PAGE 68
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2013
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
KANSAS TIPOFF
AT A GLANCE
The Jayhawks are 29-2 in exhibition games under Self, Kansas has won all five home exhibition games it has played against Pittsburgh State. In two exhibition games last season, the Jayhawks won by a combined average of 23 points. Kansas started off last season with a 34-point win over Emporia State at home.
PLAYER TO WATCH
Naadir Tharpe, junior guard
While all eyes will be on Wiggins in his first collegiate action, the junior point guard will be the Jayhawks' most important player this season as the team's vocal leader and most experienced backcourt player. With shaky point guard play last season, Tharpe will look to add stability to one of the game's most important positions.
Which bench players will impress as Self looks to shape his rotation?
QUESTION MARK
In a game in which the bench players will receive substantial minutes, several bench players will look to solidify a spot in the rotation. Joel Embid, Jamari Traylor, Landen Lucas and Andrew White will be locks, but the backcourt is unclear with Brannen Greene, Frank Mason and Conner Frankamp competing for minutes.
BY THE NUMBERS
6 Kansas' preseason ranking by the USA Today Coaches' Poll
7 Players who will be making their Jayhawk debut
38 Consecutive home exhibition games won by Kansas
BIG JAY WILL CHEER IF...
The team has good chemistry. With a completely new starting five, Kansas is one of the most inexperienced teams in the country. The margin of victory won't be as important as the Jayhawks gelling as a team and playing to each other's strengths.
Edited by Sylas May
EXHIBITION GAME
KANSAS VS.PITTSBURG STATE 7 P.M., ALLEN FIELDHOUSE, LAWRENCE
New faces take the court for the first time
Tharpe
KANSAS
0-0, (0-0)
STARTERS
Naadir Tharpe, Guard
Tharpe will have the responsibility of spreading the ball around to Kansas' many weapons while also being counted on to provide leadership to a team that lost all five starters from last season. With no true point guard on the team last season, Tharpe stepped into that role and averaged almost 20 minutes off the bench. He ranked third in the Big 12 with a 2.22 assist-to-turnover ratio.
Seldon
★★★★
Bullard
Wiggins
Wayne Selden, Guard
Perhaps overshadowed by Andrew Wiggins, Selden has a similar skill-set in that he is an athletic player capable of driving the ball and shooting the long-range jump shot. Mike DeCourcy, a college basketball writer for Sports News and a studio analyst for the Big Ten Network, said the McDonald's All-American is the "hardest-practicing freshman" he has encountered in the 25-plus years he has covered college basketball.
PITTSBURG 0-0,(0-0) STARTERS
Jake Bullard, Guard
Ellis
Bullard enters his sophomore year as one of the leaders for the Gorillas. Last season provided an opportunity for Bullard to show he belongs on the floor, as Pittsburg State started him in 15 games, yet his production wasn't too stellar (7 points, 2.7 rebounds per game).
Branch
Black
Andrew Wiggins, Forward
In high school Branch averaged 24 points per game, but hasn't done much since. He spent two seasons in junior college before making the jump to the University of Oregon. Now at Pitt State, he's expected to see a large portion of playing time.
The undisputed top player in his recruiting class and preseason National Freshman of the Year, Wiggins has an explosive first step and a knack for scoring and rebounding. Also a McDonald's All-American, Wiggins averaged 23.4 points and 11.2 rebounds for Huntington Prep high school his senior season. At 6-foot-8 with a 7-foot wingspan, Wiggins will be a matchup nightmare for opponents with his height and quickness.
Devon Branch, Guard
Perry Ellis, Forward
Aside from Tharpe, Ellis came off the bench and played more minutes than any returner, averaging 13.6 minutes per game last season. Ellis started the season off slow but came on strong toward the end after being named to the All-Tournament team at the Big 12 tournament, where he scored double-digits in back-to-back games for the first time all season. Coach Bill Self said he has the potential to lead the team in scoring this year.
Named the preseason Big 12 newcomer of the year, Black played three seasons for the Memphis Tigers and averaged nearly ten points and five rebounds per game in 23 minutes. After graduating from Memphis in the spring, Black can play immediately in his final year of eligibility. At 6-foot-9 and 260 pounds, the senior forward/center has a strong presence in the paint. Self said he is one of the team's biggest leaders despite this being his first year in the program.
Tarik Black. Center
Gustafson
Josiah Gustafson, Forward
An untested freshman, Gustafson will make his collegiate debut in Allen Fieldhouse. As a prep star in Omaha, Neb., he averaged 21.9 points, 12.3 rebounds and 6.6 assists. This six-foot-5, 190-pound athlete provides a versatile tool for coach Kevin Muff to toy with.
Terrell Eaddy, Forward
Eaddy
Eaddy's stats don't peg him as a starter (2.3 points, 2 rebounds per game in 2012-13), but his value as a senior can't be overlooked. He spent two years in junior college before coming to Pitt State last season. Coach Muff is hoping the transition period is over for his New York-bred player.
Trevor Gregory, Forward
Another freshman who managed to crack the starting lineup, Gregory looks to be the main presence in the paint for Pitt State. At six-foot-seven, 235-pounds, he'll be one of the bigger Gorillas on the floor. At Lee's Summit West High School he earned All-District and All-Conference honors while averaging eight points and eight rebounds per game.
★☆☆☆
Gregory
Prediction:
Kansas 93, Pittsburg State 57
PITTSBURG TIPOFF
AT A GLANCE
Pitt State picked up three forwards during the recruiting period but inexperience throughout the lineup may slow the Gorillas down after a down year last season. Pitt State returns just two players with starting experience from it's 2012-2013 team that finished eighth in the MIAA and 18-10 overall.
PLAYER TO WATCH
Josiah Gustafson, junior guard
THE U
En route to becoming the Gatorade Nebraska Player of the Year his senior season, Gustafson was a three-year starter and
NFL
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four-year letterman at Millard North High School in Omaha. His 22 points per game have given Gorillas fans a reason to keep an eye on this freshman.
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QUESTION MARK
Kansas will be playing just about everyone on the bench during the exhibition to see what it can get going and that means a lot of shots will be going up. If Pitt State doesn't find a way to guard the Jayhawks early on, this could get out of hand fast.
"The job, there
94 Most points Pitt State scored in a game last season
The gain offer TD yard histo
.556 Pitt State's winning percentage in the MIAA last season
4 Number of times Pitt State has played Kansas
BY THE NUMBERS
BABY JAY WILL WEEP IF...
The Jayhawks come out flat and are phased by the bright lights of tipoff at Allen Fieldhouse. Of the likely starters for Kansas only Perry Ellis has previously started a game for the Jayhawks. This is when the unknowns begin to show themselves. Can Kansas get off to a strong start? And if not, how can they recover.
Edited by Heather Nelson