-- After six games, Jalen Wilson (24.8), Gradey Dick (16.8), Kevin McCullar, Jr. (10.2), and Dajuan Harris (9.2) lead the team in scoring with a big game against Tennessee set for 6:30 tonight in the Battle 4 Atlantis Championship. I'm guessing these will be the guys that lead the way for the majority of the season, especially Wilson and Dick. However, there needs to be a certain level of consistency within this group. Last year, Kansas had a number of guys that could score the ball in a variety of ways and Self also had the option of throwing the ball in the paint to David McCormack. At this point in the season, just six games in, Kansas just doesn't have that option.
-- Moving forward, I'm interested to see what Self does with the five-man. I think KJ Adams, Jr., has earned the right to play a ton of minutes for this team and I expect that to continue, but I'm just not sure how long Kansas can ride with him leading the way in the post. For those that watched the game yesterday, I'm sure you noticed that Zach Clemence played some extended minutes, but Ernest Udeh, Jr., and Zuby Ejiofor were nowhere to be found against Wisconsin. I'm not sure if Self just didn't like the matchup or if he just didn't feel comfortable playing Udeh, Jr., and Ejiofor in the semifinals of the Battle 4 Atlantis. When Cam Martin returns, and as we get deeper into the season, I'm really interested to see what happens with the five spot. Again, most of you have known for a long time and I've never had anything bad to say about any player that has put on a Kansas uniform, and I'm not about to start now. Adams, Jr., has the ability to do some really good things for this team and my guess is he's going to start until someone steps up and takes his spot in the rotation. However, In-order for Kansas to be at its best, I think a guy like Ernest Udeh, Jr., or Zach Clemence needs to emerge from the pack and create some separation from the rest.
-- I think we can all agree that the biggest concern, or one of the biggest concerns, is the lack of production coming from the bench six games into the season. Obviously, it's still very early in the season, but Kansas is getting very little from its bench. In defeating Wisconsin, 69-68 in overtime, the bench didn't score a single point, I don't believe, until Bobby Pettiford won the game on a reverse layup as the final seconds ticked off the clock. Later tonight and, without question, moving forward the rest of the season, Kansas will need some consistency when it comes to production off the bench. Wilson and Dick, KU's two biggest scorers, simply can't carry the load by themselves.
In six games, Bobby Pettiford is averaging 3.5 points per game.
In three games, MJ Rice is averaging 3.3 points per game
In five games, Ernest Udeh, Jr., is averaging three points per game
In six games Joseph Yesufu is averaging 2.0 points per game
In five games, Zuby Ejiofor is averaging 1.4 points per game
-- Kansas, in the first two games in the Battle 4 Atlantis, has committed 26 turnovers. The Jayhawks committed 13 turnovers against N.C. State and 13 turnovers against Wisconsin on Friday. Obviously, these things are going to happen. Turnovers, missed layups, and blown scoring opportunities are just things that are going to happen from game to game. However, at least for me, it's the unforced turnovers and turnovers in transition and turnovers in a fastbreak that this team must avoid later tonight and the rest of the season.
Last year, Kansas had Christian Braun, Remy Martin, Ochai Agbaji, David McCormack, Mitch Lightfoot, and Jalen Coleman-Lands. Obviously, the margin for error was quite a bit different a season ago than it is this season. Now, in time, that could very well change, but for now, this team can't afford to blow easy scoring opportunities and this team can't allow any team extra scoring opportunities due to being careless with the basketball.
-- Right now, my guess is Kansas will be playing with some heavy legs tonight, but the extra rest (Tennessee played after Kansas) will certainly help. Bill Self's squad has a big opportunity to make a statement early on in the season by winning the Battle 4 Atlantis. A win later tonight and Kansas can look forward to returning home with a perfect 7-0 record and home games against Seton Hall (December 1), Indiana (December 17), Harvard (December 22), and Oklahoma State (December 31). The only road game in the month of December takes place against Missouri in Columbia on December 10. Aside from the game in Columbia, Kansas doesn't hit the road again until Texas Tech on January 3.
I'm sure Kansas has some tired legs, but I'm guessing the same can be said about Tennessee. A win tonight would be huge for Self's squad, but a loss this early in the season, if we're being honest, doesn't really mean much. I mean, come Selection Sunday,non-conference wins over Duke, N.C. State, Wisconsin, Tennessee, Seton Hall, Missouri, Indiana, etc., would certainly be nice, but a loss or two during the non-conference portion of the season isn't going to make or break this season.
-- Lastly, I'm really interested to see what Self does with the rotation moving forward. Working with a roster of Bobby Pettiford, Jr., Joseph Yesufu, Dajuan Harris, Jr., Gradey Dick, Kyle Cuffe, Jr. (when he returns), Jalen Wilson, MJ Rice, Kevin McCullar, Jr., Zach Clemence, Ernest Udeh, Jr., KJ Adams, Jr., Cam Martin (when he returns), and Zuby Ejiofor provides Self and his staff with plenty of options when it comes to lineups and different combinations on the court. The question is: Who will ultimately emerge from the pack that isn't currently seeing a lot of time?
