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basketball gameday
Dec. 6 | 7 p.m. | Allen Fieldhouse
> CHRISTIAN S. HARDY
@ByHardy
AT A GLANCE
This is essentially a scrimimage for Kansas, though the starters should see a somewhat normal run unless the Jayhawks can really pull away. Bill Self said this is might be the best UMKC team, at least on paper, that he's faced since he's been at Kansas, yet it still shouldn't be able to hang with Kansas. It may be hard for Kansas to push the pace against a team that plays at a similar pace to the Jayhawks. That said, Kansas should still be able to get into transition with ease against a team that it should be able to outplay than at every position.
PLAYER TO WATCH
Landen Lucas senior center
Lucas had a nice game against Stanford, probably his best full performance of the season to date after taking Tuesday's game off. That said, he admitted after the game that he still has a long way to go, as he only played 18 minutes and also got into some foul trouble against Reid Travis. But he had five boards and three blocks, and looked like reliable Lucas of old on both ends. At least for now, he will to continue to come off the bench, but in time it's possible he returns to a starting role. Either way, his minutes should be similar to Azubuike's in a game in which both stay out of foul trouble.
QUESTION MARK
Can Kansas continue to rely on three-pointers like it has recently?
Of course Kansas isn't going to hit three-pointers at 56.5 percent like it has in the last three games. But with a four-guard lineup — three of which are tremendously efficient three-point shooters — and Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk off the bench, it may be time to start wondering if the three-point shot could be here to stay for Kansas. With the plethora of options and tremendous passing on this team, it seems realistic that Kansas could continue to rely on the three-pointers.
BY THE NUMBERS
1. 2 - Mason is 13th in the NCAA in offensive win shares, according to College Basketball Reference, with 1.2. The stat measures a player's contribution in terms of wins, taking into account point, peripherals and possessions.
46
- Kansas is currently on a 46-game win streak in Allen Fieldhouse, the nation's longest running homecourt winning streak.
56. 5 - Kansas has shot 56.5 percent from behind the arc in the last three games. Before the run, Kansas was shooting only 30 percent from three.
56.5
STARTING FIVE
Frank Mason III, senior, guard
Since the CBE Classic, Mason has been a lot more careful with the ball. He had nine turnovers in those two games, and only six in the three games since, including a season low of one on Saturday. He hasn't shot more than 13 times in a game since the opening game of the season, yet he's scored 20 points four times since. That's the mark of a smart, efficient guard and one who will continue to lead this team.
Devonte' Graham, junior, guard
Graham is starting to find his groove. Last game, he hit five three-pointers in the first half, and he's gone three games in a row going at least 50 percent shooting from beyond the arc. Obviously, the offense goes through Mason, and rightfully so, but Kansas can become much more difficult to guard when Graham is the primary ball-handler, especially when the guards are hitting their shots. He didn't have a great second half on Saturday from the floor, but he still opened up shots for teammates on the perimeter, something he'll continue to do, as his shot is one of the most dangerous on this team.
Lagerald Vick, sophomore, guard
Vick isn't shooting a lot, but he's been incredibly efficient. He has shot 82 percent in the last three games on 18-of-22 shooting. Averaging 10.4 points and 4.5 rebounds a game, the sophomore from Memphis has carved out a valuable role on this team. By the end of the year, don't be surprised to see him move back to the bench in favor of a bigger lineup if Carlton Bragg Jr. can impress Bill Self. But either as a starter or a sixth man, Vick has been a very nice surprise for Kansas.
Josh Jackson, freshman, guard
It's only a matter of time before Jackson completely takes over for a complete game. We saw it a bit against UAB, when he had a season-high 22 points, but even then, Jackson didn't completely dominate. But for now, he's scored double-digit points in seven-straight games and is averaging 5.4 boards to go with that. Jackson is struggling from the line, where he is shooting only 56.1 percent on 41 attempts. That might not change soon, as at the Stephen Curry camp in July, Jackson shot only 55.2 percent from the line on 58 attempts.
Coach Bill Self has constantly referenced Azubuike getting a "pass" on this or that because he's still figuring things out. But, even as he figures out his defensive shortcomings, the last two coaches who have visited Allen Fieldhouse have noted that their strategy was to seal off the paint and make Kansas hit shots. That has put a lot of focus on Azubuike down low. If teams continue to focus on Azubuike, he'll soon learn to kick it out to an open guard, and once he can do that, Kansas will become that much harder to defend.
Udoka Azubulke, freshman, center
STARTING FIVE
LaVell Boyd, senior, guard
Kansas has had a little trouble containing their opponents' big men this season. Unfortunately for the Roos, this matchup looks to play in Kansas' strengths as UMKC's go-to guy is a guard. Boyd leads the team in points with 19.1 per game. Shooting 42.9 percent from the field on the year, the senior looks a lot like Kansas" Frank Mason III in the way he runs the UMKC offense.
Isaiah Ross, freshman, guard
Since guard Martez Harrison was suspended indefinitely due to breaking team conduct policies, Ross has stepped into the lineup for UMKC. Harrison was, and still is, the team's second-leading scorer at the time of his suspension, so Ross has a tough task to undertake. Ross recorded 17 points and one rebound in UMKC's 77-68 loss at South Dakota State on Saturday.
Robinson is another player who has recently been thrown into the starting lineup. His start in the loss to South Dakota State was his third of the season. Robinson adds some size to the floor for the Roos. He currently averages 5.4 points and 2.7 rebounds.
Broderick Robinson, junior, forward
Kyle Steward, senior, forward
Steward is one of three players who has started every game for UMKC this season. He is the sidekick to Darnell Tillman in the powerful frontcourt and averages 7.9 points and 4.4 rebounds. Steward will be an important player to take the workload off Tillman down the stretch, especially because UMKC is not a very deep team.
Tillman is the other go-to player for UMKC. He is a towering big man who does everything down low. He recorded four points and nine rebounds during UMKC's loss to South Dakota State. Tillman might give Kansas some trouble defensively.
Darnell Tillman, senior, center
SKYLAR ROLSTAD @SkyRolSports
AT A GLANCE
Like Stanford, the setup of this team suggests Kansas might have a little trouble defending against talented big men and a guard who can score. But UMKC just isn't powerful enough anywhere on the court to match up well with Kansas. If there were an area in which UMKC could give Kansas a little trouble in, it would be scoring down low through Darnell Tillman.
PLAYER TO WATCH
Darnell Tillman senior center
UMKC doesn't have the power to seriously match Kansas anywhere on the floor, especially when the Jayhawks have the home-court advantage. However, keep an eye on Tillman's ability to draw fouls and score down low. That is something Kansas has had a little trouble with. In Kansas' last game, Stanford forward Reid Travis scored a career-high 29 points and attempted 22 free throws, a record for Kansas opponents.
new asigolio
QUESTION MARK
Will UMKC move the ball well enough against Kansas?
UMKC claimed an encouraging result against a now-top ten Creighton team in the first game of the season with a 89-82 loss, so the team has proven its ability to play tougher teams. However, one good game from LaVell Boyd can make a world of difference. In nine games, Boyd has attempted 126 shots, which is more than twice as many as the second player on the team. He's only shooting 42.9 percent on the year. Clearly, the Roos need to move the ball better to score more efficiently.
BY THE NUMBERS
14. 3 - UMKC averages 14.3 turnovers per game.
8 UMKC has eight players who have started at least one of nine total games this season.
37. 3 UMKC allows an average of 37.3 rebounds per game.
Christian: Kansas 92. UMKC 64
Beat Writer Predictions
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Skylar: Kansas 91, UMKC 54
Brian: Kansas 90, UMKC 62