Dec 31, 2024; Lawrence, Kansas, USA; Kansas Jayhawks middle Hunter Dickinson (1) and West Virginia Mountaineers guard Joseph Yesufu (1) battle for a rebound through the second half at Allen Fieldhouse. Obligatory Credit score: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Pictures No. 11 Kansas and Arizona State will meet on the hardwood for the primary time as Huge 12 foes on Wednesday evening in Lawrence, Kan.
The Jayhawks (10-3, 1-1 Huge 12) rebounded from final week’s 62-61 residence loss towards West Virginia with a powerful 51-point win at UCF on Sunday.
Hunter Dickinson led the way in which for the Jayhawks with 27 factors on 12-of-17 capturing within the 99-48 win, whereas Flory Bidunga added 12 factors and 6 blocks. Bidunga and Dickinson had been a pressure of their minutes collectively, which might result in extra enjoying time for Bidunga in his sixth-man position.
“We’ve not had rim safety like that each one 12 months lengthy,” Kansas coach Invoice Self stated. “We made up for some dangerous defensive performs by guys contesting and blocking, so I might say the most important factor I like about them proper now’s that defensively they will play collectively. (Bidunga) is nice sufficient and fast sufficient. He can play out on the perimeter some.
“However the largest factor, even with (Dickinson), we had rim safety.”
The Jayhawks completed with 12 blocked pictures and outrebounded the Knights by a whopping 63-32 margin. UCF shot simply 20.6 p.c from the sector (14 of 68).
Dickinson leads Kansas in each scoring and rebounding this season, averaging 16.0 factors and 10.3 rebounds per sport.
Kansas additionally receives vital contributions from guards Zeke Mayo and Dajuan Harris Jr. Mayo is averaging 14.0 factors, 4.1 rebounds and three.5 assists and scored 25-plus factors in three consecutive video games to shut out December earlier than settling for six factors within the win over UCF. Harris leads the Jayhawks with 5.5 assists and 1.5 steals per sport along with averaging 10.4 factors.
Arizona State (10-3, 1-1) recovered from a 20-point loss at BYU in its inaugural Huge 12 sport final week with an 81-61 win over Colorado on Saturday, led by 19 factors from BJ Freeman on 8-of-12 capturing. Basheer Jihad added 17 factors within the win, making 4 of 6 makes an attempt from lengthy vary and 6 of 9 total.
Jihad and Joson Sanon every common 13.5 factors per sport to tempo the Solar Devils. Jayden Quaintance leads Arizona State with 8.2 rebounds per sport and is second within the nation with 3.15 blocks per sport whereas additionally chipping in a mean of 9.2 factors. Freeman averages 11.8 factors per sport, whereas Alston Mason averages 11.0 factors and a team-high 3.5 assists.
Heading to Lawrence for a date with the blueblood Jayhawks will probably be among the many largest assessments on Arizona State’s schedule in its first go-around within the Huge 12. The Solar Devils imagine that they’re able to show their mettle.
“We’re very assured,” Freeman stated. “So long as we are available right here and we play our basketball, I really feel like we bought an opportunity with anyone within the nation. I really feel like (with) how we play, how briskly we play, and the way bodily we’re on protection, we bought a really nice probability to win.”
–Subject Degree Media
