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Kansas basketball: Defense will have to step up at home against Oklahoma’s Adam Reaves, as the Jayhawks drop to #9 in the AP Poll

By Conner Becker

Jan 9, 2021; Lawrence, Kansas, USA; Oklahoma Sooners guard Austin Reaves (12) shoots a jump shot as Kansas Jayhawks guard Ochai Agbaji (30) defends during the game at Allen Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 9, 2021; Lawrence, Kansas, USA; Oklahoma Sooners guard Austin Reaves (12) shoots a jump shot as Kansas Jayhawks guard Ochai Agbaji (30) defends during the game at Allen Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports /
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The last time Kansas basketball went up against the Sooners, they escaped with a narrow win at home despite a strong counter effort from Austin Reaves.

Kansas basketball returns following back-to-back road losses against Oklahoma State and Baylor. Looking to get back on track, the Jayhawks will travel to Norman tomorrow to face the Sooners.

The Sooner’s leading scorer, Austin Reaves, is one of the best shooters in the conference and will give Oklahoma an edge. He averages roughly 15 points per game and cleans up the boards well, finding around 5 rebounds per game.

It’s no doubt that the Sooners are looking for some vengeance following their last meeting with Kansas in Lawrence. The narrow win consisted of a close-knit game with Kansas strolling away in the end with a quick surge of offense.

Reaves had an especially strong showing against Kansas the last time around and seemed to keep the Jayhawk’s defense on their toes. Having a tighter grip on Reaves will be necessary to push back any chance of him getting hot early. We should expect guys like Jalen Wilson and Marcus Garrett to be on his case throughout the game.

We’ve also seen some defensive action from Dajuan Harris, who has seen more minutes on the floor lately along with Tristian Enaruna. This duo shares a great deal of speed and hopefully, these two will be on their game come tomorrow morning.

Oklahoma is coming in with two consecutive wins over TCU and Kansas State, which have been lighter challenges in the conference so far this season. Regardless, if the Sooners come out red hot, it’s going to require Kansas to match that energy level. It’s obvious their roster is frustrated and looking to end their losing stint with a road win over the Sooners.

Despite the positive start to the Jayhawk’s season, the road has gotten “rockier” over the month and it has changed the narrative for the team. To find a better path, it will start with a solid performance against the Sooners. If Oklahoma finds a home win tomorrow and punches a “W” in their book, it will raise some serious concerns for Kansas.

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