Bill Self and the Kansas basketball take their game back on the friendly road to Waco, Texas. Here are a few things to know when the Jayhawks battle the Bears.
The Kansas team will attempt to win their 20th game of the 2017-18 season Saturday in Waco. The No. 10 ranked Jayhawks are (8-3) in Big 12 Conference action. They have been fortunate on the road. The Jayhawks are 4-1 with their only setback that unfortunate setback to the Sooners in Norman. Bill Self’s guys have not lost in Waco since 2013.
Malik Newman was the star of the first meeting between the two teams on January 20. He saved the day with 7-points in a 9-0 run in the final 2:50 for a 3-point victory. Newman scored 24 against the Bears that afternoon at Allen Fieldhouse and grabbed 7 rebounds. The Jayhawks will need him to bring his best effort in the rematch.
Since that battle, the Bears went 2-3. Kansas State, Florida in the Big 12 SEC Challenge, and Oklahoma defeated Scott Drew’s team. They ended the losing streak last week with a pair of wins over Iowa State and at Oklahoma State. Both victories were by double-digits.
The Bears are long, tall and good on the board. They are among the Big 12 leaders in rebounding on both ends of the court. As a matter of fact, senior big man Jo Lual-Acuil is near the top of the Big 12 rebounders averaging over 9 a game. He had 12 rebounds against the Jayhawks in the first meeting and scored 14 points. The Bears also scored 16 second chance points in the battle.
Here is where to watch the Jayhawks play the Bears Saturday
Date: February 10
Time: 1 p.m. CST
Location: Waco, Texas
Venue: Ferrell Center
Television: CBS
Streaming: Watch CBS
Listen: Jayhawk Radio Network
Keys to Victory
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In the first meeting, the Jayhawks held Senior guard Manu Lecomte to just 10 points on 3-13 shooting and just 1-8 from beyond the arc. That is well below his season average. Bill Self desperately needs another big defensive effort this time. If the Jayhawks play with the lack of energy we saw against Oklahoma State, they won’t beat the Bears.
Udoka Azubuike needs to be active and crash the glass. Svi Mykhailiuk only took two shots on Tuesday. We need to see the senior attack the basket and play tough defense. Lagerald Vick did play better in the win over TCU. Getting more from the junior will go a long way to helping secure the team’s 9th Big 12 victory of the season.