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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2014
PAGE 7B
KANSAS TIPOFF
BASKETBALL GAMEDAY
The Jayhawks go head to head with the Sooners KANSAS VS. OKLAHOMA FEB. 24, 8 P.M., ALLEN FIELDHOUSE, LAWRENCE, KANSAS
BLAIR SHEADE
sports@kansan.com
AT A GLANCE
Can Perry Ellis play alongside Joel Embid?
A share of the Big 12 Conference title is on the line against Oklahoma. If Kansas wins, the Jayhawks would maintain a three game lead in the conference with only three games left. The win would knock Oklahoma out of reach of the conference title because the Sooners would be four games back. Oklahoma is trying to get revenge from the first game of conference play when the Jayhawcs defeated the Sooners in Norman, OKla. on Jan. 8.
PLAYER TO WATCH
With three consecutive poor shooting games, Tharpe is bound to bust out. The first time Tharpe faced Oklahoma, he scored 17 points on 5-7 shooting, but only had three assists. If Tharpe continues to struggle, watch for him to become a larger facilitator in the offense.
QUESTION MARKS
Naadir Tharpe
Since Embiid returned to the lineup, Ellis has struggled to find open shots. He's shooting more ten-footers lately because he can't get open in the paint with the lane clogged due to Embiid's presence. Ellis will have to find other ways to score because he's a major contributor to the offense.
BY THE NUMBERS
6 Andrew Wiggins has six consecutive double-digit games.
68 Joel Embiid's 68 blocks this season is a single season freshman record.
Kansas needs one more Big 12 conference win to take a share of the conference title.
BABY JAY WILL CHEER IF
If the Jayhawks take a share of the Big 12 conference title by defeating Oklahoma, and giving the Jayhawks their 10th straight conference title.
Edited by Jessica Mitchell
STARTERS
Naadir Tharpe, Guard
The shooting touch hasn't been with Tharpe lately. He scored eight points in the past three games, and missed all five 3-pointers he shot against Texas. The Jayhawks would like to think Tharpe is their go-to shooter due to his experience, but by the look of his latest shooting drought the team can only hope Tharpe finds a way out of his funk.
Wayne Selden, Jr., Guard
The problem with Selden has been his constancy on the offensive end. His average is seven points the past two games, but he's averaging more than 10 points per game on the season. Selden plays physical defense and is one of the best on-ball defenders on the Jayhawks. Until Selden uses his physicality on offense, his offense will suffer.
Andrew Wiggins, Guard
Wiggins had one of his best games of the season against Texas on Saturday. He showed all angles of his game. Wiggins shot 58 percent, the past three games and averaged 20 points. In order for the Jayhawks to be successful the back end of this season. Wiggins will have to keep his offensive consistent.
Perry Ellis, Forward
Not the same Ellis since his 32-point performance against Texas Christian on Feb.15. One of the reasons could be that Joel Embiid was penciled back into the lineup. Ellis still gets the same opportunities, but with opposing teams' attention on Embiid, the inside is crowded. Embiid shot 2-9 from the field since Embiid returned, and Ellis can still contribute by getting to the free-throw line.
Joel Embiid, Center
Against Texas Embiid started contesting shots similar to the beginning of the season. He showed his knack at the rim by the six blocks he had on Saturday. The seven-footer leads the Jayhawks in rebounds and block, and Embiid will have to continue to be a force in the paint for Kansas win down the stretch.
STARTERS
Jordan Woodard, Guard
Woodward is having a nice freshman season averaging 11 points and 4.7 assists per game. He's averaged 6.3 points since scoring 23 in an overtime loss at West Virginia on Feb. 5. Woodward was held without a field goal against Kansas on Jan. 8 but made all 10 of his free throw attempts.
Buddy Hield, Guard
Hield averages 16.7 points a game, which also ranks seventh best in the conference. The sophomore has been the team's most consistent scorer all season and has reached double-digits in scoring in all but two of Oklahoma's games.
Isaiah Cousins, Guard
Cousins is coming off of a 17-point game against a tough Kansas State defense. He averages 10.5 points and 4.1 rebounds per game, and has scored in double-figures in three of his last four games.
Cameron Clark, Guard
Clark tied a season-high with 32 points against Kansas on Jan. 8 and went 12-for-16 from the free throw line. However, since his outburst against the Jayhawks, his highest scoring game was 17 points against Texas Tech in late January. Clark has averaged eight points in his last two games.
Rvan Spangler, Forward
The Big 12's leading rebounder nearly averages a double-double with 10.3 points and 9.6 rebounds per game. Spangler scored only four points against Kansas on Jan. 8, which is his second-flowest total in conference play thus far.
OKLAHOMA TIPOFF
BRIAN HILLIX
sports@kansan.com
AT A GLANCE
The Sooners are one of the best offensive teams in the conference but give up a conference-most 76.8 points a game. Every starter averages double-digits in scoring, led by two of the highest-scoring guards in the conference in Hield and Clark. Oklahoma is currently tied for second-place in the Big 12 and is coming off an impressive home win over Kansas State on Saturday.
PLAYER TO WATCH
Cameron Clark
QUESTION MARKS
The senior lit up Kansas in the teams' first meeting as Clark knocked down open jump-shots all night and got to the free-throw line often. If he is guarded by Perry Ellis, Clark will likely have those opportunities again. Capitalizing on them will help Oklahoma stay within striking distance on Monday night.
Will Oklahoma's defense hold up?
The Sooners were able to slow down Andrew Wiggins and Joel Embiid on Jan. 8, but Wayne Selden, Jr., Naadir Tharpe and Ellis stepped up and combined for 63 points. If three Kansas players are on top of their game, that will put a lot of pressure on Oklahoma's offense to keep up.
BY THE NUMBERS
82. 8 Points per game, 12th best in the country
36 Free throws attempts against Kansas on Jan. 8
The Sooners were outbounded by 14 (36-22) on Jan. 8 against Kansas
BABY JAY WILL CRY IF
The Jayhawks have a hangover from Saturday's near-perfect performance against Texas. Kansas doesn't need to play that well to beat Oklahoma, but its level of play can't drop too much against a team that is likely headed to the NCAA Tournament.
Prediction: Kansas 74, Oklahoma 58
Edited by Callan Reilly
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