving to the basket has led to some turnovers and, just from watching him play this season, he’s making plays that he hasn’t made in the past. Again, Kansas doesn’t play for a week and, once finals are done, Harris, Jr., and his teammates will have the opportunity to focus on basketball and nothing else.
-- A few final thoughts here from the Allen Fieldhouse media room. I thought the officiating in the first half and second half were completely different. From my view, it completely disrupted the flow of the game. Parker Braun, in five minutes, made a few nice plays off the bench and led the way with four points. Johnny Furphy, who logged just seven minutes due to foul trouble, didn’t score a single point and pulled down four rebounds.
Nicolas Timberlake, in six minutes, scored three points on 1-of-3 shooting from behind the arc, while Jamari McDowell, played five minutes and was 0-of-2 from the field.
As it turned out, Kansas ended the first half on a 20-2 run, which really ended up being a big difference-maker in the game. The Tigers actually led the Jayhawks by nine points, 15-6, but would trail at the half, 41-29. After Jackson converted the four-point play, which put Kansas up by two points, Kevin McCullar, Jr., drilled a three and Kansas suddenly found itself up by five points, 34-29.
On the final play of the first half, McCullar, Jr., was fouled shooting a corner three, and, after the officials went to the monitor to review the play, McCullar, Jr., was finally awarded three free-throws, and he hit all three. Kansas, at the break, led Missouri by 12 points, 41-29.
-- On a night when Kansas won its fourth straight game over Missouri, KJ Adams, Jr., was, in my opinion, the best player on the court for Kansas. First, let’s take a quick look at his line for the night. In 37 minutes of action, Adams, Jr., scored a team-high (tied with McCullar, Jr.) 17 points, pulled down two rebounds, dished out five assists, and blocked one shot. Yes, he was also credited with five turnovers, but also spent a great deal of time with the ball in his hands in both the first and second half.
Missouri decided to sag off of Adams, Jr., on the offensive end of the court and KU’s talented forward made the Tigers pay with a handful of floaters in the lane. In all, Adams, Jr., converted 7-of-13 field goals and was 3-of-4 from the free-throw line. Adams, Jr., without question, was also responsible for the biggest play on the defensive end of the court. In the second half, Missouri guard Anthony Robinson appeared to have a clear lane to the basket on a fastbreak, but Adams, Jr., trailing the play, refused to Robinson to convert the layup by swatting his shot from behind.
The crowd inside Allen Fieldhouse erupted and it was clearly one of the biggest plays of the game for not only Adams, Jr., but for Kansas. After the game, I asked Adams, Jr., how he was feeling with everything that’s taken place with the death of his mother, and he said he’s finally starting to get some sleep. He said everybody involved in his life, from the coaching staff to his teammates to the Kansas fans, to the entire community, has been so supportive during an extremely difficult time.
The rebounding numbers probably aren’t what they could be, but KJ Adams, Jr., has simply taken his game to another level.
-- Kevin McCullar, Jr., also had himself a game against Missouri on Saturday. When he decided to return for a final season of college basketball, I really wasn’t sure what to expect from McCullar, Jr. I believe that he really wanted to leave at the end of the season, but I also firmly believe that he made the best decision possible by returning for a final year of college basketball.
McCullar, Jr., has been really good for Kansas this season, and that trend continued on Saturday. Against The Tigers, McCullar, Jr., scored 17 points, pulled down nine rebounds, dished out four assists, and was credited with three steals. In 38 minutes of action, McCullar, Jr., was shot just 4-of-15 from the field, 1-of-4 from behind the arc, and was 8-of-9 from the free-throw line. His only three of the game, which came with 2:30 left in the first half, increased KU’s lead over MU to five points, 34-29.
At the end of the first half, he was fouled from behind the arc and calmly stepped to the free-throw line, and converted all three attempts. Kansas, after trailing by nine points at one point in the first half, took a 12-point lead over Missouri to the break. He scored 14 of his 17 points in the first half and made some key plays, including coming up with three steals, in the second half. The big game experience he brings to the court each and every night is a huge benefit to this team.
