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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10. 2013
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
KANSAS TIPOFF
BLAKE SCHUSTER
bschuster@kansan.com
BASKETBALL GAMEDAY
AT A GLANCE
The Jayhawks come off a rough loss at Boulder and try to top the No. 19 Gators KANSAS VS. FLORIDA 10,7 P.M., STEPHEN O'CONNELL CENTER, GAINESVILLE
Including Saturday's loss, the Jayhawks have dropped two of their last three games. A lack of outside shooting has hurt Kansas more than anything. The post play has been stellar, but when faced with a zone defense, what Colorado used, the entry pass weren't good enough to set up an easy finish. Florida is the penultimate stop on the Jayhawks' stretch of six games away from Lawrence, and a win here won't come easily.
goal Embid returns to Gainesville, the place where he played his high school ball and where he almost attended college. Embid said his high school coach and host family will be in attendance when Kansas takes on Florida. It could be a big game for the big man.
PLAYER TO WATCH
DEC.10,7 P.M., STEPHEN O'CONNELL CENTER,GAINESVILLE,FLA.
Where will the Jayhawks get their outside shooting from?
Joel Embiid
QUESTION MARKS
Against Colorado, Self used just about everybody on the bench to try getting some shots from behind the arc. Regardless of Brannen Greene, Andrew White III and Conner Frankamp, nothing seemed to fall. Will that be the case in Gainesville?
The Jayhawks get a win to boost their confidence and lift spirits on campus — it is finals week, after all. This game will likely be as ugly as the one in Boulder. Kansas doesn't have to look good, it just has to get the job done.
Edited by Heather Nelson
BY THE NUMBERS
3 Kansas has won three of the four times it has played Florida.
30. 3 Kansas bench points per game
79. 1 Kansas points per game
BABY JAY WILL CHEER IF
KANSAS No.13----(6-2)
STARTERS
Frank Mason, Guard
Even with Mason starring in Colorado, Naadir Tharpe still played 28 minutes so it's not as if one player is getting thrown aside. Mason's aggressiveness was key during the Jayhawks' late run as he barreled into traffic resulting mostly in a tough layup or a trip to the line. In 34 minutes he registered 11 points and four assists with two turnovers.
Wayne Selden Jr., Guard
If you feel like Selden disappeared against the Buffalooes, you're not too far off. The freshman played 20 minutes with seven points and four rebounds. However, he did make a couple nifty moves to the bucket when needed. Selden is continuing to develop which is a good thing. There's much
FLORIDA No.19----(6-2)
Andrew Wiggins, Guard
Wiggins seemed to be on the verge of a breakout game in Colorado before he picked up two early fouls. A quick three followed by a monster block were great signs out of the gate. Still, Wiggins was the reason the Jayhawks had a chance to head to overtime. His clutch free throws at the end of the game kept Kansas alive, and he still found a way to finish with 22 points and five rebounds.
Perry Ellis, Forward
With 11 seconds remaining in the second half against Colorado, Ellis fought his way through the paint and knocked down a contested layup to the game. In the most pressure-filled moment, Ellis kept calm, was able to separate himself from his defender and had enough poise to finish off a tough shot. He might just be Kansas' go-to guy in these situations.
On Saturday Black's magic number was three. He picked up three personal fouls in three minutes of playing time. He didn't record any other stats. It hasn't been easy so far for Black, but there's no question he has the talent to succeed at this level. It might take some more time, but when Black figures it out, he'll be a great tool for the Jayhawks.
Tarik Black, Forward
STARTERS
Wilbekin, who is known for his defense, was voted to the All-SEC Defensive team last season. He sat out the first five games of the season because of a suspension and played just three games this season, in which he has averaged 11 points and about six assists a game. He sprained ankle against Connecticut but has been cleared to play.
Scottie Wilbekin, Guard
Michael Frazier II, Guard
Frazier, who is second on the team in scoring, makes a living from beyond the arc. The sophomore has made 23 three-pointers on 44 attempts this season. He has made more threes than Naadir Tharpe, Andrew Wiggins and Andrew White
An athletic forward, the Virginia Tech transfer leads the team in rebounding and averages more than 10 points per game. He struggled in his last two games, combining for nine points
Dorian Finney-Smith, Forward
The senior is ranked fourth in the SEC in scoring with 19.1 points per game and has dramatically improved upon last season's total of 6.2 points per game. Prather leads the team in field goal percentage and does most of his damage around the basket.
Casey Prather, Forward
Patric Young, Center
Young is a physical presence in the paint and draws many comparisons to Tarik Black. He is an effective low-post defender and can contribute on the offensive end as he averages 10 points a game. His best game of the season came last week against UConn as he tallied 17 points, seven rebounds and two steals.
FLORIDA TIPOFF
BRIAN HILLIX
bhillix@kansan.com
AT A GLANCE
No. 19 Florida is in a brutal stretch of the season in which it plays three ranked teams consecutively. Like Kansas, the Gators (6-2) lost their last contest on a buzzer-beater as Florida fell to UConn on the road. Florida is 0-2 against ranked teams this season, but each of those matchups have been away from home. The Gators lost their three leading scoresers from last season's team that made the Elite Eight.
PLAYER TO WATCH
Scottie Wilbekin
One of two returning starters from last season, Wilbiken is a force on the defensive end and has 10 steals in three games played this season. However, he has gone 8-26 from the field in his last two games and will need a better performance against the Jayhawks.
QUESTION MARKS
Will Wilbekin and Kasey Hill be limited by their injuries/lack of playing time? Both players are nursing sprained ankles but have been cleared to play on Tuesday. Wilbekin (suspension) has played in just three games this season while Hill (ankle) has appeared in four with neither playing in the same game. Hill is considered one of the best freshman point guards in the country
BY THE NUMBERS
36 Three-point field goal percentage
Florida lost by one point against UConn and won by one point in its previous game against Florida State
Days since Florida last took the court (Dec. 2 against Connecticut)
BABY JAY WILL CRY IF
The Jayhaws falter in the second half. Kansas has gotten off to solid starts in its past three games but hasn't been able to sustain a high level of play. Bill Seff said the team needs to do better in close games, and this one certainly has the potential to go down to the wire.
Edited by Heather Nelson
Prediction: Florida 84, Kansas 78
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