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LATE NIGHT IN THE PHOG
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basketball gameday
Late Night in the Phog
▶ CHRISTIAN S. HARDY
@ByHardy
AT A GLANCE
Just like almost any Bill Self team in the past, this one has a shot to make a deep run in the tournament. But unlike a lot of those Self teams, there's incredible depth, and seniority in that depth. Mason and Graham should be one of the best backcourts in the country, alongside wings in Mykhailiuk, Jackson and sophomore LaGerald Vick, and a frontcrest that will have the talent and experience to be strong down the stretch.
PLAYER TO WATCH
Josh Jackson freshman. guard
Just like with Andrew Wiggins at Late Night 2013, all eyes will be Josh Jackson in this one. Of course, with the experienced depth mentioned above, there should be a lot loss pressure for Jackson than there was Wiggins. Still, watching the No. 1 recruit with a Kansas jersey on inside Allen Fieldhouse will be exciting for fans. With only one year here at Kansas in all likelihood, fans should soak in every minute of it.
QUESTION MARK
Will Carlton Bragg Jr. be a viable Perry Ellis replacement?
This might not be a question that gets answered right off the bat, but this is the big one if Kansas is going to make a deep run in the postseason. Mason and Graham can be relied on to average upwards of 12 points a piece. Jackson may start slow — and when he does, Mykhailiuk should do a nice job of warming the seat up for him — but he won't be relied on for production until at least the start of the conference season. Also, Lucas proved he can play a big role for Kano — The amount of games Kansas won on the road last season.
31 — This will be the 31st "Midnight Madness" type of event held at Allen Field-house. It wasn't named "Late Night in the Phog" until 2003.
12 - Bill Self won his 12thstraight Big 12 title last season. He's won Big 12 Coach of the Year in half of those seasons, including last year.
BY THE NUMBERS
3 — Kansas basketball returns three starters this year in Frank Mason III, Devonte' Graham and Landen Lucas.
BIG JAY WILL CHEER IF.
First and foremost, to be cliché, no one gets hurt. But more importantly, if Carlton Bragg Jr. gets another solo piano performance. Bragg in the tuxedo, on top of the Jayhawk at center court inside a dark Allen Fieldhouse was fantastic last season. A few skirts from Self and Co. — like his spoofs of last year's DirectTV commercials — would be fun to see as well. After all, the scrimmage only makes up a very small chunk of Late Night, which officially starts at 6:30 p.m.
MEN
STARTING FIVE
Frank Mason III, senior, guard
Frank Mason III, senior, guard Frank Mason III, a second team All-Big 12 selection last year, is the team's surefire leader with Perry Ellis and Wayne Selden Jr. out of the picture. He's started in all but one game over his last two seasons and is one half of what is considered the best backcourt in the Big 12. He's constantly praised for his toughness and his basketball IQ, both of which will be crucial traits as the team's leader.
Devonte' Graham, junior, guard
Devonte' Graham was named DraftExpress' No. 3 NBA Draft prospect in the Big 12 behind only Josh Jackson and Texas center Jarrett Allen. He struggled down the stretch in the NCAA tournament, but still is the next go-to leader after Mason. He shot an astounding 44.1 percent from three-point range last year, averaging two threes per game in 32.6 minutes. He made huge strides in his sophomore year and should again this year. Along with Mason and Josh Jackson, Graham will be a big contributor on the scoreboard for Kansas.
Josh Jackson, freshman, guard
One of our question marks on this game day comes with freshman Josh Jackson, considered by many to be the No.1 recruit in the nation, and what his role will be early in the season. Bill Self and players have mentioned they're impressed with the freshman thus far, but Late Night will be the first opportunity for fans to see the big-time recruit in action. Technically, he will probably have to beat out junior Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk for this spot, but that shouldn't take long considering Jackson's incredible athletic ability.
Carlton Bragg Jr., sophomore, forward The one who is "always smiling," who can regularly be heard in the Kansas Union playing piano and who played a rendition of John Legend's "All of Me" at last year's Late Night, that is Carlton Bragg Jr., and he's Self's best replacement for Perry Ellis. Of course, Bragg won't be expected to do everything Ellis did at KU. It's conceivable, even likely, that much of the scoring will fall to the guards on this team. In years past, Ellis was as reliable as they come under the basket. Even if his numbers aren't huge, Bragg's steady presence in the front court will be crucial for this team to make a run.
