Why Are Kansas’ Big Men Struggling, and How Can They Get Back on Track?

There has been one constant amid Kansas' ugly stretch of three losses in its past four games. Its starting big men, Flory Bidunga and Bryson Tiller, have been consistently pushed around in the paint by their opponents.

In Tuesday's loss to Arizona State, the Sun Devils were getting far too many easy looks inside the paint against a team that is sacrificing spacing with two starting bigs. And in the losses to Arizona and Cincinnati, Bidunga and Tiller were completely ineffective and turned in some of their worst performances of the year.

It has become evident that these two players are key to KU's success, as the Jayhawks have looked abysmal during this skid. One specific archetype of player continues to rattle this tandem.

Kansas’ Big Men Have Struggled Against a Specific Archetype of Players

When facing long and athletic bigs, Kansas as a whole has faltered mightily. These issues begin in the frontcourt, particularly with rebounding and efficiency down low.

Over the past five games, both players have shot abysmal percentages from the field. Tiller is averaging 6.0 points on 37.9% shooting with no threes made in that stretch.

While Bidunga's numbers are slightly better at 9.2 points and 9.4 boards, he and his running mate have surrendered countless offensive rebounds and consistently get outmuscled inside. During this span, Bidunga is shooting 46.7% from the floor compared to his season clip of 63.7%, and is averaging just one free throw attempt per night.

Mar 3, 2026; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils forward Allen Mukeba (23) moves the ball against Kansas Jayhawks forward Flory Bidunga (40) in the second half at Desert Financial Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The theme of the players that KU's big men struggle against is clear. The first example was the duo of 6-foot-11 Baba Miller and 7-foot-2, 250-pound center Moustapha Thiam versus Cincinnati. In that 16-point home loss, the Jayhawks gave up 14 offensive rebounds and lost the overall rebounding battle 40 to 29.

Then, Arizona star Motiejus Krivas completely overpowered Kansas' frontcourt on the low block in KU's 23-point defeat last week. The 7-foot-2, 260-pound brute force from Lithuania is one of the best pure centers in the country and got anything he wanted against Bidunga and Tiller.

The most recent example came against Arizona State center Massamba Diop. The 7-foot-1 freshman from Senegal was pivotal in ASU's upset earlier this week, grabbing nine rebounds and blocking three shots.

The Jayhawks Need a Good Draw in the NCAA Tournament

At this point in the season, it is concerning that this trend continues. There is no question that if KU draws a long and athletic team in March Madness, Jayhawk fans will be uneasy entering the matchup.

When Kansas plays teams that lack comparable size and allow Bidunga and Tiller to thrive, this group looks far more effective. Offensive rebounds create extra offensive opportunities, and Bidunga becomes a reliable secondary scoring option in the paint when teams double Darryn Peterson.

But when your second-leading scorer is posting two-point outings against a team like Arizona, that simply will not suffice. He and Tiller are the X-factors on this roster and could ultimately determine how deep the Jayhawks advance in the postseason.