Needed that one
After what feels like an eternity, Kansas finally went on the road and took. a game in the opponent’s house. While the first half wasn’t promising, the Jayhawks jumped out in the second and didn’t look back. Here are some quick takeaways.
McCullar Is Back, Kind Of
Saturday afternoon saw Kevin McCullar return to action for the first time since the loss to Kansas State. His impact was certainly noticeable, bringing his signature defense to go along with 4 rebounds and 4 assists. He also scored 15 points in the 2nd half and got himself to the free throw time 11 times, something KU often struggles to do without him. However, despite the positives, McCullar started the game very slow and only finished 5-12 from the field, including 1-5 from 3. And while that’s far from a horrible shooting split, it is the newest in a recent line of rather inefficient shooting performances. The most notable example in game was when he passed up an open three only to take a dribble and shoot a long two, the most inefficient shot in basketball. At the end of the day, it’s not too much of a concern. At the beginning of the year, McCullar was probably shooting above average, and he’s now shooting below what he is capable of. The important thing is for him to get healthy, comfortable, and ready for a March run.
Defense, Timely 3s help Jayhawks in Big 2nd Half
After a poor start where they found themselves down by 11 with just two minutes to go, Kansas was able to cut the lead to just 5 heading into halftime. (Credit to Jamari McDowell who was on the floor for that run). The Jayhawks then held Oklahoma to just 23 points in the 2nd half, as the Jayhawks were much more active on the perimeter, leading to steals and fast break points, or forcing contested, late shot clock shot attempts. They were also aided by OU regressing to their mean in terms of 3 point shooting. While he struggled somewhat offensively, McCullar’s presence was much appreciated on the other side, where he and Harris played great 1 on 1 defense in the 2nd half.
Kansas was able to put OU on their heels quickly, as they forced 5 fouls in 5 minutes and quickly found themselves in the Bonus for the rest of the game. The Sooners held on for a while, but a string of threes by Harris, McCullar, and Furphy eventually helped KU build the 10 point lead they ended the game with. If the Jayhawks can continue to find open looks for those three, the offense becomes that much more lethal. Kansas of course is one of the lowest volume 3 point shooting teams in the country and doesn’t have the personnel to fire up 30 per game. But just a few more good looks could go along way for that trio who can knock down open shots.
A Timely Break
The best time for Bill Self and company to get a week between games would probably have been last week. The second best time is now. Kevin McCullar is still not 100%, Dajuan Harris was banged up last week, and this heavy minutes lineup needs all the rest it can get. A healthy Kansas team can still compete for a title, but just one small injury puts everything in jeopardy.