Harris, Jr., Dick, Wilson, McCullar, Jr., and Adams, Jr., are locked in for big-time minutes. On Thursday, Yesufu, Clemence, Pettiford, and Rice saw minutes coming off the bench, while Udeh, Jr., and Ejiofor didn't log a single minute. Will that change against Tennessee later tonight? What will the rotation look like by the time Big 12 play rolls around?
-- Moving forward, I'm interested to see what Self does with the five-man. I think KJ Adams, Jr., has earned the right to play a ton of minutes for this team and I expect that to continue, but I'm just not sure how long Kansas can ride with him leading the way in the post. For those that watched the game yesterday, I'm sure you noticed that Zach Clemence played some extended minutes, but Ernest Udeh, Jr., and Zuby Ejiofor were nowhere to be found against Wisconsin. I'm not sure if Self just didn't like the matchup or if he just didn't feel comfortable playing Udeh, Jr., and Ejiofor in the semifinals of the Battle 4 Atlantis. When Cam Martin returns, and as we get deeper into the season, I'm really interested to see what happens with the five spot. Again, most of you have known for a long time and I've never had anything bad to say about any player that has put on a Kansas uniform, and I'm not about to start now. Adams, Jr., has the ability to do some really good things for this team and my guess is he's going to start until someone steps up and takes his spot in the rotation. However, In-order for Kansas to be at its best, I think a guy like Ernest Udeh, Jr., or Zach Clemence needs to emerge from the pack and create some separation from the rest.
-- I think we can all agree that the biggest concern, or one of the biggest concerns, is the lack of production coming from the bench six games into the season. Obviously, it's still very early in the season, but Kansas is getting very little from its bench. In defeating Wisconsin, 69-68 in overtime, the bench didn't score a single point, I don't believe, until Bobby Pettiford won the game on a reverse layup as the final seconds ticked off the clock. Later tonight and, without question, moving forward the rest of the season, Kansas will need some consistency when it comes to production off the bench. Wilson and Dick, KU's two biggest scorers, simply can't carry the load by themselves.
In six games, Bobby Pettiford is averaging 3.5 points per game.
In three games, MJ Rice is averaging 3.3 points per game
In five games, Ernest Udeh, Jr., is averaging three points per game
In six games Joseph Yesufu is averaging 2.0 points per game
In five games, Zuby Ejiofor is averaging 1.4 points per game
-- Kansas, in the first two games in the Battle 4 Atlantis, has committed 26 turnovers. The Jayhawks committed 13 turnovers against N.C. State and 13 turnovers against Wisconsin on Friday. Obviously, these things are going to happen. Turnovers, missed layups, and blown scoring opportunities are just things that are going to happen from game to game. However, at least for me, it's the unforced turnovers and turnovers in transition and turnovers in a fastbreak that this team must avoid later tonight and the rest of the season.
Last year, Kansas had Christian Braun, Remy Martin, Ochai Agbaji, David McCormack, Mitch Lightfoot, and Jalen Coleman-Lands. Obviously, the margin for error was quite a bit different a season ago than it is this season. Now, in time, that could very well change, but for now, this team can't afford to blow easy scoring opportunities and this team can't allow any team extra scoring opportunities due to being careless with the basketball.
-- Right now, my guess is Kansas will be playing with some heavy legs tonight, but the extra rest (Tennessee played after Kansas) will certainly help. Bill Self's squad has a big opportunity to make a statement early on in the season by winning the Battle 4 Atlantis. A win later tonight and Kansas can look forward to returning home with a perfect 7-0 record and home games against Seton Hall (December 1), Indiana (December 17), Harvard (December 22), and Oklahoma State (December 31). The only road game in the month of December takes place against Missouri in Columbia on December 10. Aside from the game in Columbia, Kansas doesn't hit the road again until Texas Tech on January 3.
I'm sure Kansas has some tired legs, but I'm guessing the same can be said about Tennessee. A win tonight would be huge for Self's squad, but a loss this early in the season, if we're being honest, doesn't really mean much. I mean, come Selection Sunday,non-conference wins over Duke, N.C. State, Wisconsin, Tennessee, Seton Hall, Missouri, Indiana, etc., would certainly be nice, but a loss or two during the non-conference portion of the season isn't going to make or break this season.
-- Lastly, I'm really interested to see what Self does with the rotation moving forward. Working with a roster of Bobby Pettiford, Jr., Joseph Yesufu, Dajuan Harris, Jr., Gradey Dick, Kyle Cuffe, Jr. (when he returns), Jalen Wilson, MJ Rice, Kevin McCullar, Jr., Zach Clemence, Ernest Udeh, Jr., KJ Adams, Jr., Cam Martin (when he returns), and Zuby Ejiofor provides Self and his staff with plenty of options when it comes to lineups and different combinations on the court. The question is: Who will ultimately emerge from the pack that isn't currently seeing a lot of time?
Harris, Jr., Dick, Wilson, McCullar, Jr., and Adams, Jr., are locked in for big-time minutes. On Thursday, Yesufu, Clemence, Pettiford, and Rice saw minutes coming off the bench, while Udeh, Jr., and Ejiofor didn't log a single minute. Will that change against Tennessee later tonight? What will the rotation look like by the time Big 12 play rolls around?
