Flory Bidunga’s Offensive Performance Among Keys to Kansas Defeating Duke

Now that Kansas freshman Darryn Peterson has officially been ruled out of Tuesday's contest against Duke, the Jayhawks are going to be short-handed on the offensive end.

While Bill Self's squad has already played two games without Peterson this season, there has been inconsistent offensive production from the rest of the supporting cast.

The only player that has truly taken a step forward is sophomore big man Flory Bidunga, who has moved into a starting role after sitting behind Hunter Dickinson last year. His offensive game still has limitations, but he might be KU's best bet for reliable scoring tonight.

Through four games, Bidunga has averaged 17.0 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks. His scoring has taken a massive leap, jumping from last year's 5.9 points per game to a double-digit increase this season.

While there is still plenty of basketball left to be played, it is evident that Bidunga put in significant work during the offseason. He looks much more fluid with his movements in the post, has improved as a passer, and has even shown off a developing left-handed post-hook when backing defenders down.

In the two games Peterson has missed, Bidunga has averaged 18.5 points, including a career-high 25 points in Kansas' win over Princeton last Saturday.

These numbers highlight just how effective Bidunga can be at his best, but the biggest limitation is that he still scores almost exclusively in the paint. When the rest of the team isn't spacing the floor or knocking down 3-pointers, he becomes far easier to slow down inside.

That is why it is crucial that shooters like Kohl Rosario, Tre White, and Jayden Dawson connect from beyond the arc. Doing so would force Duke's defense to respect the perimeter shot, and in turn, prevent constant double-teams on Bidunga down low.

When Bidunga can get to his spot on the low block and size up his defender, he can be extremely effective. He has a tough test today against the 6-foot-11, 250-pound Patrick Ngongba, who is having a breakout season himself.

Kansas will need another excellent offensive performance from him today, especially at the free-throw line, where he has improved his percentage by nearly 25 points from last season.

Ultimately, this was never going to be an easy game for KU, but the absence of Peterson means Bidunga must be nearly flawless for the Jayhawks to keep up with the Blue Devils' offense.