By Kevin Lonnquist
Publisher
We visited with Kansas basketball beat writer Shay Wildeboor about Saturday's second meeting in Lawrence, KS.
Q: When last we saw the Jayhawks, Baylor pretty much had control and beat them to send them to their third straight loss. But it looks like the switch flipped in the win at Kentucky. What's changed about this team?
A: For No. 5 Kansas (21-5; 9-4), its loss in conference play came against No. 13 Iowa State (Ranking at the time) in Ames, Iowa back on February 4. During that game against the Cyclones, a 68-53 defeat, just one player, Jalen Wilson scored in double-figures. He ended up scoring a game-high 26 points, but no other player scored more than eight points for Kansas on that day. Against Iowa State, Kansas shot just 38.6 percent from the field and 26.1 percent from behind the arc.
Since that game, Kansas has been a completely different team. The Jayhawks, in defeating No. 5 Texas back on February 6, saw five players, Gradey Dick (21), Dajuan Harris (17), Kevin McCullar (16), Joseph Yesufu (14), and KJ Adams (10) score in double-figures. Against Oklahoma, a 78-55 victory, four players, Jalen Wilson (18), Dajuan Harris (16), Kevin McCullar (13), and KJ Adams (10) scored in double-figures, while four players, Gradey Dick (26), Kevin McCullar (15), KJ Adams (15), and Jalen Wilson (14) led the way offensively in KU’s most recent win at Oklahoma State earlier in the week.
The biggest difference is the balance this team is showing on the offensive end of the court and the high level of play currently being displayed by Bill Self’s team on the defensive side of the ball. When this team is balanced and defending, they can beat anybody in college basketball
Q: What has Texas Tech transfer Kevin McCullar meant to this team?
A: I think the answer to the above question was answered when Kevin McCullar, Jr., went down with an ankle injury late in the game at Oklahoma State earlier in the week. This season, he’s averaging 10.8 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. Offensively, he’s connected on 43 percent of his field goals, 28 percent of his shots from behind the arc, and 77 percent of his free throws, but his biggest contribution continues to come on the defensive end of the court and in his leadership.
McCullar, Jr., currently leads the team with 56 steals on the season. He had five steals at Missouri, five steals against Indiana, three steals against Harvard, three steals at West Virginia, four steals against Oklahoma, three steals against Iowa State, two steals at Baylor, two steals at Kentucky, two steals against Kansas State, and three steals at Oklahoma.
While McCullar, Jr., still struggles to shoot the ball, he’s won some games for Kansas with some big-time shots and his ability to drive and score through contact has been key throughout the season. Still, his biggest contribution is, without question, his level of play on the defensive end of the court and his leadership.
Kansas wouldn’t be where it is today without Kevin McCullar, Jr.
Q: If Kansas is going to hold serve on Saturday and split with Baylor, what must it do?
A: First, I think Kansas has to handle the emotions of the day. With ESPN College GameDay in town, it's going to be a long day. As far as the game goes, stick with the same recipe that’s worked during this current three-game winning streak.
First, Kansas simply can’t allow Keyonte George, Adam Flagler, and LJ Cryer to “go off” inside Allen Fieldhouse on Saturday. The Jayhawks will absolutely have to defend at a very high level and throw different looks at Baylor’s extremely talented trio. George, Flagler, and Cryer, as a group, are as good as any three in college basketball.
Second, Kansas must be balanced on the offensive end of the court. The Jayhawks simply can’t afford to be a one or two-man show against the Bears. Jalen Wilson, Gradey Dick, Kevin McCullar, Jr., Dajuan Harris, and KJ Adams, Jr., must be productive on offense.
Lastly, and this is certainly something to watch, how well will the bench perform on Saturday and how will Bill Self utilize those guys against Baylor? If foul trouble is a problem, which has been the case at different times this season, will Ernest Udeh, Jr., Bobby Pettiford, Zuby Ejiofor, Joseph Yesufu, Zach Clemence, etc., be ready when called upon?
If Kansas plays the way it's capable of playing, they’ll even the season series with Baylor on Saturday.
