Kansas basketball: Aggies provide tough test for Jayhawks

Kansas basketball will face a tough, non-conference test Saturday. The Jayhawks and Texas A&M are set to meet in the Big 12-SEC Challenge

Over the past two seasons, Kansas basketball fans have enjoyed the Big 12-SEC Challenge. The Jayhawks knocked off Kentucky in an Allen Fieldhouse thriller in 2016 and outraced the ‘Cats at Rupp Arena last February. After those thrillers, a few fans seemed disappointed when the conference announced the 2018 matchups in May.

As a matter of fact, this fifth annual made for ESPN event is scheduled again in the middle of the Big 12 round robin schedule.  I don’t like it but it’s good for the conference to get some additional television attention. The games won’t have any football competition this weekend before the Super Bowl.  That is why ESPN created this college basketball extravaganza.

It will be fun for fans to see the former Big 12 Aggies return to Allen Fieldhouse. The two teams have not played since the Aggies left for the SEC in 2012. They are much better than last season’s 16-win team.  Under the direction of Billy Kennedy, the Aggies bring a 13-7 record to the weekend including a pair of victories over two other Big 12 teams.

Texas A&M opened the season with 23-point victory over West Virginia. Ten days later, the Aggies easily put away Oklahoma State 72-55 in the semi-finals of the Legends Classic in Brooklyn. The Aggies won that tourney title the next day over Penn State. They received a lot of love in the national polls for those early wins. However, they come into Saturday’s showdown unranked since they’ve lost 6 of 8 games dating back to December 30. In addition to losses at Kentucky and at Tennessee, LSU beat the Aggies twice during that time. Florida and Alabama also beat them during that span to leave them with a 2-6 SEC record.

Aggies play big in the paint

Despite their struggles, the Jayhawks will face a team with a pair of quality big men in Sophomore Robert Williams and Junior Tyler Davis. Both are 6-foot-10 and work hard for rebounds. The Aggies rank third nationally in rebounds a game. Through twenty game this season have they been out-rebounded just three times.

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The Jayhawks have an advantage in the back court. The trio of Seniors Devonte Graham, Svi Mykhailiuk and red-shirt sophomore Malik Newman will create offense off Aggie turnovers. The Aggies average 14 miscues a game and will have their minds on a game against Arkansas next week. Hall of Fame coach Bill Self won’t allow his team to consider the Big Monday showdown in Manhattan ahead of Saturday’s battle.