Kansas basketball: Ochai Agbaji back in the groove vs. Omaha

Junior guard Ochai Agbaji got back in the groove in Kansas basketball’s 95-50 over Nebraska-Omaha last night.

Last night, Ochai Agbaji led Kansas basketball to a 95-50 win over Omaha by scoring 18 points and grabbing five rebounds. Agbaji shot 70 percent from the field and 66 percent from behind the arc in a much needed bounce-back game.

A few days ago against Creighton, Agbaji struggled. He went 0-6 from the floor, logging 0 points for the game. Agbaji was the Jayhawks’ leading scorer at the time, and to have him go scoreless against a top 10 team was a problem. Thankfully the Jayhawks were able to pull out a 73-72 win over the Bluejays thanks to Jalen Wilson.

Agbaji is more than just a scorer though. He plays good defense, he’s become a much better passer, and he’s good for five or six rebounds per game. At the end of the day though, Bill Self and Kansas need Agbaji to put points on the board.

After dropping his 18 last night, Agbaji is now averaging 14.1 points per game. If he can maintain that average and be more consistent, it’d be huge for Kansas as they get ready for Big 12 play. It’s important to remember that Agbaji is no longer the third or fourth option, like back when Udoka Azubuike and Devon Dotson were running the team.

Agbaji must be a guy Bill Self can rely on to put up 13 or 14 points per game. Ochai’s a guy that needs to be in games late, he plays good defense, he’s a decent free throw shooter, and normally, he can put points on the board. He will be a key piece of this Kansas basketball team, and he will be a determining factor in if Kansas is able to repeat as Big 12 champions.