Publisher
We visited with Kansas basketball beat writer Shay Wildeboor about Saturday's second meeting in Lawrence, KS.
Q: When last we saw the Jayhawks, Baylor pretty much had control and beat them to send them to their third straight loss. But it looks like the switch flipped in the win at Kentucky. What's changed about this team?
A: For No. 5 Kansas (21-5; 9-4), its loss in conference play came against No. 13 Iowa State (Ranking at the time) in Ames, Iowa back on February 4. During that game against the Cyclones, a 68-53 defeat, just one player, Jalen Wilson scored in double-figures. He ended up scoring a game-high 26 points, but no other player scored more than eight points for Kansas on that day. Against Iowa State, Kansas shot just 38.6 percent from the field and 26.1 percent from behind the arc.
Since that game, Kansas has been a completely different team. The Jayhawks, in defeating No. 5 Texas back on February 6, saw five players, Gradey Dick (21), Dajuan Harris (17), Kevin McCullar (16), Joseph Yesufu (14), and KJ Adams (10) score in double-figures. Against Oklahoma, a 78-55 victory, four players, Jalen Wilson (18), Dajuan Harris (16), Kevin McCullar (13), and KJ Adams (10) scored in double-figures, while four players, Gradey Dick (26), Kevin McCullar (15), KJ Adams (15), and Jalen Wilson (14) led the way offensively in KU’s most recent win at Oklahoma State earlier in the week.
The biggest difference is the balance this team is showing on the offensive end of the court and the high level of play currently being displayed by Bill Self’s team on the defensive side of the ball. When this team is balanced and defending, they can beat anybody in college basketball
Q: What has Texas Tech transfer Kevin McCullar meant to this team?
A: I think the answer to the above question was answered when Kevin McCullar, Jr., went down with an ankle injury late in the game at Oklahoma State earlier in the week. This season, he’s averaging 10.8 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. Offensively, he’s connected on 43 percent of his field goals, 28 percent of his shots from behind the arc, and 77 percent of his free throws, but his biggest contribution continues to come on the defensive end of the court and in his leadership.
McCullar, Jr., currently leads the team with 56 steals on the season. He had five steals at Missouri, five steals against Indiana, three steals against Harvard, three steals at West Virginia, four steals against Oklahoma, three steals against Iowa State, two steals at Baylor, two steals at Kentucky, two steals against Kansas State, and three steals at Oklahoma.
While McCullar, Jr., still struggles to shoot the ball, he’s won some games for Kansas with some big-time shots and his ability to drive and score through contact has been key throughout the season. Still, his biggest contribution is, without question, his level of play on the defensive end of the court and his leadership.
Kansas wouldn’t be where it is today without Kevin McCullar, Jr.
Q: If Kansas is going to hold serve on Saturday and split with Baylor, what must it do?
A: First, I think Kansas has to handle the emotions of the day. With ESPN College GameDay in town, it's going to be a long day. As far as the game goes, stick with the same recipe that’s worked during this current three-game winning streak.
First, Kansas simply can’t allow Keyonte George, Adam Flagler, and LJ Cryer to “go off” inside Allen Fieldhouse on Saturday. The Jayhawks will absolutely have to defend at a very high level and throw different looks at Baylor’s extremely talented trio. George, Flagler, and Cryer, as a group, are as good as any three in college basketball.
Second, Kansas must be balanced on the offensive end of the court. The Jayhawks simply can’t afford to be a one or two-man show against the Bears. Jalen Wilson, Gradey Dick, Kevin McCullar, Jr., Dajuan Harris, and KJ Adams, Jr., must be productive on offense.
Lastly, and this is certainly something to watch, how well will the bench perform on Saturday and how will Bill Self utilize those guys against Baylor? If foul trouble is a problem, which has been the case at different times this season, will Ernest Udeh, Jr., Bobby Pettiford, Zuby Ejiofor, Joseph Yesufu, Zach Clemence, etc., be ready when called upon?
If Kansas plays the way it's capable of playing, they’ll even the season series with Baylor on Saturday.
