Three Keys: Shorthanded Jayhawks will need to beat Longhorns with defense.
The Kansas Jayhawks are back home looking to continue their winning ways as the Texas Longhorns come to Lawrence for the only matchup between these two teams this season. Bill Self indicated that Kevin McCullar is highly unlikely to play this week after being unable to do much in practice.
Kansas already has an impressive home win against a tough Baylor team without McCullar, but can they keep that streak going against a Texas squad that shoots well from the perimeter? Here are some keys that will be needed to make that happen.
Better Post Play
Brendan talked yesterday about the need for Hunter Dickinson to play much better in the post for this team to reach their potential. But he isn't the only player that has seen his production dip recently. KJ Adams has been a normally reliable option down low, with most of his production not being very flashy. But while the health issues of multiple players have been a big concern for the team, I could make the case that the drop in production from Adams has been a bigger deal. His rebounding has been down recently, and his shooting has been inconsistent at best. But most noticeable has been that his assists have been cut in half over the last 4 games. If KJ gets back on track, it will open up things all over the court.
Bench Play
Relying on the bench has been a big problem for the Jayhawks this year. But the news that Kevin McCullar is out today means that the team will need someone to step up. I've been hearing good things about Jamari McDowell in practice, but he will almost certainly be coming off the bench. His defense is probably going to be more important in this one than his offense, but he'll need to team up with Parker Braun and Elmarko Jackson to have a significant positive impact on the game if Kansas is going to pull off the win.
Three-Point Defense
Both teams struggle to defend the three-point line, but while Kansas hasn't been very consistent in shooting three pointers, Texas is legitimately dangerous from long range. That ability has allowed them to get the most conference road wins this season, and will definitely make it hard on a depleted Kansas defense. Dajuan Harris will need some help, and how well Jackson and McDowell step up will be a big decider.
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