Gameday preview: Three Iowa State players that could pose problems for the Jayhawks

Kansas was able to steal a win versus the Iowa State Cyclones in their previous meeting, but they did not look impressive in the victory. They pulled away by just two points in a matchup that went down to the wire. Now that the Jayhawks are playing in the Hilton Coliseum for their second meeting, they will have to play significantly better to complete the regular season sweep.

T.J. Otzelberger has done a tremendous job with his team in his second year as the Cyclones’ head coach. Their offense is average compared to other schools, but their defensive rating of 88.0 ranks 5th in the entire country. The last outcome between these two teams was a gritty, low-scoring dogfight. Iowa State may have a penchant for defense, but they have some sneaky good scoring guards who could wreak havoc on the Jayhawks. Here are three players that could create some issues for Kansas on the defensive side of the ball:

1. Gabe Kalscheur, G, 6′ 4″, 200 lbs

If you watched the first game, you would know why Kalscheur is at the top of this list. The Jayhawks could not figure out how to stop him all game, and he nearly sent his team to overtime with a game-tying three-pointer before the subsequent game-winning floater by KJ Adams. He had a team-high 23 points and 6 rebounds on 4-8 shooting beyond the arc.

The super-senior who played three years at Minnesota is having the best season of his college career at 23 years old. He is averaging 13.4 points per game to go along with 1.6 steals.

Kalscheur began the season as a rotational bench piece but has transformed into one of the team’s most important players. Kansas will need to contain him off the ball all game, as he is always rotating on the floor and has a lightning-quick release from deep. He is also someone the Jayhawks can take advantage of, as his frame is severely outmatched by his presumed defensive matchup Gradey Dick.

2. Caleb Grill, G, 6′ 3″, 195 lbs

After struggling to find his shot for the opening years of his college career, Grill has developed into one of the best three-pointers shooters in the entire conference. It might have something to do with his newly adapted mullet, but he has found his niche at Iowa State.

Another senior guard, Grill is shooting 40.2% from three-point range in 2022-23. He has only taken 29 shots inside the arc this year, so it is evident that his offensive game is not too diverse.

Even if his game is one-sided, it does not make him any less difficult to guard. In the Cyclones’ most recent performance, an overtime loss to Texas Tech, he was unstoppable. All 12 of his shots were threes — he did not even attempt a free throw. Nonetheless, he made 8 of those 12 threes, leaving the Red Raiders astounded all night.

In the first game versus KU, Grill did not impress the Allen Fieldhouse crowd. He shot 1-8, struggling to find his rhythm the entire contest. He even missed the three at the buzzer which would have won the Cyclones the game.

The Jayhawks saw a very different version of Grill than what he is usually capable of, so Kansas will need to cover him tightly at all times. He might be a streaky shooter, but the last thing that the Jayhawks want to do is let Grill ignite a flame.

3. Osun Osunniyi, C, 6′ 10″, 218 lbs

Osunniyi’s production has not been too consistent, but he has been a vital transfer portal pickup for the Cyclones. The 2-time Atlantic 10 Defensive Player of the Year was a stud at St. Bonaventure, making the All-Defense team in all of the four years he spent there.

Osunniyi’s natural gifts are what make him most impressive. His 7′ 8″ wingspan is one of the longest of all basketball players, as it is just two inches short of Mo Bamba’s NBA-leading 7′ 10″. If any shot is in the vicinity of Osunniyi, there is a chance that it will be rejected.

The Jayhawks could not contain Osunniyi in their first matchup, but they were able to foul him out of the game after he played just 19 minutes. Still, he shot 7-10 from the floor, scoring 14 points and blocking 3 shots. His interior defense will be an obstacle for the Jayhawks to overcome.

KJ Adams will have his hands full during Saturday morning’s competition. Osunniyi is very athletic for a player of his size and sets screens at a high level. One of the Jayhawks’ main objectives going into the game should be to get him in foul trouble quickly, just as they did a few weeks ago.