Kansas basketball must defend these USC Trojans in the 2nd round
Following a strong finish in their first-round victory against Eastern Washington, Kansas basketball will need to lock in defensively against USC.
Advancing to the round of 32, Kansas basketball has survived any first-round jitters and will move into a tough matchup with a talented, sixth-seeded USC Trojans program.
Jalen Wilson will return to the Kansas lineup against USC, which gives the Jayhawks the ability to create more pressure. However, the second round will require stellar defense from this KU team.
Must Read. Dajuan Harris continues to impress in first-round win. light
While Kansas’ defense has improved considerably heading into the postseason, the first round with the Eagles opened up some flaws for the Jayhawks’ perimeter defense.
This creates a dicey situation for KU, as the Trojans will bring a few offensive weapons on Monday.
Putting the locks on USC’s offense will be a must, as slowing down any opportunities for the Trojans to jump out ahead will be crucial if Kansas wants to pull off the win.
Evan Mobley
Freshman forward Evan Mobley could be one of the most exciting players on the West Coast, leading USC with nearly 17 points per game and wreaking havoc defensively.
Standing at 7′ 0”, Mobley will lead the Trojans’ inside attack, which will challenge Kansas’ defense at the glass.
Mobley’s size advantage could mount the pressure on Kansas’ defensive efforts says our friends over at Reign of Troy on the FanSided Network.
"“Kansas has David McCormack. USC has Evan Mobley. It should be fun to watch those two go at it. The hope for the Trojans is that Mobley’s size and athleticism is too much for KU, especially when paired with his brother Isaiah Mobley. Those two will give USC a nice height advantage. ”– Reign of Troy on the inside battle between Kansas and USC."
David McCormack will have a tough battle with Mobley, but if he can stop the Trojan’s ability to score inside, it could be a strong avenue for Kansas.
Tahj Eaddy
One of USC’s top scorers per game, Tahj Eaddy will be another concern for the Jayhawks.
A grad-transfer from Santa Clara, Eaddy has been a consistent shooter for the Trojans all season, and his reliability factor makes him a strong asset for USC.
If this game comes down to the wire, it’ll be crucial to shut Tahj down from the perimeter. Leaving him open could end up being a costly scenario for the Jayhawks.
Perimeter defense is something that Kansas struggled with against Eastern Kentucky, and it could plague them against USC unless they step up the outside pressure.
While the Trojans haven’t been the best three-point shooting team in the Pac-12, they’ll be pulling out all the stops against the Jayhawks. This should include a strong effort from Eaddy and will need to be dealt with if his shot gets hot.
Isaiah Mobley
The younger of the Mobley brothers, Isaiah Mobley has had a decent 2021 campaign.
Isaiah averages just under 10 points per game but is very quick to clean up the glass and create more opportunities for Trojans inside.
The sophomore forward has developed a strong presence inside, along with creating some offensive chemistry inside.
"“USC is at their best when they’re getting the ball inside to Evan and Isaiah Mobley.”– Reign of Troy on where USC is most efficient offensively."
This will require some more attention inside from Kansas, as both cleaning up the glass and stopping the Mobley brothers will be challenging for the Jayhawks.
Besides McCormack, we may have to lean on Ochai Agbaji to help out defending inside, as well as Marcus Garrett to put pressure on the ball before it enters the paint.