Carlton Bragg Jr., sophomore, forward
Landen Lucas, junior, forward
The Jayhawks were 18-2 last year with Landen Lucas starting under the rim and he was a crucial factor in the tournament. He matured and emerged at an important time for Kansas last year. This year, he'll be relied on under the rim for an entire season. If he continues to shoot at the clip he did last year — 66.4 percent — and plays the same amount of minutes as he did down the stretch in the tournament — 33.7 per game in the last three games — he'll be just as important as any other player on this Jayhawks team. Expect 7-foot freshman Udoka Azubuike to be in the mix in the front court as well.
★★★★☆
STARTING FIVE
Jessica Washington, junior, guard
Washington sat out the 2015-16 season due to NCAA transfer rules, but will play a vital role in Schneider's offense this season. She was ranked the No.14 overall player in the 2013 high school women's basketball recruiting class and was the No.2 overall point guard according to ESPN HoopGurlz. Washington averaged 7.3 points during her sophomore year at North Carolina. She went on to average 12.5 points per game while shooting 50% from the floor during the 2015 ACC Tournament. Washington is a quick guard who will bring some fire to this Kansas team.
McKenzie Calvert, sophomore, guard Calvert is a redshirt sophomore who also sat out last season due to NCAA transfer rules. In 2014, Calvert was a five-star point guard and ranked as the No. 15 overall recruit by ESPN HoopGurlz. In her freshman year at Southern California, she averaged 10.2 points per game and was able to capture a Pac-12 freshman of the week honors. In the women's European tour this past summer, Calvert showed that she can be an answer to Kansas' lackluster scoring last season.
McKenzie Calvert, sophomore, guard
Kylee Kopatich, sophomore, guard
In her freshman campaign, Kopatich showed just how valuable she is to this Kansas squad. Last year, Kopatich led the team with 43 steals and 67 trips to the free-throw line. Kopatich was the second leading scorer on the team, averaging 9.5 points per game behind former Kansas point guard Lauren Aldridge. She was also able to lead the team with 113 defensive rebounds on the season. Her raw talent and go-to scoring ability will help her emerge as an elite player on the team this season.
Chayla Cheadle, junior, forward
Cheadle started 23 out of 31 games in the 2015-16 season and was able to rack-up 30 steals. Cheadle was an important factor in Kansas' win over TCU in the first round of the Big 12 championship last year. She posted 15 points while shooting 5-of-8 from the field. Expect Cheadle to be an important role player on the court this season.
Caelynn Manning-Allen, senior, center Kansas head coach Brandon Schneider will look for senior Manning-Allen to dominate down low this year. Last season, Manning-Allen was an intimidating presence in the paint as she led the team with 38 blocks and 4.9 rebounds per game. Manning-Allen shot $40.7\%$ on the field for the season but averaged only 6.7 points per game. If Kansas really wants to bring their play to new heights this season, Manning-Allen must create more scoring opportunities and finish at the rim.
▶ JARED ANDERSON
@jAnderson_383
AT A GLANCE
This year, head coach Brandon Schneider will look to be a threat in conference play after going 0-18 in the Big 12 last season. Jessica Washington and McKenzie Calvert will help provide Schneider with the extra scoring ability Kansas desperately needs. Their opening-round win against TCU in the 2016 Big 12 tournament is something this team can build off of.
PLAYER TO WATCH
Kylee Kopatich sonhomore. guard
Kopatich has emerged as a key player for this Kansas team and will be called upon to elevate her game to a new level this season. Kopatich started 30 out of 31 games last season and was ranked eighth in the Big 12 for minutes played. She was able to hit 45 of her 171 three-pointers in 2015-16 and will look to improve that number this year. As a freshman, Kopatich was just shy of averaging dou-
Who will replace Lauren Aldridge?
QUESTION MARK
With Lauren Aldridge no longer at Kansas, who will make up for her 344 points and 73 assists? Jessica Washington and McKenzie Calvert are two capable guards that can help fill the gap Lauren Aldridge left behind when she transferred to Missouri last spring. Washington is an athletic guard who can dish the ball and take it to the hoop. Calvert is a natural scorer and has great handles on the floor. These two guards have the ability to emerge as stars in their own right this season.
1 - The number of players that posted a double-digit point per game total for the 2015-16 season.
BY THE NUMBERS
46 - The difference between the highest (81) and smallest (35) point totals in a game last season.
BIG JAY WILL CHEER IF.
Kansas' guards consistently create scoring opportunities while Manning-Allen is a dominant force in the paint. Although Manning-Allen led the team in total rebounds last season, she failed to lead the team in offensive and defensive rebounds. At 6'4", Manning-Allen must use her size to clean up the boards and finish at the rim. It should also be a successful season if Kylee Kopatich can lead Kansas to victories with key players like Tyler Johnson contributing off of the bench.
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