3 Overreactions From Kansas Basketball’s Victory Over Fort Hays State

The No. 19 Kansas Jayhawks finished off their exhibition slate with a 71–35 win over Division II opponent Fort Hays State on Tuesday evening.

KU was without one of the best players in the country, Darryn Peterson, as he missed the game due to a cramping issue. Regardless, the Jayhawks got it done, even if it wasn't all that pretty at times.

The team did what was expected and held the Tigers to the lowest point total a KU squad has ever allowed in an exhibition game in program history.

However, there are still some clear weaknesses that haven't been figured out yet. Here are three overreactions from the contest.

Flory Bidunga: Has He Actually Taken a Leap?

Flory Bidunga was perhaps the most underwhelming player on the floor for KU all night. Against a Division II opponent, he only tallied six points and nine rebounds while shooting an abysmal 3-for-9 from the field and missing all five of his free-throw attempts.

It is understandable that this was an exhibition and the team is still testing out some new things, but there are clearly bigger concerns at play if he cannot produce offensively.

One of the key questions for KU all offseason has been whether Bidunga could take a major leap as a sophomore now that he is being thrust into a full-time starting role. He looked decent against Louisville, but in all honesty, he has been outplayed by Bryson Tiller by quite a bit so far.

This is obviously too early to say Bidunga can't still break out, but a performance like this against a low-caliber opponent is very concerning.

Melvin Council Jr. And Tre White Are the No. 2 and 3 Options

After tonight in a game without Peterson to orchestrate the offense, it was made evident that Melvin Council Jr. will be the man running the point when he is off the floor.

Elmarko Jackson drew the start and did some good things early on, but Council was far more effective, hitting 5-of-6 shot attempts and leading the team with six assists.

Another player who contributed offensively was Illinois transfer Tre White, who knocked down a team-best two 3-pointers (nearly three if his foot wasn't on the line) and was active on both ends.

Right now, Council and White are the clear-cut No. 2 and No. 3 options for the offense, in no particular order. Aside from them and at times Tiller, nobody else could seem to create their own shot without it being distributed to them.

The Jayhawk transfers will definitely have a significant impact on this team, but there are still question marks around other players.

The Offense Without Peterson Just Isn’t Very Good

Of course, KU was without Peterson, who will probably score 18+ points per game and be a candidate to become an All-American. But when he isn't on the court to take away the defense's attention, there simply isn't much offensive cohesion for the Jayhawks right now.

Could that change as the season progresses? Without a doubt. However, it could be difficult for this team to put points on the board when Peterson is off the court unless another player is having an unprecedented performance.

There is nothing wrong with the identity the Jayhawks currently have as a defensive-first, athletic squad. Fans should expect a handful of ugly, low-scoring wins this year.

When Peterson is having an off night (or worse, if he is out like he was today), Kansas could consistently be scoring in the 60s or lower during its matchups against better defenses.