Through the Phog
Fansided

Kansas basketball’s struggles from the perimeter magnified in SEC/Big 12 loss to Tennessee

By Conner Becker

Jan 30, 2021; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Kansas Jayhawks forward Jalen Wilson (10) moves the ball against Tennessee Volunteers forward John Fulkerson (10) during the second half at Thompson-Boling Arena. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 30, 2021; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Kansas Jayhawks forward Jalen Wilson (10) moves the ball against Tennessee Volunteers forward John Fulkerson (10) during the second half at Thompson-Boling Arena. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit

Kansas basketball saw a rough defeat against Tennessee yesterday in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge, troubles from the three-point line proved to be a major issue for the Jayhawks.

Falling short to the Volunteers by a score of 80-61, Kansas basketball had a tough day on the floor and from the perimeter. The loss marks number 5 on the Jayhawk’s season and has magnified their issues from the perimeter.

In slight roster change, freshman Dajuan Harris found himself replacing sophomore Jalen Wilson in the starting five. This altered lineup didn’t seem to affect Kansas’ ability to consistently score, as they relied on David McCormack‘s inside shot throughout most of the first half.

On the other side of the offensive attack, Kansas couldn’t find a spark from the outside. This would result in an atrocious 3-15 performance behind the arc.

While Marcus Garrett and Christian Braun saw a majority of these opportunities, it’s clear that these kinds of performances are not going to help get Kansas any traction, especially in tough matchups such as yesterday.

The transition of Harris to the point guard position didn’t seem to help much either, only adding a little more speed to the top of the key. This even appeared to make it harder when trying to find Dave inside, as it created a lot more traffic for the Jayhawk’s offense.

Defensively, Kansas struggled to stop Yves Pons, who was responsible for 17 of the Volunteer’s 80 point victory. Pons even found some success from the outside, finding two three-point buckets against the Jayhawks. Keeping the locks on Pons was a concern for Kansas and it showed why on Saturday afternoon.

For many fans, things got very depressing going into the final minutes. The Jayhawks didn’t seem to have much motivation by the time they found themselves down by 20 and simply weren’t finding any ways to get shots to click.

Whether or not we’ll see any major roster shifts is still debatable, but if this what it means to “stir it up” for head coach Bill Self, then Kansas will in for a tough ride the rest of the season. With an expected drop in the AP poll, the Jayhawks will return home on Tuesday for a chance to lift some spirits in the Sunflower Showdown against Kansas State.

Home/Kansas Jayhawks Basketball