-- There was absolutely no way Missouri was going to allow Hunter Dickinson to have a big game on the offensive end of the court on Saturday. Coach Dennis Gates and his staff were committed to doing just about everything possible to keep Dickinson from controlling the paint on the offensive end of the court. Dickinson, in 35 minutes, scored 13 points, pulled down 16 rebounds, and was credited with one steal. For the game, he was 6-of-9 from the field and 1-of-1 from the free-throw line. I can’t remember the last time Dickinson didn’t attempt a shot from behind the arc, but that didn’t happen against Missouri.
In the first half, Dickinson, on the offensive end of the court, wasn’t a factor at all. He scored two points on 1-of-2 shooting from the field. However, in the second half, he was much more aggressive and was able to get some good looks at the basket. After halftime, Dickinson, in 17 minutes scored 11 points and pulled down nine rebounds. He was 5-of-7 from the field and 1-of-1 from the free-throw line. After the game, Coach Dennis Gates was clearly proud of how well Missouri limited Dickinson in that first half was, on a number of occasions, talked about how the Tigers were able to play in front of the Jayhawks for 14 minutes.
Listen, Dickinson isn’t going to play lights out every game. Looking at the updated stats in the media room, he’s currently averaging 19.4 points and 12.6 rebounds per game. It was one of those games where Missouri was committed to doing what it took to slow KU’s big man down on the offensive side of the court. It took a little time, but Dickinson eventually got going in the second half, but it also needs to be said that KJ Adams, Jr., had himself a game in the paint and around the basket. Once those two become even more comfortable playing alongside each other, it’s going to be a fun duo to watch on the hardwood.
-- I thought there were times when Elmarko Jackson looked more comfortable on the court on Saturday. I know there’s been some talk on the message boards about Johnny Furphy replacing Jackson in the starting rotation, but I really think that Jackson is going to take a step forward these next couple of weeks. On Saturday, Jackson, in 26 minutes, scored 11 points, pulled down just one rebound, dished out one assist, and was credited with one steal. On all, he was 2-of-5 from the field, 1-of-2 from behind the arc, and 6-of-7 from the free-throw line.
In my opinion, Jackson hit the biggest shot of the game, which gave Kansas the lead for good, when he drilled a three from the corner and was fouled. After the timeout, he hit the free throw, which increased KU’s lead over MU to two points, and ultimately gave Kansas the lead for good. There are times when he’s too sped up and, in watching Jackson play, I think there are times when he’s thinking too much instead of just playing. Kansas has a week off before a big game against Indiana in Bloomington next Saturday.
With finals set for next week and a break from academics, Jackson will have the opportunity to focus on basketball and nothing else. I’m really interested to see how he grows as a player during that time.
-- Heading into the game, I really thought that Dajuan Harris, Jr., would have a big outing against the Tigers. While meeting with the media on Thursday, Harris said he wanted to win this game by a lot of points. I anticipated Harris, Jr., having a big game, but that wasn’t necessarily the case. Harris, Jr., in 40 minutes, scored eight points, pulled down two rebounds, dished out five assists, committed four turnovers, had one block, and was credited with one steal. Offensively, Harris, Jr., shot 3-of-6 from the field, 0-of-1 from behind the arc, and was 2-of-2 from the free-throw line.
I’m not sure if he’s pressing or just thinking too much, but Harris, Jr., just doesn’t appear to be playing like his normal self. His wraparound pass when driving to the basket has led to some turnovers and, just from watching him play this season, he’s making plays that he hasn’t made in the past. Again, Kansas doesn’t play for a week and, once finals are done, Harris, Jr., and his teammates will have the opportunity to focus on basketball and nothing else.
-- A few final thoughts here from the Allen Fieldhouse media room. I thought the officiating in the first half and second half were completely different. From my view, it completely disrupted the flow of the game. Parker Braun, in five minutes, made a few nice plays off the bench and led the way with four points. Johnny Furphy, who logged just seven minutes due to foul trouble, didn’t score a single point and pulled down four rebounds.
Nicolas Timberlake, in six minutes, scored three points on 1-of-3 shooting from behind the arc, while Jamari McDowell, played five minutes and was 0-of-2 from the field.
