Win or Lose, Don’t Read Too Much Into Kansas’ Scrimmage at Louisville

It's easy to overreact to these types of games, but regardless of the outcome, don't read too much into the Kansas vs. Louisville scrimmage.

Jan 18, 2025; Lawrence, Kansas, USA; Kansas Jayhawks head coach Bill Self yells at his team during the first half against the Kansas State Wildcats at Allen Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Scott Sewell-Imagn Images | Scott Sewell-Imagn Images

The Kansas basketball team is gearing up for its scrimmage this Friday against Louisville at the KFC Yum! Center.

Both programs are ranked in the top 25 nationally and have a chance to be one of the best schools in their respective conferences.

While there will likely be many doomers on both sides if either team loses this game, the biggest thing to remember is that these matchups are meant to show where the team stands early on. These teams are working with new rosters and players who are still adjusting to their systems.

Kansas fans will get their first real look at how Bill Self plans to use his pieces and what style of play the Jayhawks will rely on this season. How KU pushes the tempo in transition and its athletic potential are some of the factors that could begin to take shape during this scrimmage.

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On KU's side, it returns just one contributor from last season in Flory Bidunga, and even he is transitioning into a full-time starting role after starting only six games as a freshman. Everyone else is an incoming freshman, transfer, or redshirt, making it one of Self's least experienced rosters in recent memory.

This group has had several months across the spring and summer to build chemistry, but that doesn't mean the results will be immediate. The Jayhawks previously struggled in their past two charity exhibitions against Illinois and Arkansas in 2023 and 2024, respectively.

While those teams turned out to be disappointing and the performances may have foreshadowed their inconsistencies later in the year, this team doesn't have the same experience as it did in past years.

As good as Darryn Peterson is expected to be, he won't be the best version of himself from Day 1. It will undoubtedly take some time for him and the rest of the group to click.

For context, BYU and AJ Dybantsa just lost to a lowly-rated Nebraska squad in a scrimmage and still projects as a contender in the Big 12. The same should apply here, regardless of the outcome.

Considering this game is away from home and against a higher-ranked opponent, Louisville is the more likely team to come out on top — the reality is that a loss should be expected here.

If KU falls, it isn't the end of the world. Fans should focus more on what looks good and what doesn't.

It should still be fun to see Peterson, Mikel Brown Jr., and the rest of the newcomers in action, and Coach Self will likely test different lineups throughout the night.