Kansas basketball routs Chaminade, will play BYU later tonight

Kansas basketball started off the Maui Invitational with a rout of Chaminade. Now, they’ll look to take on the BYU Cougars tonight.

Kansas basketball vs. BYU at a glance:

Time: 9:30 (CT)

Place: Lahaina Civic Center – Lahaina, HI

Watch: ESPN

Listen: FM- KKSW 105.9, or AM- KLWN 1320 (Lawrence Stations)

Odds: Kansas -11 (odds courtesy of The Action Network)

All-Time Series vs. BYU: 3-1 Kansas

Last Meeting: 1993 – Kansas 90, BYU 76

Full Preview: Guide to the Maui Jim Maui Invitational

The Jayhawks picked up a dominant win last night as expected over Division II Chaminade. Kansas basketball dominated every facet of the game from start to finish with Devon Dotson leading the team in points (19).

After the conclusion of the Jayhawks’ rout of the Silverswords, BYU and UCLA tipped off to determine who would be moving on to face Kansas.

Somewhat surprisingly, BYU stole the show in the second half with lights-out shooting, propelling them to a 78-63 win over the Bruins. BYU shot 62% from the field and was 9-for-18 from behind the three-point line. The Cougars also took advantage of free throws, knocking down 87.5% of their chances at the line.

Senior Jake Toolson led all scorers with 20 points on 8-of-14 shooting. Toolson has been averaging 16.7 points per game so far this season, but he won’t be the only player the Jayhawks need to stop. Zac Seljaas came off the bench and nearly recorded a double-double in 23 minutes. The senior finished with nine points and 11 rebounds against UCLA.

In their conference, BYU was ranked third in Busting Brackets’ WCC Basketball Preseason power rankings.

The Cougars are 4-2 so far this season with losses to San Diego State and an overtime loss to Boise State. BYU doesn’t have a lot size, but they’re able to spread the floor with their ability to shoot the ball.

This is a game where Kansas should dominate on the glass, and give themselves an advantage by getting second-chance buckets on the offensive end. Udoka Azubuike had a huge second half last night where he scored all 15 of his points, now he just needs to do that the entire game.

The biggest challenge facing Kansas basketball is defending against BYU’s shooting. The Cougars only attempted 18 three-pointers last night, but you can bet your bottom dollar that number will go up significantly.

As long as the Jayhawks play their game on the offensive end and don’t allow BYU open looks from behind the arc, Kansas should have no problem taking down BYU tonight on their way to the Maui Invitational Championship.

With Michigan State’s stunning loss to Virginia Tech yesterday, the Jayhawks lost a chance to take on a top-five team in the country, which is unfortunate. Now, the winner of Kansas and BYU will take on the winner of Dayton and Virginia Tech. The Flyers and Hokies will face off on ESPN at 7:00 PM (CT).

Despite the letdown of the Michigan State loss, Kansas basketball still has work to do. There’s value in winning this tournament, and despite losing the matchup with the Spartans, the Maui Invitational will be a good resume booster for the Jayhawks down the road.