No. 11 Kansas finds itself in a familiar position as it prepares for a Big 12 rematch with visiting UCF on Tuesday night.
The Jayhawks (14-5, 5-3 Big 12) play UCF (13-6 ,4-4) for the second time this season when they’re coming off a rare home defeat.
The Jayhawks traveled to Orlando, Fla., to face UCF earlier this month following a one-point home setback to West Virginia on New Year’s Eve. The loss ended Kansas’ 33-game winning streak in conference openers dating back to the 1991-92 season. It also created some urgency.
Kansas responded by crushing the Knights 99-48 for the second-largest margin of victory in school history. The Jayhawks dished out 30 assists on 42 made field goals.
It figures to be an even more challenging turnaround on Tuesday for the Jayhawks, who will take the floor for the third time in seven days. Injured senior forward KJ Adams has not played since Jan. 15, and there also is the sting of Saturday’s 92-86 double-overtime home loss to then-No. 7 Houston.
The showdown with Houston certainly lived up to its billing, but Kansas knows it let a coveted Quad 1 win slip away. The Jayhawks squandered six-point leads late in regulation and the first overtime, dropping them three games behind the Cougars in the Big 12 standings and leaving Kansas coach Bill Self to lament a lack of execution at crucial moments.
“We need to bounce back and show some toughness and all that stuff, and our guys will,” Self said. “They’re high-character guys, but obviously we’re crushed right now. That team (Houston) could win a national championship, and we actually controlled the game for the most part.”
Kansas appeared headed to victory behind the hot shooting of Alabama transfer Rylan Griffen, who had a season-high 17 points while going 5 of 6 on 3-point attempts. There also was the one-two punch of freshman Flory Bidunga, who had a career-high 19 points with seven rebounds, and Hunter Dickinson (17 points, eight rebounds). Dajuan Harris Jr. had a career-high 12 assists.
However, Houston ended the game on a 19-7 run spanning the two five-minute overtime periods.
The Jayhawks missed two free throws with under 20 seconds left in the first OT that could have extended a 79-73 lead. Trailing 79-76, Houston stole an inbound pass in the frontcourt and Kansas was not in position to foul as Mylik Wilson drained a tying 3-pointer with 4.3 seconds to go.
UCF has momentum on its side after trouncing TCU 85-58 on Saturday. The Knights not only posted their largest margin of victory this season but, more importantly, they allowed the fewest points since Dec. 8, when they gave up 51 vs. Tarleton State. TCU shot 1 of 20 from 3-point range.
Keyshawn Hall, who had 26 points and eight rebounds, said the Knights’ ability to defend will help dictate their success. Coach Johnny Dawkins’ team has allowed an average of 83.5 points through its opening eight conference games – worst in the 16-team league.
“We just gotta stay locked in on the defensive end,” Hall said. “If we stay locked in on the defensive end and get back to UCF basketball, like how coach Dawkins’ (teams) usually (played) throughout the years, then we’ll have a big chance because we can score better.”
–Field Level Media
