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KANSAS TIPOFF
BEN CARROLL
@BCarroll91
AT A GLANCE
The Kansas Jayhawks are coming off a 4-0 week, which included hoisting the Orlando Classic Championship trophy Sunday after beating No. 20 Michigan State. After being plummeted against Kentucky, 72-40, Kansas seems to be clicking on all cylinders again. The four-game win streak wasn't enough to move up in the AP rankings, staying at No. 11, still behind Texas.
BASKETBALL GAMEDAY
Alexander has flown under the raid because he doesn't start, but he remains Kansas' most physical player and is first off the bench. He scored a season-high 16 points against Tennessee. Alexander also averaged a season-high 26 minutes against Michigan State, snatching eight rebounds and rejecting four Spartan shots.
Can Kansas play the entire 40 minutes?
In the first six games, Kansas has outscored its opponents in both halves just twice and was outscored by two points in the second half against the Rider Broncs. The Jayhawks have done better in their last two games, outplaying Tennessee in both halves and winning the second half against the Spartans, but were still outscored by one point in the first half of the Michigan State game.
QUESTION MARKS
Cliff Alexander, Forward.
PLAYER TO WATCH
KANSAS VS. FLORIDA DEC. 5, 8 P.M., ALLEN FIELDHOUSE
62.3
The average points Kansas has allowed game this season, which is down from last year's total after the first six games (68.5).
Edited by Logan Schiossberg
... Kansas can contain Florida's best player, guard Michael Frazier II. Frazier has scored in double digits in all six of Florida's games this season, including a 21-point effort against UL Monroe. In the last four games, Frazier has averaged eight rebounds, more than what both Alexander and Ellis averaged over that same span.
The number of consecutive home games Kansas has won since its last loss inside Allen Fieldhouse on Jan. 5, 2014, against San Diego State.
The number of points Kansas won against Michigan State, which is the closest final score for the Jayhawks this season.
BABY JAY WILL CHEER IF
No.11 KANSAS (5-1,0-0 Big 12)
STARTERS
Mason averages at least 30 minutes per game. He is proving himself as the official point guard of this Kansas team and he may have sealed his case after his double-double performance against Michigan State. In each of the last three games, Mason has scored in double digits and added at least five assists.
Frank Mason, Guard
Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk, Guard
Svi is emerging as a big addition to this year's team. He started all four games of the Orlando Classic and scored 28 points in that stretch. Against Michigan State, he played a whopping 32 minutes and scored 11 points, including going 3-6 from 3-point range. "Svi for 3" seems to be a fitting slogan for the 17-year-old kid from Ukraine.
Wayne Selden Jr., Guard
Selden is one of two Jayhawks averaging at least 30 minutes per game on the hardwood. Although he has struggled from
the field (26.5 percent), he makes his presence more other ways, including 3.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game.
He shot 0-10 in the Orlando Classic Championship against Michigan State, and will look to get back in his offensive groove at home against Florida.
Perry Ellis, Forward
Ellis had a monster weekend in Orlando and won Big 12 Player of the Week because of it. He dropped a double-double against Tennessee on Friday and was one rebound shy from another against the Spartans. After shooting 1-6 against Kentucky, he's averaged almost 19 points per game.
FLORIDA (3-3,0-0SEC)
Lucas started every game during the Orlando Classic, but Cliff Alexander still seems to be the better forward and averages more minutes. Although Lucas only averages 11 minutes per game, he makes the most of his playing time. He scores four points a game, while also snagging rebounds on both sides of the ball, averaging 3.8 total rebounds in those 11 minutes.
Landen Lucas, Forward
STARTERS
Kasey Hill, Guard
The first-year starter at point guard leads the Gators with 3.5 assists per game. Hill scored a career-high 20 points against North Carolina, but he isn't a scorer. Hill has made one 3-pointer this season. Before North Carolina, Hill averaged 5.8 points and three turnovers per game.
Michael Frazier II, Guard
Frazier is the only returning starter and is the Gator's leading scorer, averaging 15 points per game. Even though Frazier has scored in double digits each game this season, he is having a down season. Through the first six games, Frazier's 3-point shooting percentage is down 9 percent.
Jacob Kurtz, Forward
Kurtz is the hustle playmaker on the Gators. He doesn't score much, averaging four points per game. Kurtz抓six rebounds per game and is the third leading rebounder on the team even though he's listed at 6-foot-6. Kurtz is usually replaced by guard Eli Carter to give the Gators a three guard set.
Dorian Finney-Smith, Forward
Finney-Smith likes to shoot the 3-pointers but is shooting a career-low 27 percent. Finney-Smith's has shot over 40 percent from the field, but against North Carolina, he shot 20 percent from the field and 0-for-4 from beyond the arc.
Jon Horford, Forward
A transfer from the University of Michigan. Horford faced Kansas in the 2013 Sweet 16. Horford had played well for Florida, scoring 10 points and grabbing seven rebounds per game. At 6-foot-10, Horford averages three 3-point attempts per game, but has only made 26 percent of them.
FLORIDA TIPOFF
BLAIR SHEADE
@RealBlairSheady
AT A GLANCE
After losing in the Final Four, the Florida Gators are 3-3 and have had a rough start to the season. Kansas coach Bill Self thinks Florida has played a tough schedule, losing its second game of the season against Miami (FL). The Gator have dropped two of their last three games against No. 5 North Carolina and Georgetown, and the only win during that stretch coming against UAB.
PLAYER TO WATCH
CHRIS WALKER, Forward
Last season as a freshman, Walker was a major contributor during the Gator NCAA tournament run. This season, Walker is the first forward off the bench, and he has played a minor role with only 17 minutes per game, but Walker has big-game ability. The 6-foot-10 forward can cause problems for the Kansas frontcourt.
QUESTION MARKS
Can Florida's frontcourt cause problems for Kansas?
The Gator frontcourt has three players 6-foot-10 or taller and over three blocks per game. Kansas has shown it struggles against taller teams.
BY THE NUMBERS
302
The Florida offense is ranked 302nd in the NCAA, shooting 38 percent from the field.
Florida averages 37 rebounds per game, which ranks 96th in the NCAA.
37
The Gators have 11 assists per game, ranking 232nd in the NCAA.
BABY JAY WILL CRY IF
Florida makes its 3-pointers. The Gators have 122 3-point attempts, but have only converted on 29 percent of them. If Florida gets hot from behind the 3-point arc, Kansas could find itself scrambling to fight back. If Kansas falls into a 3-point shooting competition, the Jayhawks could find themselves in trouble.
Prediction: Kansas 78, Florida 68
Edited by Jordan Fox
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