KANSAS

3 Key Stats From Kansas Basketball’s Loss to Utah

The Jayhawks had a tough outing in Utah on Saturday night.
Mathey Gibson|
Feb 15, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Utes forward Ezra Ausar (2) moves around Kansas Jayhawks forward KJ Adams (24) during the second half at the Jon M. Huntsman Center. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Creveling-Imagn Images
Feb 15, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Utes forward Ezra Ausar (2) moves around Kansas Jayhawks forward KJ Adams (24) during the second half at the Jon M. Huntsman Center. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Creveling-Imagn Images | Christopher Creveling-Imagn Images

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Kansas Jayhawks

Kansas basketball’s 74-67 loss to Utah on Saturday night had its fair share of frustrating moments. A few key stats tell the story of why the Jayhawks couldn’t pull this one out.

Let’s break it down:

1. Seven Points off Turnovers

Kansas only managed seven points off of Utah’s turnovers, while Utah cashed in 22 points off the Jayhawks’ mistakes.

That’s a massive gap, and it hurt. The Jayhawks forced just seven turnovers and coughed it up 12 times themselves.

It’s tough to win when you’re losing the turnover battle like that, especially when you’re not converting the few chances you do get.

2. -15: Rylan Griffen’s Plus/Minus

Plus-minus isn’t always the best stat for judging a player, but Rylan Griffen’s -15 stood out.

The junior transfer from Alabama just had a rough night. He struggled with foul trouble (four fouls), turned it over twice, and finished with only six points.

What’s usually his calling card—defense—wasn’t there either. If you’re looking for any positives, he did hit two threes, but overall, it wasn’t his best game.

3. 123.3: KJ Adams’ Offensive Rating

One bright spot was KJ Adams’ efficiency. He had a solid offensive rating of 123.3, going 2-for-3 from the field with two assists and two rebounds.

Kansas’ offense tends to stall when Adams is on the floor, but that wasn’t the case against Utah. Unfortunately, his night ended early after he fouled out, keeping him from contributing more. It feels like there’s always a “but” when it comes to Adams’ performances.

In the end, Kansas just couldn’t piece it all together in Salt Lake City. With a tough Big 12 schedule ahead, they’ll need to clean up these areas quickly if they want to get back on track before March.

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Mathey Gibson
MATHEY GIBSON

Mathey Gibson is the Managing Editor for the Kansas Jayhawks On SI. A graduate of the University of Alabama, he has extensive experience covering major college sports, including reporting on Crimson Tide athletics since 2019 for outlets like Alabama Crimson Tide On SI, The Crimson White, and Tide Illustrated. Now focused on Kansas, Gibson has covered significant events such as the NCAA Tournament, College World Series, and the College Football Playoff, bringing a deep understanding of collegiate athletics to one of the nation’s premier programs.

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